CODE | ACA5038 | ||||||
TITLE | Interpreting Historical Sources | ||||||
UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||
MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||
ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||
DEPARTMENT | Arts, Open Communities and Adult Education | ||||||
DESCRIPTION | Latest pedagogical methods of history teaching will be explored in particular the 'Source Method' which takes into consideration the fact that all our historical knowledge comes to us in an indirect way. This is true both for evidence coming from primary historical sources and for evidence coming from secondary historical sources. When working with primary sources we are dealing with what survives; other material which did not survive might have produced an entirely different picture. This study-unit will give the theory and philosophy behind this 'Source Method' of teaching history in Museums while bridging the theory and practice divide with fieldwork on site. Study-Unit Aims: This study-unit is aimed at those who wish to create visits to Museums for children in the age range 5 to 16. The objective of this study-unit is to show how one can create visits which will involve tasks and on site activities that make possible various encounters of learning in Museums; such as the encounter the other, otherness, the strange and the familiar. Such skills are valuable assets to all history educators including Primary and Secondary teachers, organisers of children's activities in Local Communities as well as in National societies and associations. Source methods will be presented to prospective teachers who seek to organize visits to museums and develop activities for them. Knowledge of source methods is important for these teachers and other museum educators. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Discuss history teaching through Museums within a historical context rather than mere memorisation of given facts on site. - Understand the main characteristics of the discipline, focusing not only on factual knowledge, but what on the ‘structure’ of the subject. - Analyse historical sources in a manner that reflects the historian's mode of thinking. - Describe constructivist teaching met. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Reflect on his/her daily practice as a teacher in Museums and the contexts of learning. - Learn to consider variety by using many resources to compare sources and interpretations, to access the past and to construct history in different ways. - Develop in their school children both critical thinking and knowledge, connecting knowledge and skills. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Chapters 7, 8, 9, 10 of Vella, Y. (2009) 'In Search of Meaningful History' Teaching History Teachers Association Publication. |
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STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Fieldwork | ||||||
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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LECTURER/S | Edward Mifsud Yosanne Vella |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |