Enlarged partial agreement

Observatory on History Teaching in Europe

History is taught throughout all six years of primary education (ages 6-11) as part of a compulsory multidisciplinary course, “Knowledge of the natural, social and cultural environment”. Similarly, the course “Geography and history” is compulsory throughout all four years of lower secondary education (ages 12-15). In the penultimate year of upper secondary education (age 16), the course “History of the contemporary world” is elective; in the final year (age 17), the course “History of Spain” is compulsory for all students. In basic professional education, history is also taught as part of the compulsory multidisciplinary course “Communication and social sciences” for two years (ages 15-16).

There are private schools and semi-private schools (publicly funded schools owned by private entities); all follow the same curricula as the public system, except for the schools that follow non-national educational systems. Some private schools are religiously affiliated but, regardless of this affiliation, they follow the curricula of the public education system. In the autonomous communities, history can be taught in Spanish and/or the language of that community (Aranese in Catalonia, Basque in the Basque Country and Navarre, Catalan in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, Galician in Galicia, and Valencian in the Valencian Community).

The Spanish Government, through the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, is responsible for the design and establishment of the basic aims, framework and content of history curricula. In accordance with these guidelines, the education authorities (departments of education) of the various autonomous communities define and finalise the curricula for their respective regions. The authorities report that both civil society organisations and minority groups participate in curriculum development.

The authorities report that minority groups (cultural, ethnic, linguistic, national, religious or sexual/gender) are included in the history curriculum.

 Curricula workstation by GEI (History curricula search by country)

The assessment methods teachers are required to use are oral presentations/exams, knowledge-based questions, source-based questions and multiple-choice questions.

There are no end-of-stage history exams in Spain.

Educational resources are not licensed by the national government, and schools select the materials to use in their teaching. The supervision of textbooks and other curricular materials is the responsibility of the education authorities of each autonomous community as a part of the ordinary inspection process carried out for all elements related to the teaching and learning process.

Policies on the use of different types of educational resources are as follows:

REQUIRED

NO POLICY

Apps for smartphones and tablets with historical content Artefacts (e.g., paintings, architecture, sculptures, contemporary art) Audio sources (e.g., music, the sound of a steam engine) Audiovisual sources (e.g., newsreels, private archives, commercials) Cinema and documentaries with historical themes Historiographical bibliography History textbooks Literature (e.g., historical novels, graphic novels) Local cultural heritage (e.g., costumes, food traditions, celebrations) Local and regional festivals and traditions related to historical events Museums and other places of heritage interpretation Oral sources (interviews with grandparents, relatives, neighbours, etc.) Primary documentary sources Printed or digital press (newspapers and magazines) Reports on historical topics in popular magazines Search engines and websites with historical content not necessarily validated by the education authorities Video games Visual sources (e.g., paintings, photographs, drawings)

Teacher notes Websites and databases with historical content approved by the educational authorities

 International TextbookCat (GEI collection of Textbooks and Educational Media)

All prospective primary school teachers are required to hold a primary education teacher’s degree granted by a university and typically acquired over four academic years. Prospective secondary or vocational education teachers must undergo specialised pedagogical training at the postgraduate level, in addition to holding a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent qualification. The didactic specialisation or master’s degree is usually completed in one academic year.

At the primary level, teachers receive general training to teach across a range of disciplines. At the secondary level, teachers are trained exclusively or primarily as history teachers.

In-service professional development courses are optional. The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training and the departments for education of the autonomous communities are responsible for the design, development and delivery of these courses. The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training offers continuing professional development programmes through the National Institute of Educational Technologies and Teacher Training (INTEF), in conjunction with other institutions as appropriate. Some of these courses focus on the use of new technologies in education and on new teaching methodologies.

 Spanish Association of History and Geography Teachers (presentation by EuroClio)

 Spanish Association of History and Geography Teachers (official website)