Implications of research on collective memory for history education

Abstract

Research on collective memory and social representations of history within the field of social psychology may provide guidelines for strengthening meta-cognitive competences in history education. This chapter will review existing literature and empirical research in this field. First, we analyze the processes through which the memories and representations of the past are formed. Next, we present three reasoning competences necessary to be applied in teaching practices: a) a competence focused on determining what is of historical importance; b) a competence that addresses the identification and understanding of the historical continuity and change; c) a competence that aims to identify the multiple causes and consequences in history through historical consciousness and perspective taking. We close our chapter with practical guidelines for history teachers and other relevant ones for history education agents.