Elements of Content and Presentation of School History Textbooks for Vth Grade of Basic Education in Albania From 1946 to 1991

Abstract

The study aims to provide a picture of the content and presentation of history texts for the fifth grade of basic education during the period of communist rule in Albania (1946-1991). Part of the analysis in the study are elements of design, organization of written text, book size, paper quality, font size, etc., as an important part of a textbook. The methodology used relies on the prevailing situation in the field and the lack of a single methodological model for studying history texts. For this reason, she relied on a list of questions about the content and pedagogic elements of history texts compiled by UNESCO expert Robert Stradling, adapted to the features of the historical period that include texts taken in the study. The analysis was accompanied by the processing of quantitative and qualitative data extracted from the history textbooks, including illustrations, classified into several sub-categories based on their importance for the development and acquisition by students of historical concepts of "change" and "continuity". The survey findings reflect the most important features of the field for a period of 45 years, some of whose deficiencies, despite ongoing improvements, continue to be present in current textbooks.