An Evaluation of the ‘New History’ Phenomenon

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to evaluate the ‘New History’ approach.  This paper explores the argument that the new ‘New History’ phenomenon was an attempt to rejuvenate an interest in History.  The ‘New History’ phenomenon was launched because of the fear that History was in danger as it faced possible extinction from the curriculum.  Basically, the proponents of the phenomenon believed that History was in the intensive care unit and had lost popularity among stakeholders. Some of the comments given by scholars like Haydn, Arthur and Hunt (1997:25) were that History was, “... a desiccated and stultifying subject of dubious relevance and little clear purpose”. The study was purely qualitative. Curriculum document analysis, classroom observations, and in-depth interviews were used as data collection methods. The study revealed that the possibility of negative attitudes towards History by pupils is primarily due to the teacher centred methods used. It is recommended that the progressive teaching methods such as document study, research projects, role playing, field work, debates, interviews and discussions, which are pupil centred, should be used to stimulate pupils’ interest in the subject.