History Teaching in Hungary Over the Past 30 Years (1990–2020) Trends and Patterns

Abstract

The study aims at presenting the educational policy and pedagogical framework of history teaching in the last thirty years. It also presents the theoretical and practical characteristics and milestones of the transformation of the learning-teaching methodology in Hungary. The purpose of this article is to inform the national and international academic community about the innovations and changes affecting history teaching in Hungary in recent decades, thereby strengthening the legitimacy of the history didactics as an academic discipline. The authors conclude that significant changes have occurred in central curriculums, exam requirements and textbooks over the past thirty years. Key positive changes include the following: the ideological hegemony of Marxist history teaching has vanished; competence development has become the focus of teaching and learning; the content of materials has been modernized. The significance of the Modern Ages has increased, and new values (e.g., democracy) have been defined. A plural, multiperspective, source- and activity-based approach has appeared in regulations and textbooks; learner-centered learning-teaching strategies and an innovative use of ICT tools have been spreading. A new approach has been established in higher education as well, however, the acceptance of history didactics as an independent field of science is still pending in both the academic and the higher education sphere. Despite the favorable developments, the changes in history teaching over the past 30 years are controversial, since positive shifts have yielded only partial success, and failed to result in an extensive reform of history teaching in Hungary.