148
Lofstrom, when conducting the qualitative research, did not mention that he had obtained ethical forms or consent of gate keepers. Evaluation needs to be ethical (Olivia, 2009), especially with sensitive issues like historical responsibility.
The researcher selected an appropriate qualitative approach and method of focus group discussions to address overarching themes of transgenerational responsibility and historical reparations. However, the researcher was not specific or precise about the process used to obtain Gatekeeper consent which undermined the validity of data which is drawback of the study.
Thematic step
The Lofstrom study yielded the theme of historical consciousness. Lofstrom argues the drawback of Finnish history curriculum of upper schools to develop change and continuity undermined students’ ability to grasp the meaning of transgenerational responsibility. Most importantly students denied their responsibility towards victims. Lofstrom (2014) said this concept could be developed through developing curriculum content and teaching practices.
Lofstrom (2014) recommends that teachers encourage students through classroom
discussions to be critical thinkers and reflect on moral and political aspects of history content and also to develop historical consciousness to have a better understanding of “social reality”.
Lofstrom also strongly recommends using an integrated approach which reinforces
understanding “dark past”. In anthropology, this includes looking at traditions, rituals, myths that support "social reality" and politics (Difficult history).
149 Description
The teaching of Shoah became a mandatory subject in the national school curriculum in 1980 as per the policy of the “Compulsory State Educational law”. The teaching approach was more sentiment and promoted Shoah (Holocaust) as an essential part of “collective memory”
to consolidate the national identity.
In 1999 and 2000, the government decided to change the approach towards teaching the topic of Shoah in secondary history curriculum to encourage students to acquire disciplinary skills.
Interpretation
The focus was to restructure and improve the Shoah content to be constructed as historical knowledge where the “disciplinary” skill and historical concepts had to be concurrently developed. This was a challenge for educators because of the dogmatic perspective of the content.
Gil (2007) examined whether Shoah was constructed as a historical discipline in the secondary history curriculum. Was it also in text books and was it emphasized in final assessments or not? For this purpose, Gil evaluated four main components (Gil, 2007, p. 5):
1. Armed resistance, steadfastness, ghettos, and the participants—these themes presented in the old curricula to promote national values. Gils examined how these themes integrated to the new curricula and were embedded in appropriate historical context.
2. Work, regional studies, and others, introduced as new themes of historical research.
3. Integration of Jewish history with general history including ideology.
4. Academic skills consisting of processes and content analysis.
150
For evaluation purposes, Gil divided the topic into two categories: subject matter and content, and historical skills.
Academic skill
For academic skill, Gils says the purpose of history in secondary schools is not just to gain knowledge, but also to learn subject discipline skills. Historical events should be taught as a meaningful process presented in narrative and not "chronology". Gils says that Shoah, presented in text books and "different programs" as a process, consisted of three "main stages"(Gil, 2007, p.18): Nazi activities against German Jews (1933-1939), the expulsions and ghettos in Eastern Europe(1939-1942), and the systematic destruction through the “final Solution” (1942-1945).
These processes have been presented differently in the narrative where the emphasis occurs on one stage. Breadth of content was inconsistent which made it difficult for students to comprehend the process.
Analysis skill, reinforced by availability of primary resources, underpinned historical research. Textbooks provided plenty of documents. However, students were not encouraged to incorporate reading and analysis of documents. Also, school exams barely highlighted documents.
"Aspect", academic skill books, critically engaged students by causing reflection on the process of Shoah as a "developmental approach", but summaries and exams presented Shoah as a set of historical facts.
Evaluation
Gil concluded there was a gap between "curricula and textbooks and teaching". Curricula and textbooks presented facts in historical context, while the new subjects of research and
151
discipline skill summaries and exams emphasized nationalist aims which were prominent in old curricula, such as the Steadfastness topic where the content describes daily life and struggle in the “ghettos”. Exam main questions concentrated on the youth movement. Gill emphasized the importance of teacher training to deliver the message of any new or developed program.
In conclusion, Gil comments that new curriculum and text books lacked historical
benchmarks and exams did not evaluate the discipline knowledge of history such as analysis skills which are important to understanding history. Pedagogical practices of teachers continued delivering sentiment and nationalist views which impeded the main objectives of curriculum.
Thematic
The theme yielded from the Shoah curriculum was traumatic events represented a dark and difficult history. Designing a difficult history narrative needs a historical approach to encourage historical understanding for students to learn the skills and knowledge of the discipline. Most importantly, the new content should emphasize historical criteria and evaluation needs to reflect expectations. Furthermore, teachers have to design appropriate classroom practices to deliver the objectives of curriculum.