Text in Afrikaans / Relevante Geskiedenisonderrig in ajgelee gebiede: enkele onderrigstrategiee vir die intermediere ~kooljase is 'n didakties-pedagogiese ondersoek na die grondliggende redes waarom leerders geskiedenis nie as 'n relevante skoolvak beleefnie. Vanuit hierdie kemprobleem is drie onderliggende subprobleme ge'identifiseer, naamlik: •:• Geskiedenis is nie 'n relevante skoolvak nie; •:• Intermediere leerders in afgelee gebiede ervaar geskiedenis nie as 'n relevante skoolvak me, en •:• Die gebruik van die konvensionele onderrigmetodes in geskiedenisonderrig is onvoldoende om die relevansie van geskiedenis as 'n skoolvak vir leerders te verhoog. Die ontwikkeling van vernuwende onderrigstrategiee in geskiedenisonderrig vir intermediere leerders in ajgelee gebiede kan hulle dus help om die vakinhoud te verstaan, en tot lewenslange en gemotiveerde leerders en burgers te ontwikkel. Die hipotese kan dus aanvaar word dat die ontwikkeling van innoverende onderrigstrategiee die relevansie van geskiedenis vir die intermediere leerders in afgelee gebiede kan verhoog. / Relevant history instruction in isolated areas: Some teaching strategies for the intermediate school phase is a didactic pedagogical investigation into the basic reasons why learners at school do not experience history as a relevant school subject. From this core problem, three underlying sub-problems were identified, namely: •!• History is not a relevant school subject; •!• Intermediate learners in isolated areas do not experience history as a relevant school subject, and •!• The use of conventional teaching methods in history teaching is inadequate for increasing the relevance of history as a school subject for learners. The development of innovative teaching strategies in history instruction for intermediate learners in isolated areas can therefore enable them to understand history as a relevant school subject and to develop into permanent and motivated learners and citizens. We can therefore accept the hypothesis that the development of teaching strategies can increase the relevance of history teaching for intermediate learners at school in isolated areas. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Didaktiek)

Text in Afrikaans / Relevante Geskiedenisonderrig in ajgelee gebiede: enkele onderrigstrategiee vir die intermediere ~kooljase is 'n didakties-pedagogiese ondersoek na die grondliggende redes waarom leerders geskiedenis nie as 'n relevante skoolvak beleefnie. Vanuit hierdie kemprobleem is drie onderliggende subprobleme ge'identifiseer, naamlik: •:• Geskiedenis is nie 'n relevante skoolvak nie; •:• Intermediere leerders in afgelee gebiede ervaar geskiedenis nie as 'n relevante skoolvak me, en •:• Die gebruik van die konvensionele onderrigmetodes in geskiedenisonderrig is onvoldoende om die relevansie van geskiedenis as 'n skoolvak vir leerders te verhoog. Die ontwikkeling van vernuwende onderrigstrategiee in geskiedenisonderrig vir intermediere leerders in ajgelee gebiede kan hulle dus help om die vakinhoud te verstaan, en tot lewenslange en gemotiveerde leerders en burgers te ontwikkel. Die hipotese kan dus aanvaar word dat die ontwikkeling van innoverende onderrigstrategiee die relevansie van geskiedenis vir die intermediere leerders in afgelee gebiede kan verhoog. / Relevant history instruction in isolated areas: Some teaching strategies for the intermediate school phase is a didactic pedagogical investigation into the basic reasons why learners at school do not experience history as a relevant school subject. From this core problem, three underlying sub-problems were identified, namely: •!• History is not a relevant school subject; •!• Intermediate learners in isolated areas do not experience history as a relevant school subject, and •!• The use of conventional teaching methods in history teaching is inadequate for increasing the relevance of history as a school subject for learners. The development of innovative teaching strategies in history instruction for intermediate learners in isolated areas can therefore enable them to understand history as a relevant school subject and to develop into permanent and motivated learners and citizens. We can therefore accept the hypothesis that the development of teaching strategies can increase the relevance of history teaching for intermediate learners at school in isolated areas. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Didaktiek)

