Methodical recommendations for teaching the agrarian history of Ukraine in the second half of the 19th – first third of the 20th century in secondary school

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to analyze and synthesize the problems of modern
methodical support in the process of teaching the agrarian history of Ukraine in the second half of
the 19th – the beginning (first third) of the 20th century in the ninth and tenth grades of secondary
schools.
Scientific novelty. The author’s previous publication, which concerned the teaching of the history of Ukraine in the first half of the 19th century about the dominance of the agrarian (agricultural) way of life of the peasantry, has not lost its relevance in the future1. A special place here
belongs to the period, which is usually described as «the beginning of the 20th century». The author
proposes to expand it and define it as «the first third of the 20th century», based on the results of
research recorded in modern Ukrainian historiography. Rejection of the stereotypes of political
history in favor of a more productive socio-cultural (mental) paradigm seems fully justified. The
factual material proposed by the author is also a novelty, which proves the methodical readiness of
the historian teacher to form students’ mathematical, social and civic competence.
Methodology. New approaches will be proposed to solving the didactic tasks of teaching the
history of Ukraine in secondary school, due to the possibility of involving more empirical facts and
a steady trend towards a higher level of their generalization.
Conclusions. Thinking in two directions – scientific and methodical, the author directly and indirectly argues his idea that it is extremely appropriate to add more «agrarian content» to curricula
on the history of Ukraine or an integrated course on history in school education.
The past of Ukraine in the second half of the 19th and the beginning (first third) of the 20th centuries belongs to the «traditional» subjects of the academic discipline «History of Ukraine». Today,
its teaching is organizationally divided between the 9th and 10th grades, which creates additional
difficulties in its study by students. At first glance, it seems that the situation is hopeless and it is
impossible for the teacher to violate these established norms and prescriptions.
The state of affairs has changed noticeably recently, this is primarily due to the spread of digital technologies in the educational space, as well as the reform of the educational sector (transition to the New Ukrainian School). The conducted research convincingly proves the need to make
several important variations in didactics. Also, in addition to the above-mentioned need to expand
the chronology of the teaching of the topic of the first third of the 20th century, attention is drawn
to highlighting the problems of socio-economic modernization of peasants, which during the study
it is advisable for the practicing teacher to return to economic (mathematical) calculations, which
will make it possible to avoid excessive politicization of the educational material. It is worth remembering that the social and economic aspects of life remained dominant for the inhabitants of
the traditional village. Regarding the first third of the 20th century, the teacher should pay attention
not to the factual material itself (besides, it is properly presented in textbooks for students), but to
the formation of social and civic competence. It can be achieved on the basis of education (methodological variation) of the complex evolution of the Ukrainian peasantry, which at that time was
simultaneously involved in several historical processes.