Results of a Large-Scale Empirical Study Presented by the MCC Learning Research Institute
The Compass to History Education and Historical Thinking research group of the MCC Learning Research Institute presented the results of their large-scale empirical study.
The event showcased analyses of data collected using a complex questionnaire, interviews, and group-based think-aloud methods. The measurements involved over 1,200 students and dozens of teachers.
The afternoon was opened by Dr. János Setényi, Director of the Institute, who provided an overview of recent achievements in the field of history education. Research leader Richárd Fodor spoke about the foundations, structure, phases, and processes of the project. Dr. László Kojanitz began his presentation by introducing the theoretical underpinnings of the study, focusing on the relationships between historical empathy, historical thinking, and historical attitudes. He then presented two intriguing situational tasks applied in the research in detail. Judit Tóth gave a presentation on the think-aloud method used in the study, highlighting its novelty and significance for students, as well as its considerable importance for the research outcomes. Dr. Maja Majkic, in her talk on the background of the measuring tools and key findings, revealed that while students’ gender does not correlate with their historical empathy, their age and previous year’s grades do show a connection.
The study’s key findings suggest that the vast majority of students agree with mandatory history education and approach past events with complex historical thinking. The researchers successfully adapted a prominent German-Dutch measuring instrument from international history didactics discourse while also developing their own tools. In addition to empirically confirming the theoretical frameworks, the analyses demonstrated a strong correlation between the development of historical empathy and the teacher's role.
After the short presentations showcasing detailed analyses by the research group members, a roundtable discussion followed, moderated by Dr. Áron Fekete, the Institute's project manager, focusing on the role of historical empathy—also known as perspective-taking—in public education.
Regarding the utilization of the research results, the discussion raised the possibility of developing teaching materials through a short course involving secondary school teachers.
