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MCC Pécs organised a lecture entitled "The European battles of history teaching". According to Tamás Fedeles, Vice-Rector of the Department of Medieval and Early Modern History at the University of Pécs, the task of a historian is to work without bias and compromise, and to view the events of the past in this way.
"We should apply critical thinking to our everyday lives. Only by looking at multiple sources can we draw realistic conclusions." - Said the PTE lecturer, who also drew attention to the importance and usefulness of the OKPV, the National Secondary School Problem Solving Competition, organised by MCC. According to the vice-rector, such initiatives help to develop complex thinking.
Richárd Fodor, a researcher at the Learning Institute, believes that the aim should be to provide students with a solid foundation that will enable them to develop historical thinking.
"It is very difficult to imagine modern history teaching without knowledge of the events of antiquity." - The researcher argued.
In response to questions from Áron Fekete, Project Manager of the Institute for Educational Research, the speakers explained that the method used in Hungarian education is essential to achieve basic awareness, as history evolves with humanity and can form the basis of our identity.
According to Tamás Fedeles, if a chapter of history is taken out of context, there will be no traction. We need to see the framework in which the topic fits.
Experts believe that the new narrative envisioned by the European Parliament, that a unified European history should be taught, leaving aside those chapters that are morally questionable, is a wrong way to go.
"History is relativised by this idea. If we are not aware of our past, including the dark ages, how can we learn from our mistakes?" Tamás Fedeles asked.
The lecture was followed by a lively discussion, in which the audience took part.
