自2001年推行課程改革以來，課程發展議會和教育局力倡以「探究學習」作為中國歷史科的教學策略；與此同時，香港考試及評核局亦引入「歷史資料題」作為本科公開考試的評核題目，可見其受重視之程度。初中中國歷史科雖仍然沿用1997年頒佈的課程文件，然而不論是教科書的編寫，或是教師的日常課堂教學，亦加入了歷史探究和史料學習的元素。本研究透過與來自六所中學的十二位任教初中中國歷史科教師和三十一位中三級學生的訪談，檢視歷史探究和史料學習在香港初中中國歷史科的實踐概況。綜合而言有三項重要發現。 / 第一，課程變革下，香港中學的教學範式起了巨大轉變，一方面帶動教師反省本科教學的本質；另一方面促進學科教師能接納和掌握以學生和能力為本的教學範式和策略。再加上新高中學制施行，加劇學科之間的競爭，修讀中國歷史科學生人數銳減，直接影響學科的生存空間。以上各項變化，引發歷史探究和史料學習在初中中國歷史科的開展，正反映教師在回應課程和新高中學制改革下「審時度勢」的課程實踐。 / 第二，研究發現教師在教學層面實施這種模式時，產生理念與實踐之間落差。究其原因是源於歷史探究理念與中國傳統史學之間的張力，以及教師對歷史知識與探究能力之間關係的理解。這反映在實踐過程中，未有充份注意學科本身的特質，形成張力，甚至衝突，導致在教學層面產生兩難局面。在課程實踐過程中，教師從中判斷取捨和調適，結果在實踐程度時有所限制，因時、因人而形成差異。 / 第三，研究亦探討學生在這種學習模式下學習結果，就知識方面而言，他們對於理解歷史時序、變遷和因果關係的概念都傾向以「個別」事件、線性發展過程和史實知識為主，未能充份運用這些概念建構「歷史圖像」，解說複雜交錯的歷史現象。技能方面，香港中國歷史科課程和教學當中，缺乏全面培養和提高學生的中國語文理解和表達能力的策略，影響學生理解和應用歷史資料的能力。同時，學生表示對掌握史實知識較有信心，但對史論知識和歷史探究方法卻拿捏不足。態度方面，學生認為學習歷史能與自己生活處境結合，成為理解當前社會各種現象的對照，同時，歷史探究可增加學習歷史的興趣。 / 就上述三項發現，再參考相關歷史探究與史料學習的理論文獻和實證研究，本研究提出兩項建議。對課程設計者而言，課程組織要突破編年體與議題取向的兩極爭議，課程內容則要協助學生釐清歷史概念涵義，建立歷史圖像觀念。對課程實踐者而言，其一是宜嚴謹而有系統地將歷史思維能力和學生認知階段配合起來並作出規劃，設定各年級需達致的學習目標，並在課堂活動設計貫徹執行，以喚起學生持久學習歷史的內在動機。其二是建立歷史探究與史料學習的課堂常規，協助學生克服學習難點 。 / "Enquiry study" has been advocated by Curriculum Development Council and Education Bureau as a teaching strategy in secondary Chinese History since the curriculum reform launched in 2001. Also, the "data-based question" was introduced as an assessment question type in the public examination of Chinese History. Although the junior secondary Chinese History teaching is still following the curriculum document of 1997, the historical enquiry and source-based study elements have been included to the textbook and daily teaching practice. This research interviewed 12 junior secondary Chinese History teachers and 31 S3 students from six secondary schools in order to examine the implementation of the historical enquiry and source-based study in junior secondary Chinese History in Hong Kong. The three major research findings are as follows. / First, there is a teaching paradigm shift under the curriculum reform. This not only promotes teachers’ self-reflection on the nature of the subject they teach, but also facilitates their adoption and mastery of the student-centered and generic skill-based teaching paradigm and strategy. In addition, given the dramatic drop in the number of students taking Chinese History under the new senior secondary reform, the competition among subjects has become more intense. The survival of Chinese History as a subject has become a critical concern of subject teachers. In response to the above changes, the historical enquiry and source-based study was initiated as a "pragmatic approach" to the curriculum change and new senior secondary reforms. / Second, there is a discrepancy between the philosophy and the implementation of historical enquiry and source-based study in classroom teaching. Such discrepancy was originated from two factors namely: "the tension between the philosophy of enquiry and the traditional Chinese historiography" and "the relationship between historical knowledge and competence in making enquiry study". It was revealed that the tensions and conflicts were formed due to inadequate understanding of the nature of the subject. In order to deal with this dilemma, teachers may exercise more professional judgment and adaptation in their classroom teaching. However, the effectiveness of implementation is subject to personal and contextual differences. / Third, the research has examined the students’ learning outcomes through historical enquiry and source-based study. In knowledge aspect, students have shown understanding of the concepts of chronology, change, and cause and effect in an individual historical event, a linear historical process and historical facts. Yet, they cannot use these concepts to construct a holistic "historical picture" to explain the complicated historical phenomena. In skills aspect, the relative lack of Chinese interpretive and expressive skills training in Chinese History teaching has limited in the students’ understanding and use of the historical sources. Moreover, students have shown more confidence in handling factual knowledge than in historical interpretation and enquiry competence. Finally, for the attitude aspect, students hold the view that learning history can help them to understand the interactions, diversities and rapid changes in today’s world. Besides, historical enquiry can arouse students’ interest in studying history. / Based on the above research findings together with reference to the literature review and empirical studies of historical enquiry and source-based studies, two recommendations are proposed. For the curriculum developers, they should break through the polarised conflict between chronological framework and theme-based curriculum organisation. Also, they should clarify the implication of historical concepts and, build the concept of ‘historical picture’. As for the curriculum implementers, teachers should try to sustain students’ motivation through a well-planned school-based history curriculum with clear learning objectives developed in line with the history thinking capacities and cognitive development of students at different stages. Moreover, teachers can help students to overcome their learning difficulties in by institutionalising the regular teaching and learning practices of historical enquiry and source-based study. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / 區寶文. / Parallel title from added title page. / Thesis (Ed.D.) Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2015. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 206-216). / Abstracts also in English. / Ou Baowen.

