Idealus istorijos vadovėlis: tarp realybės ir siekiamybės

Abstract

The article describes the main characteristics of the „ideal" history textbook. From the author's point of view the ideal textbook does not exists at all, because the taste for it is often an individual experience. A textbook can be used in the classroom and still cannot be fairly appreciated. A teacher may like a textbook but students may dislike it, or vice versa. There are many differences in opinions about the same textbook between the producers and parents buying it. This paper consists of two parts. The first part presents the evaluation of some Lithuanian history textbooks. It shows that the language and presentation of factual information as well as the type of presentation of subject matter are not appropriated to the level and maturity of the students for whom it is intended. The second part starts with some insight into students' perspective on textbooks. They were not told what aspects of the textbook to comment on, but they defined their criteria for the „ideal" history textbook. Their evaluations reveal that motivation and comprehension are fundamental to learning history. Then follows the simplest, but, perhaps, the most radical suggestion for the structure of the units and chapters in history textbooks. It is based on the premise that we should start each topic with motivation tasks what means the rearrangement of a text, questions, tasks for students, and source material in the chapter. This proves that thinking begins when students are asked questions, when they have to point out contradiction between known and unknown facts, to define the impact of the past events on present day life.