Oral histories in secondary analysis approaches
The educational landscape is continually evolving, seeking innovative methodologies to engage and enrich students’ learning experiences. In our Learning for Peace project, we delved into a relatively unexplored realm – harnessing the untapped potential of existing oral history databases in education. This initiative responds to a discernible gap in research and practice, where the predominant focus has traditionally been on student-led oral history projects. Our exploration is driven by a commitment to uncover new dimensions in education through the lens of curated repositories of rich oral narratives.
It is imperative to acknowledge the existing scarcity of dedicated research and literature on the integration of established oral history databases into educational frameworks. The bulk of available material tends to gravitate towards projects where students actively collect narratives. Even within these projects, the discourse predominantly centers on organizational and technical challenges, leaving an informational void on the broader educational implications.
The Learning for Peace project sought to transcend conventional paradigms by harnessing the Oral historical thinking framework of Martin, Huijgen and Henkes (Martin, Bridget & Huijgen, Tim & Henkes, Barbara. (2021). Listening like a historian? A framework of ‘oral historical thinking’ for engaging with audiovisual sources in secondary school education. Historical Encounters: A journal of historical consciousness, historical cultures, and history education. 8. 120-138. 10.52289/hej8.108) the Learning and teaching about the history of Europe in the 20th century Council of Europe project’s results (Stradling, Robert. (2001). Teaching 20th-century European history. Council of Europe Publishing) and Shope’s Making Sense of Oral History (Linda Shopes, “Making Sense of Oral History,” History Matters: The U.S. Survey Course on the Web, http://historymatters.gmu.edu/mse/oral/, February 2002) comprehensive online guide. These frameworks became the cornerstone of our endeavor, offering a systematic approach to understanding and incorporating oral histories into educational modules. The methodologies not only addressed the lack of guidance in existing literature but also provided a robust foundation for the Learning for Peace project work.
Teaching history in schools is going through significant transformations, mirroring trends in academic history. One notable development is the recognition that historical education should not only impart a body of knowledge but also foster critical thinking. Students are now encouraged to adopt a discerning attitude toward historical facts and evidence, recognizing the interpretative nature of historical narratives. Key elements of this shift include understanding the interpretative role of historians, discerning the conversion of selected facts into evidence, and acknowledging the diversity of perspectives that can exist on any historical event.
The emergence of a three-layered model underscores the comprehensive approach to oral history analysis. The first layer delves into understanding how oral history works, acknowledging diverse individual experiences and perspectives. The second layer introduces concepts aiding in the analysis and interpretation of interviews. The third layer emphasizes relating oral history interviews to other historical sources, narratives, and stories, creating a multidimensional framework.
