2025/12/16 by Białokur, Marek
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Central European Literary Studies #Polish Historical and Cultural Studies #Polish-Jewish Holocaust Memory Studies
paper · doi:10.34616/eks.2025.6.65.91
openalex publication_date 2025/12/16 · openalex created_date 2025/12/19 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/01
In the present article, an attempt was made to analyze the significance and potential of history didactics as a dynamically developing scientific subdiscipline and its application in academic history teaching. The author presents didactics as a field with rich theoretical achievements, fulfilling humanistic, technical and mediating functions, and currently also protective – counteracting disinformation and mythologization of the past. Particular attention is paid to didactic tools, including the so-called source worksheets, used in the education of future history teachers at the University of Opole. The article indicates that traditional factual education requires transformation towards more engaging methods, adapted to the changing perception of students. Source worksheets – containing fragments of texts, questions and tasks for independent analysis – support the development of analytical, interpretative and reflective skills, and also stimulate discussion. These materials enable students to have contact with classic texts of history educators and show the continuity of educational issues from the 18th century to the present day. In the second part of the article, the author refers to the concept of critical history didactics (V. Julkowska), emphasizing the importance of pluralism, deconstruction and reconstruction of images of the past, as well as the need to develop historical thinking as a competence that goes beyond historical awareness. The article also includes a diagnosis of the situation of history didactics in Poland (D. Konieczka-Śliwińska). It indicates both the tradition and achievements of this field, as well as the threats related to marginalization as well as lack of young staff and institutional forms of support. The author postulates further research and integration of modern tools with academic practice, emphasizing the need for reflective, flexible and socially rooted history teaching. ;