O. Y. Strelova (Far Eastern State University of  Humanities, Khabarovsk)

“The Year of Russian History” as a factor of theoretic-methodological aspects of the training and refresher courses for teachers of history

In March 3, 2011 D.A. Medvedev signed the Decree. “about commemoration of the 1150-th anniversary of the birth of the Russian statehood”. In July, President of the Russian Federation has named three historic anniversaries, which have led to the proclamation of 2012, the year of Russian history (ii).

It is the largest in the history of modern Russia authorities treatment to the origins of the national past and justification of the significance of the Year of Russian history for the consolidation of society based on democratic values and age-old cultural traditions. This approach enables you to rise above the three historical anniversaries of 2012 as a combination of several important holidays and contribute in the training and refresher courses for teachers of history, a number of topical issues:

• What is the historical policies and policy of memory? What impact they have on historical science and historical school education?

• • What aspects of the training of teachers of history are important in connection with the revitalization of the historic policy at the beginning of the 21st century?

Without going into details of different definitions of basic concepts we emphasize the essential: historical policy is qualitatively different, much more intense than usual (i.e. the politicization of history), intervention in the treatment of the history of that part of the political elite, which controls the power at the moment, to achieve certain goals in the “nation building”, as well as for receiving certain advantages in international relations.

In recent years has developed a theoretical and methodological frameworks (iii) for the expanded features of historical politics in contemporary Russia and the some countries of Europe. Responses to the challenges posed by common historic education in particular, one can find in our articles in collections of scientific works and professional journals(iv).

Less attention has focused on training and refresher courses for teachers of history in modern conditions. What competencies require teachers in the situation of historic policy and its impact on historical education? Define the content of these competencies, based on the requirements of the Educational Standards (v) to the results of general historical education:

• Submission of politicization of history, historical, policy, policy of memory about the arrangements and examples of their impact on the objectives and content of the historical education of schoolchildren, as well as on the history textbooks in Russia and abroad;

• Knowledge of federal laws, decrees of the President of the Russian Federation and public documents that define the historical policy of Russia at the present stage;

• Ability to apply this knowledge for understanding of the essence of contemporary political, social, cultural and educational events. To update the content of school course as Fatherland and world history, with a view to promoting the civil, ethnic and nationality processes, social, cultural identity of the students individuals, formation of their historical memory and historical thinking;

• Ability critically analyze, collate and assess (in terms of practical use) additional information resources of training complexes, which represent ideas of historic policy; responsibly use them in the development of the education-methodical accompaniment of school courses of history, scripts, classes and extracurricular activities;

• ability to define and justify attitudes of students towards problematic issues of past and present, to argue about it in the form of discussions, to teach students critically analyze different sources and to express own opinion and respect different points of view;

• professionally apply positive opportunities of the historical policy for the development of respect for to historical and cultural heritage, development of interest in the study of history and other humanitarian lessons, attracting students to a variety of social and historical-cultural events in their native land, nation and world.

It is obvious that the traditional model of training and refresher courses for teachers of history are not suitable for the formation of these competencies. One of creative effects of the “Year of Russian history” may become updated models of training and professional development of teachers and humanitarians in accordance with the relevant requirements of the time.

(i)                          Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of March 3, 2011 N 267 “in commemoration of the1150th anniversary of the birth of the Russian statehood” – http://www.rg.ru/printable/2011/03/05/gos1150-dok.html

(ii)                        1150-anniversary of the birth of Russian statehood, the 200-anniversary of the victory of Russia in the Patriotic War of 1812, and the 150 anniversary from the birthday of P.a. Stolypina \\ Performance of Dmitry Medvedev at the joint meeting of the bureaux of the Council for culture and the arts and of the Council for science, technology and education (Vladimir July 22, 2011) – http://президент.рф/news/12073.

(iii)                      See: “history and politics in the modern world”. Materials of International Science Conference. (Moscow State humanitarian University, M.a. Sholokhov, 24 – September 25, 2010) -М., 2010.

(iv)                      E. Vyazemsky “Historical policy and historical education”; O.Y. Strelova “Exploring History – exploring myths? \\ Decree sat.; E.E. Vyazemsky “historical memory, the problem of falsification of history and historical education”; O.Y. Strelova “history and memory” as the end-to-content line school courses of history “\\ Cultural memory and Memorial communication textbooks and educational literature: the experience of Russia and Western Europe. Materials int. researcher Associate Professor (Saratov, 25 – September 28, 2011); O.Y. Strelova, E.E. Vyazemsky The year of Russian history and historical education: training and refresher courses for teachers of history “\\ teaching of history and living in the school. – 2012 (series of articles in print).

(v)                        Additional information resources of training complex is one of the Variadic shells of contemporary education-methodical complexes; a wide seam of artefacts and sources on all mediums (fiction and non-fiction, works of fine art, feature and documentary films, television and radio shows, periodicals, local attractions, etc.) which is the cultural and informational context of modern society and can be used by teachers and students in order to improve the quality of education and self-education.