What do future teachers think about teaching history? A survey on the concept and function of history among primary education students

Abstract

In this study, the perception of future pre-school and primary school teachers regarding history and its teaching is analyzed. Through a quantitative research approach involving the administration of a Likert scale questionnaire to 167 students enrolled in the single-cycle degree program in Primary Education Sciences at the University of Bologna, results have been identified that generally suggest the acquisition of a good epistemological understanding, albeit partial and improvable, towards history and its teaching. These findings prompt reflection on the increasingly urgent need to invest in both initial and ongoing teacher education to develop and enhance professional skills related to historical education at every level.