Education and society: International conference on historical education takes place in Moscow

The state of modern historical knowledge, the functions of history education in the present context to be discussed by the participants of the International Conference "University potential of historical knowledge and historical education in the context of contemporary modernization." It takes place in Moscow on February 10-11, 2011; the venue for the conference is the Russian State University for the Humanities (RGGU).

"Twenty years have passed since 1991, just a moment by historical standards - said, RGGU Rector Efim Pivovar, opening the event. - However, during that time there have been enormous changes in society that affected the historical education".  In particular, those who entered school 20 years ago, lived and studied in an open information society. They got a whole array of information, sometimes sharply debatable, he said. In addition, the rector said, undoubtedly, there was a real archival revolution, researchers have discovered a huge array of documents. However, according to Pivovarov, this array for the most part has not been investigated and, in fact, remains unclaimed by the modern historical science.

Activization of historians is required, especially in the field of source study, said the rector of State Humanitarian University. In this regard, he noted, "the first objective of this meeting of historians is to consider the state of modern Russian history education in its development over the past 20 years. The second objective - to consider the role of humanitarian projects in today's reality. Among these: teaching in universities and schools, a place of history education in society, historical standards, materials of the USE (Unified State Exam) on history, and so forth. "