3. What is History?
According to earliest definition of Aristotle “history is an
account of the unchanging past”.
Meaningful record of human achievement.
It is an umbrella term that relates to past events as well
as the memory, discovery, collection, organization,
presentation, and interpretation of information about
these events.
4. What is Historical Research?
Systematic collection and evaluation of data to
describe, explain, and thereby understand actions or
events that occurred sometime in the past.
No manipulation.
Focuses primarily on the PAST.
It involves a critical inquiry of a previous age with the
aim of reconstructing a faithful representation of the
past.
5. Cont……
“Historical research is a systematic collection and
objective evaluation of data related to past
occurrences in order to test hypotheses concerning
causes, effects, or trends of these events that may
help to explain present events and anticipate future
events”. (Gay, 1996)
6. Purpose of Historical Research
To make people aware of what has happened in the past
so they may learn from past failures and successes.
To learn how things were done in the past to see if they
might be applicable to present-day problems and concerns.
To test hypothesis concerning relationships or trends
To assist in prediction.
To understand present educational practices and policies
more fully.
To understand how and why educational theories and
practices developed.
7. Steps involve in Historical Research
Defining the problem
Gathering of source material
Evaluation of data
Presenting and interpreting the information.
8. 1. Defining the Problem
To describe clearly and accurately some aspect of
the past as it related to education /or schooling.
Take a look one by one at the important motives or
reasons which caused to doubt or to get interested
about certain gaps in knowledge in relation to a past
event or experience.
Comparison of events in different periods, different
societies, or different civilizations.
It is better to study in depth a well-defined problem
that is perhaps more narrow than one would like than
to pursue a more broadly stated problem that cannot
be sharply defined or fully resolved
9. 2. Gathering of Source Materials
Documents
written or printed materials that have
been produced in some form or another
may be published or unpublished
may be intended for private or public
consumption
may be original works or copies
artwork, bills, books, cartoons, circulars,
court records, diaries, diplomas, legal
records, newspapers, magazines,
notebooks, school books, memos, tests,
and so on.
10. Cont…
Numerical Records
Any type of numerical data in printed form
Example:
test scores, attendance figures, census reports, school
budgets, etc.
11. Cont…
Oral Statements
Forms of oral expression have been used by people
through the ages to leave a record for future
generation
stories, myths, tales, legends, chants, songs
Records and Relics
Any object whose physical or visual characteristics
can provide some information.
furniture, artwork, clothing, buildings, monuments, or
equipment.
12. Classification of Historical Sources
Secondary Sources
Primary Sources
A source prepared by an
individual who was participant
in or a direct witness to the
event that is being described.
Examples
1. A photograph of convocation
ceremony of 1984.
2. Minutes of a school board
meeting in 1980, taken by
secretary of the board.
3. An essay written during
World War 2 by students.
Secondary Sources
A document prepared by an
individual who want a direct
witness to an event but obtained
description of the event from
someone else.
Examples
1. A magazine article
summarizing Aristotle's views on
education.
2. A book describing schooling in
England during 1700s.
3. A textbook on educational
research.
13. 3. Evaluation of data:
External Criticism
Refers to the genuine of the
documents a researcher uses in a
historical study.
Has to do with the authenticity of a
document
• Who wrote this document?
• For what purpose was the document
written?
• When was the document written?
• Is the date on the document accurate?
• Where was the document written?
• Do different forms or versions of the
document exist?
Internal Criticism
Refer to the accuracy of the
contents of a document.
Internal criticism has to do with what
the document says.
Was the author present at the event
he or she is describing?
• Was the author a participant in or an
observer of the event?
• Was the author competent to describe the
event?
• Does the language of the document
suggest a bias of any sort?
• Do other version of the event exist?
14. 4. Presenting and interpreting the information
Effective historical writing
Working Outline
guide the selection and arrangement of notes
Progression
should employ a thesis as a theory of causation to explain
cause and effect relationships (Good and Scates, 1972)
Emphasis on Major Elements
Dramatization, Rhetoric and Style
Should possess the characteristics of a good story
15. Strengths of Historical Research
It is the only research method that can be study
evidence from the past.
It can make use of a wider range of evidence than
most other methods.
provides an alternative and perhaps richer source
of information on topics that can also be studied
with other methodologies.
16. Limitations of Historical Research
the measures used in other methods of control for
threats of internal validity are simple not possible in
historical study.
The possibility of bias.
Requires much more than digging up good
material.
Historical research can only give a fractional view of
the past
17. Importance of historical research in the field of education
• It enables educationists to find out solutions to
temporary problems which have their roots in the
past.
• It throws light on present trends and can help in
predicting future trends.
• It enables a researcher to re-evaluate data in
relation to select hypothesis, theories and
generalizations that are presently held about the
past.
• It enables us to understand how and why
educational theories and practices developed.
