Enseignement-apprentissage de l’histoire ancienne et développement d’un esprit réflexif : cas des classes de seconde

Abstract

This research work on the teaching of ancient history and the development of à reflective mind: the case of the second grade aims to understand how the teaching of ancient history can contribute to the development of a reflective mind in students, given the difficulty students have, at the end these courses, to demonstrate such a competence. Based on a qualitative methodological approach, using the observation of teachers in classroom situations and semi-structured interviews with teachers and students, this research explores the methods and teaching resources of ancient history that promote reflective thinking, as well as the skills of this spirit developed in students. The results show that the teaching methods of ancient history, such as discussion, questioning, exposition, document analysis, group work and brainstorming, as well as teaching resources such as written documents and images, seem to promote the development of a reflective mind in students. This leads them to adopt a critical mind and to demonstrate argumentative skills and metacognitive abilities. The results suggest that the teaching of ancient history contributes to the development of a reflective mind in second-grade students. To the end, teachers should adopt teaching practices focused on the active participation of students during classes, interactivity between them, the confrontation of ideas and problem-solving. This therefore stimulates reflection, critical reasoning, self-assessment and creativity, which are beneficial not only for students but also for the entire educational system and society as a whole.