The writer is of the opinion that the teaching of history is a skilled, complex and challenging activity which demands a highly professional approach. History teaching should enable children to identify and acquire certain skills and perspectives that support and develop their interest in and knowledge of the past. There has been some concern that history may not be an appropriate school subject for children and young adolescents because it requires a level of cognitive development that they may not yet have attained. Fortunately, there is a substantial body of research that addresses this question. Most of it is grounded in Piagetian theory and is concerned with the development of logical thinking in history learning (Downey and Levstik 1988:338). The writer believes that sophisticated and potentially difficult concepts like historical time, cause and effect and empathy are capable of being explained and discussed at a level that most pupils can grasp. The most frequently quoted statement of Jerome Bruner lends support to this view: "Any subject can be taught effectively in some intellectually honest form to any child at any stage of development" (1977:3). This research focused on the three pivotal concepts of historical time, cause and effect and empathy. The purpose of the empirical study was to establish how significant a role these concepts play in the teaching and learning of history at the senior primary level. The study was undertaken by means of the illuminative method of research within the context of the ethnographic tradition. The writer observed and described the teaching of history in seven schools in the Durban area. Ten lessons were given by Fourth Year students from a college of education and five were taught by senior primary teachers. The depth of teaching experience in this group ranged between one year and twenty. In most of the lessons, content predominated over the reinforcing of concepts. Teachers stated openly that they experienced difficulty in teaching the concepts of historical time and cause and effect at senior primary level. This was borne out by the pupils' oral and written responses. However, most teachers did encourage pupils to empathise with the subject matter. The results of this research suggest that there is a need to heighten teachers' awareness of the centrality of the concepts of historical time, cause and effect and empathy if the teaching of history at senior primary level is to become more effective. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1992.

M.Ed. / Present day society displays a noticeable concern with regard to public interest in history. The debate about the relevance of history is increasing. This concern is not unjustified if one closely examines the statistics of high school pupils taking history at matric level. Numerous reasons are given for the pupils' lack of interest in the subject and many academics, historians, teachers and other interest groups have come up with suggestions to counter this phenomenon regarding the lack of interest in history. The dissertation has as its aim the investigation of possible educative advantages in local history teaching and to prove how local history teaching, as an agent of broader history studies, can be used to boost and build pupil interest in history. Reference will be made to local history; what it is, how it fits into broader history and how it can be implemented at primary school level to counter some of the problems educators are experiencing regarding the lack of interest by pupils. Firstly, reference will be made to the educatiye principles underlying local history teaching and how these can be utilized by history teachers in an endeavour to enhance pupils' interest in the subject. Secondly, attention will be paid to the psychological development of pupils. One of the most important characteristics of any didactical situation is that the learning material should be designed in such a manner that it takes into account the intellectual development and abilities of pupils. This is an inherent feature of local history teaching and can be used by educators as a tool to counter the lack of interest that was refered to earlier. One of the reasons why pupils display a lack of interest in their history classes may be because of the traditional method of history teaching in which teachers tend to lapse into unilateral discussions. Local history, if taught correctly, involves active participation by pupils and it is through this active participation that pupils are exposed to the acquisition of historical skills. Pupils, through local history studies, can become critically aware, analytical, nonprejudicial and may strive to continiously seek the truth. Futhermore, the dissertation will argue that through the acquisition of such skills, pupils learn to find an objective, well-balanced and meaningful history and this in itself can lead to the cultivation and enhancement of interest in history, which is of vital importance to a subject that reflects a deteriorating interest-level. Lastly, the dissertation intends to prove that if the educative principles and cognitive values, encompassed in local history teaching are comprehensively explored at primary school level, this may help pupils acquire the necessary skills essential for futher studies in the subject and also vitally important for maintaining an interest level.

The purpose of this creative project is to address the lack of knowledge and understanding by Park Elementary school children of the historic architecture in Fairmount Township, Grant County, Indiana. This report documents the process utilized to develop, implement and evaluate a fourth-grade curriculum of Fairmount Township architectural history.A survey of students who had previously completed the Indiana history course assessed their knowledge of local history. The curriculum unit was developed based on the survey results. The unit was developed in two stages. First it was piloted, then after revision, it was fully implemented. A handout was developed and used to familiarize the students with the architectural concepts. A guide for teachers was developed to assist others in the use or adaptation of this unit to other communities. / Department of Architecture

The problem in this study is to determine the worth of natural science as an incentive to the learning of the retarded pupils in the group, and as a means of orienting the new pupils in the group.