This study examined how historical contextualization is reflected in twelve Ghanaian history textbooks for primary schools. Findings suggest that the textbooks have moderate evidence of historical contextualization, suggesting that contextualization is reflected to a great extent in the textbooks. This finding is consistent with the position asserted by several scholars that historical contextualization is embedded in history curricula worldwide (Lévesque, 2008; Seixas and Morton, 2013; Van Drie and Van Boxtel, 2008). However, the situation is different for Ramoroka and Engelbrecht (2015), who concluded that there is no evidence of contextualization in the history textbooks due to the lack of dates on which the materials were created. Regardless of the discrepancies in the literature, findings indicate that opportunities to develop historical thinking skills are reflected to a great extent in the textbooks used in the study. Historical contextualization has a clear purpose in history construction and, more importantly, helps learners understand the context. A well-explained historical context in the textbooks means that learners can explicitly address contextual issues and the nature of historical events. Learners are likely to encounter a variety of historical events, and context will aid their ability to understand each historical event. Barton (2005) argues that learners may not understand the role of evidence without engaging with context. It is essential for learners to understand context as it is a process-based approach to historical reasoning (Barton, 2001). Therefore, learners’ understanding of contextual texts may help them understand different perspectives on historical events beyond their own perspective (Barton and Levstik, 2004) because it allows them to participate in meaningful historical investigations and consider multiple perspectives on a single event. Therefore, we argue that historical reasoning in historical investigations is enhanced if historical events are properly contextualized in history textbooks.
Textbooks certainly present different perspectives on the topic at hand. For instance, this study established how textbooks link historical developments to specific periods and places. This suggests that learners and textbook users have access to examples and guidelines in textbooks that help them place events, including the learner’s life history, in the context of the appropriate time and place. Monte Sano (2011) argues that this may enhance the learner’s imagination as they analyze and reflect on historical developments and place them in the context of the appropriate time and place. Textbook texts may encourage learners to explore materials considering the perspective of the context in which they were created (Seixas and Morton, 2013). Context may help students understand the situation and interpret the words accurately. This finding is in line with Vella’s (2010) study which revealed that Maltese history textbooks provide sufficient content to help learners place historical events and documents in specific periods and places in history. The findings of this study further support Bharath’s (2015) finding that South African history textbooks adequately reflect content (historical events, visuals, exercises) that enable learners to contextualize historical developments in the appropriate time and place in history.
Similarly, the results indicate that most textbooks provide evidence of linking historical events and processes to broader regional, national, and global processes. This suggests that textbooks provided some historical events and footage that appeared to be located in a broader regional, national, or international context. This finding contradicts the findings of Andrew-LaSpina (2003) who found that history textbooks used in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand primarily emphasized indigenous peoples and their place in history, with little emphasis on linking their historical activities to a global context. However, the findings indicate that there were exercises and actions within the textbooks that appeared to require learners to place the historical development of society in broader national, subregional, regional, and global contexts. This finding is notable in that it indicates the textbooks’ attempt to build learner skills such as analysis, imagination, and critical thinking. For example, Nokes et al. (2007) opine that the ability of historical sources to link events to a broader context implicitly encourages learners’ critical thinking. In other words, including content in history textbooks that connects past events to a broader national or international context not only enhances learners’ reasoning skills but also promotes the core competencies of cultural identity and global citizenship, as demonstrated in the Ghana History Curriculum (NaCCA, 2019).
The findings also have practical implications for instruction. First, the findings highlight the importance of connecting the reconstructed context of textbooks to classroom instruction to enhance historical contextualization. Contextualization brings teaching and learning closer to the learners’ reality. By helping learners relate educational tasks within the context of their own knowledge and everyday experiences, historical contextualization promotes theory-practice connections between textbooks and their own experiences, as it adds meaning and value to what learners have learned in school (Mouraz and Leite, 2013). History teachers are expected to conduct this exercise with learners to help them consider historical texts within their historical context. Ultimately, learners’ arguments and positions will be significantly less presentist and they will use more knowledge of the historical context in their submissions. Thus, practical application of historical contextualization may encourage learners to avoid a present-oriented perspective. Rather, learners will consider the differences between past and present cultures and belief systems when answering test questions (Sendur et al. 2021). This suggests that historical contextualization in history textbooks and other curriculum materials should be implemented by appropriate pedagogical practices. Because, as Weinberg (2001) points out, historical thinking is unnatural and should be taught to students in history classes. In line with this, to achieve the validity of historical contextualization in history textbooks, teachers must explicitly teach learners how to construct logical historical arguments in context (Sendur et al. 2021). This allows learners to avoid misinterpretation of historical events and the actions of actors, because they recognize how they can approach historical questions and arguments from a historical perspective (Barton and Levstik, 2004; Lévesque, 2008). This approach to historical materials demonstrates students’ historical understanding, which Seixas and Morton (2013) consider a “demonstration of strong understanding” (p. 189) and contributes to students’ historical thinking (Sendur et al. 2021).
Second, the findings highlight that by understanding historical contextualization, learners may acquire and use other procedural concepts. Understanding historical contextualization requires the use of chronological knowledge, such as considering a specific time period and ordering historical events within that context. Foster (1999) argues that learners must have chronological knowledge before they can engage in historical contextualization. Barton and Levstik (2004) simply state that chronology and historical time are essential elements of historical contextualization. Sequencing events provides a mental framework that allows fewer learners to understand the past (Stow and Haydn, 2000). Dawson (2009) points out that chronological knowledge may contribute to a “sense of time.” Lomas (1993) acknowledged that without understanding the concept of chronology, one can hardly understand change, development, continuity, and historical contextualization. Wood (1995) also states that the importance of chronology is based on it being a precursor to understanding contextualization. In fact, various ideas shared by scholars suggest that historical contextualization serves as one of the main entry points into historical thinking. Thus, addressing the issue of historical context can help address the concept of other procedures. As Haydn et al. (2015) argue, through historical contextualization, students acquire knowledge that they apply to acquire a range of historical reasoning abilities.
This study helps us understand how history textbook writers incorporate historical contextualization. This means that textbook writers follow the philosophical guidelines of the history curriculum. The philosophy states that the study of history should be based on the need to develop students who can reconstruct the past by describing, analyzing, and evaluating past events by conveying their views on how the past affects the present from an informed position. To define, analyze, and evaluate historical events from an informed position requires appropriate curricular and pedagogical support. Therefore, considering historical contextualization in textbooks will support this effort. The findings of this study suggest that textbooks must unpack the curriculum intent to support pedagogical decisions. Therefore, we believe that the current discussion on historical thinking needs to focus more on other related issues of historical reasoning. This will shed light on how other concepts of historical thinking are reflected in the broader academic and scientific discussion on history textbooks.
