A CRITICAL REVIEW ABOUT BRINGING HISTORY TO STUDENT’S LIFE BY SHAPING 21^st CENTURY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ SOCIAL SKILLS IN INDONESIA ELEMENTARY SOCIAL STUDIES [PART ONE]

 Neni Maulidah¹* and Dinn Wahyudin² Nana Supriatna³

¹ Postgraduate student, Indonesia University of Education, Indonesia, nenimaulidah@student.upi.edu

² Dr., Indonesia University of Education, Indonesia, dinn_wahyudin@upi.edu

³ Prof. Dr., Indonesia University of Education, Indonesia, nanasup@upi.edu

*Corresponding Author

 

Abstract

This article is a critical review of the deconstruction of historical learning on social studies in elementary schools with the big aim of improving students' social skills. This critical review is based on a book "Deconstructing History" (Munslow, 1997) on the deconstruction of historical learning. The deconstruction is based on postmodernism paradigm by converting conventional learning into unusual learning method. Meanwhile, deconstruction in the learning of history can be done by establishing a rational mindset of modernism that emphasizes the great narratives and great figures in National history (Supriatna, 2012). This deconstruction of historical learning is needed to make a space for local history and local issues which more relevant to students’ interests. This kind of historical learning can be presented using various approaches by making students as the active learners as well as the actors of history in his day. Through the deconstruction of historical learning indirectly provides space for the use of unusual new learning methods. One of them is using the "First Person Historical Presentation" method to bring history to student's life (Morris, 2009) and the use the term of 21^st-century learning environment. This new kind of social studies learning paradigm in elementary school will also provide an opportunity to develop life skills which are relevant to students’ lives. Bringing history into the students’ lives and involving their feelings into the history will make learning history more meaningful. Students will experience and discover a fun learning experience so that it can create a historical consciousness of themselves and their environment. This kind of learning will support the development of more complex social skills by involving the creation of a 21^st-century learning environment (Kass, Burke, & Blevis, 2009).

Keywords: Bringing History to Student’s Life, 21^st Century Learning Environment, Social Skills