Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Contextual Understanding:
The principal understanding from Osborne’s article is that the success of a
democracy depends on the acquired knowledge, skills and values of its citizens and
their ability to balance the interests of nation with the larger global community. He says
in order to ensure future generations are equipped with necessary abilities nations must
carefully effect these attributes of citizenship to learners (Osborne, 2008).Therefore,
history curriculum must not simply aim to analyze and learn about issues that are
important, but also to immerse students in learning through engagement.
Osborne helps the reader understand democratic citizenship and how it relates to
the study and teaching of history, through a careful analysis of the evolution of history,
citizenship and schooling. He describes the struggles between conservative and
socialist historians and arguments that led to new directions in the discipline.
Osborne concludes his analysis of the evolution of history with a discussion of
historical knowledge, thinking and citizenship as it relates to present day curriculum.
Through examples he acknowledges the ingenuity of educators, despite curricular
restraints, in being innovators in their practises by skillfully orchestrating engaging
lessons that incorporate historical knowledge and thinking and skills of citizenship.
Osborne, Ken. "’To the Past’: Why We Need to Teach and Study History." In To the Past: History
Education, Public Memory, and Citizenship in Canada, edited by Ruth W. Sandwell, 103-131.
Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2006.