Browsing by Subject "muutos ja jatkuvuus"

Objectives. The purpose of this research is to find out how change and continuity is presented a primary school history textbook series. The theoretical framework is research of historical thinking, the curriculum of history in primary schools, psychological research in understanding development and time in terms of history. Methods. The research material includes four textbooks and four work books by the publishing company Otava. These books are part of the same Forum series. The research material consists mainly of pictures and texts of European history. The research method used for this thesis is based on a qualitative theory-driven content analysis for textbooks. Based on the theory I developed three researchable concepts: concretization of change and continuity, importance of content and specific content valuation. Results and conclusions. Continuity is made concrete by artifacts such as the built environment and the popular memory locations. Change is made concrete by different inventions. Change and continuity are illustrated by timelines, but the reconstructive element of timelines is not pointed out. Images do not support the illustration of change and continuity. Upper elementary school textbooks used statistics, diagrams and maps to visualize information. General comparison is used to illustrate change. Long-term events are emphasized from prehistoric times to the Middle Ages. The long-term themes do not form a coherent whole. Short-term events are described in detail and are emphasized in recent history. The themes of economic and social structures, wars and urban culture are generally emphasized in the book series. Majority events in the past are compiled together. The past is shown periodically and cyclically, highlighting the linearity of geopolitical history. The research material shows variability of good and bad periods in the past. Individual phenomena are not evaluated. Change and continuity is shown in a larger geopolitical narrative, where the states, rulers and notables mainly take action. The majority of events are shown from a European perspective. Some events are also presented from differing perspectives but this is rare.