A PROPOSED COURSE OF TRAINING FOR HISTORY GRADUATES IN THE LEBANESE UNIVERSITY

Ahmad  M.  RABAH

The absence of training for secondary History teachers in Lebanon since 1975, the existence of large numbers of untrained History teachers in the Lebanese secondary schools, who mainly graduated from the departments of History in the Lebanese University, and the wide criticism of their teaching, have created the need for the design of a model for  the training of History teachers. This study has attempted to identify a suitable model for the initial training of secondary History teachers in Lebanon.

Chapter One outlines the problem of the study, the objectives, the hypotheses, the methodology, and the limitations, as well as the historical and geographical background of the Lebanon.

Chapter Two attempts to outline the main features of the Lebanese educational system, including the public and private training institutions, the Faculty of Education before 1975, and the Department of History in the Lebanese University.

In Chapter Three a survey of literature relevant to the nature of History, the aims and objectives of teaching History, the importance of training teachers and teaching practice are given.

Chapter Four introduces the model for the training of secondary History teachers at the P.G.C.E. level at the School of Education, University of Wales College of Cardiff.

Chapter Five attempts to provide a study of the teaching of History in the Lebanese secondary schools, including the recruitment of History teachers, the History curriculum at the secondary stage, the aims and objectives of teaching History, the prevailing methods of teaching History, and the assessment procedures.

The field work construction, content, sampling, validation and administration are described in Chapter Six.

The main findings in Chapter Seven indicate that History graduates from the Lebanese University Departments of History do not know how to teach History in secondary schools.

In Chapter Eight a model is formulated for training History graduates in the Lebanese University. Emphasis is given to the criteria of selecting students to attend the course. Suggestions on historical and educational studies are made. The general outline of the model, including its practical aspects, are provided.