NEW EDUCATIONAL CONCEPTS IN THE REFORMED HISTORY TEACHING IN SERBIA

Abstract

History curricula for secondary schools in Serbia were under alteration from 2018 to 2020. The new curricula concept is aiming to change the learning paradigm from content-oriented to outcome/ competence-oriented curricula. It was planned that new national history curricula should rest upon the key competences for lifelong learning, as well as the specific subject competences, but also on competences for democratic culture (Council of Europe 2016). Curricula developers took into consideration parts of the recently adopted document by the Council of Europe (Principles and guidelines for quality history education in the 21st century, Strasbourg 2018) that could direct education policymakers, history teachers, educators, curricula designers and textbook authors to the possible answers for possible resolutions of different challenges imposed to the contemporary history education. In the paper, it will be explained how the currently existing chronological linear concept is combined with the new one that encloses a thematic approach reflecting those historical phenomena that could foster the development of critical and historical thinking skills as well as forenamed competences. Furthermore, this article will examine whether and to what extent teachers are trained to plan and develop educational activities following the needs and aims of this way organized curriculum.