History as knowledge: Humanities challenges for a knowledge-based curriculum

Abstract

What is powerful about history? Historians in their professional interchange with each other may distinguish between accounts that fail because they are biased (do not meet methodological standards) and accounts that they do not accuse of bias, but nevertheless do not agree with (the evidence cited may be accepted as accurate, but the overall interpretation is disputed). They may judge an account as 'true' (in accordance with the facts or with 'what happened'), but as poor quality or uninteresting; they make judgements about some accounts as being better than others. In terms of school curriculum, there are further questions. Is the power of history for students in school related to learning..