History is inherently diverse, and the same event or historical figure can be interpreted in different ways through multiple forms of historical narratives. Competitive and diverse interpretations circulate through various channels beyond the school c...
History is inherently diverse, and the same event or historical figure can be interpreted in different ways through multiple forms of historical narratives. Competitive and diverse interpretations circulate through various channels beyond the school context and influence students’ historical perceptions and understanding of the past. This study begins from the premise that history education should provide students with opportunities to evaluate and objectify the diverse historical interpretations they encounter in their everyday lives on the basis of evidence, and it seeks to explore concrete directions for classroom instruction.
To this end, the study reviews theoretical discussions in history education that argue for moving beyond approaches that merely compare multiple perspectives and instead conceptualize diversity in relation to the disciplinary characteristics of history. Particular attention is paid to prior studies that emphasize learning and experiencing diversity through the contestability of historical interpretation. The educational significance of addressing situations in which different interpretations coexist and conflict, and of examining their respective validity, is examined. Furthermore, the study explores historically appropriate content that can be applied in classroom practice and considers concrete ways of utilizing such content in instruction.
As a case in point, this study analyzes the diversity of perceptions of King Sejo of the Joseon Dynasty as presented in various historical narratives and examines their historical foundations. The analysis draws on officially compiled records and private narratives from the Joseon period, as well as modern and contemporary history textbooks and historical narratives. The findings show that the diversity of perceptions of King Sejo does not merely reflect differences in viewpoint but is shaped by the nature of historical narratives, changing political and social contexts across periods, and differing intentions and purposes of historical writing. These diverse perceptions demonstrate the coexistence and contestation of multiple historical interpretations, confirming their suitability as instructional resources for enabling students to experience diversity in the history classroom.
Based on this analysis, the study proposes instructional approaches that utilize diverse historical narratives about King Sejo to help students understand the fundamental nature of history and critically examine competing interpretations in order to assess their validity. Lessons are designed to guide students in analyzing the contestation among different interpretations through historical thinking practices such as sourcing and contextualization. By conceptualizing diversity as a methodological concept in history and extending related discussions into concrete instructional practices centered on the contestability of historical interpretation, this study aims to broaden the scope of existing scholarship that emphasizes the disciplinary nature of diversity in history education.