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This is a small-scale research study on the discovery method of teaching history through the medium of small-group discussion. The study begins with a brief outline of the theoretical background to these topics, as well as of some of the extant research in the field. The class selected for the study is the standard seven class of a boys' high school. After the researcher has instructed the whole standard in an historical area which is unfamiliar to the pupils, twelve groups of three each are selected and withdrawn from the rest of the class, one group at a time. These thirty-six pupils become the "experimental" group; the rest of the pupils become the "control" group . The groups are selected according to different intellectual criteria and presented with stimulus material of one of three kinds, which is intended to aid them in their discourse. Each group is given the same set of three questions to discuss and, without further assistance by the researcher, the discussion takes place. This is recorded on audio-tape. After all the group discussions have been recorded, an assessment test is given to the whole standard, both experimental and control pupils. At the end of the school term a compulsory examination question is inserted in the history examination. The statistical data forthcoming from these assessments are correlated and the results analysed. Meanwhile, transcripts of all the group discussions have been made and these are analysed on a qualitative basis in terms of the groups' intellectual composition and according to the type of stimulus material used, and the results are recorded. The concept of "leaderless" groups is briefly discussed in the light of the dealings of the various groups in the study. The researcher finally feels justified in concluding that small groups are an ideal medium for the handling of evidence- based learning in history. He also has certain observations to make on the performance of groups of mixed (as opposed to homogeneous) ability as well as on the success of certain types of stimulus material towards initiating profitable discussion.

M.Ed. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

As a history teacher at Kuyasa High School in the Ciskei and afterwards as history method lecturer at the University of Fort Hare, visiting a large number of schools regularly for purposes of practice teaching with groups of students, I became aware of the problems encountered when history is taught to mixed ability groups. By far the most glaring problem is that of teaching methods. Teachers are in doubt concerning the teaching methodology to be adopted in classes where the spread of ability is wide. They face considerable difficulties in developing a role for themselves both in the classroom and in relation to their colleagues. The often noted tendency of teachers is to isolate themselves and guard the privacy of their classroom life. This realisation prompted me to undertake this study. The aim of this study is twofold. Having large classes in Ciskeian secondary schools, it is obvious that the spread of ability within classes is wide. The teachers then would have to form groups within the class. The first aim, therefore, is to develop and apply a reading comprehension test, with passages of varying difficulty. The performance of pupils in the test will serve as a guide when the children are put into groups. Secondly, I intend suggesting group activities which could be done by history pupils in such groups (Preface, p. iii)

This thesis examines briefly the problems of learning and understanding history when the subject is taught through the medium of a second language. It assesses the difficulty levels (for first language speakers) of the history textbooks commonly used in Ciskei secondary schools and considers the implications of these levels for second language speakers. It assesses the ability of 400 pupils in standard 8 and standard 10 to comprehend an English text which is deliberately written at a lower level of difficulty than that of the current secondary school texts. Comparisons are made of the comprehension scores of those pupils whose answers are written in English with those who are allowed to answer in Xhosa on questions based on the simple text. Finally, it compares the quality of the pupils' answers in Xhosa and English. Tentative recommendations are made about the language implications of history teaching which emerge from the results of the research.

The purpose of the thesis was to examine the extent to which geography is integrated into history courses. This was done through analyses of the maps in eighth and tenth grade history books. Every map in each book was tabulated according to its purpose, characteristics, and cartographic techniques. The statistics which were gathered from these tabulations were then used as a basis for percentages of the maps devoted to various purposes. In addition to this, twenty-five maps were analyzed in detail, with an examination not only of the map, but of the accompanying text, and the method in which the map was integrated into the written portion of the book. Through these analyses, it was discovered that maps are very poorly utilized in these textbooks. Many maps were used which were not in an appropriate scale for the subject they were to portray. Also, it was common to see a map which appeared to be useful for illustrating one idea, applied in an entirely different manner. Often maps were not incorporated with the text, or located in appropriate sections of the books. Most books had some maps which were excellent, and used advantageously; these same books also misused maps. There was a great deal of inconsistency in the quality of maps, and how they were used. The conclusion drawn is a recommendation that more studies be done in this field, in an endeavor to further analyze the problem as it exists new, so that it can be corrected.

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D.Phil. / History at school and tertiary level is on the defence the world over. This ahistorical spirit of the times may be ascribed to many factors, particularly to the fact that history has, to a great extent, lost its relevance for the technical industrial community. The Schools Council in England held the view that history could be made more relevant by turning away from the traditional approach which emphasized memorizing facts, to an approach which places greater emphasis on the use of sources and the development of skills. Despite the high hopes which were entertained for the 'new' history, it could not arrest the waning interest in history. At present, new initiatives are in progress in England to further 'professionalize' the school subject. Although the entire philosophy of the project never gained acceptance in South Africa, traces of it may be perceived in the didactic and evaluation practices of most departments of education. As a consequence, more emphasis is now being placed on skills peculiar to the subject and the use of historical and archival material. In the history class, however, the primary purpose of the learning encounter ought to be understanding the past and not the development of skills. As skills are merely actions which demonstrate understanding they cannot be artificially separated from the learning content. Any accountable didactic practice will contribute to the development or historical skills, since that enables pupils to understand. history better. Moreover, pupils ought to be introduced to the historical method. To assume that they are able to deal with sources in the .sane way as historians, would, however, be pretentious. Evaluation should reflect this approach to the school subject. In the process the pupil's level of development should be taken into account. Although a pupil's full potential is actualized when he is faced by challenges, there are limits to his ability. Research findings indicate that most pupils only master the formal level of thinking in history at approximately sixteen years of age. Justice will be done to the school subject if a variety of evaluation instruments were to be used during examinations. The variety should, however, be functional and purposeful, directed at the evaluation of the total learning effect. Particular attention should be paid to the formulation of examination questions. They should be unambiguous and simple so that pupils would know exactly what they are expected to do. After all, the skill of setting a question lies in formulating the question in such a way that pupils know exactly what is required, but are at the same time forced to respond to the question in a specific cognitive manner. After an examination paper has been set and the memorandum written, an analysis ought to be made by means of a specification table in order to determine to what extent the aims peculiar to the subject have been evaluated.