The conceptions of the past present in the historical consciousness of History students

Abstract

This article analyzes conceptions of the past among undergraduate students enrolled in a History Teacher Education program, considering the centrality of this concept within the epistemology of historical science and historical learning. It is based on the understanding that the meanings attributed to the past by students in initial teacher education constitute a fundamental element for research in History Education. The study adopts a qualitative approach and was conducted with 43 students from the Midwestern Parana State University (UNICENTRO), from different campuses. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed based on a literature review and on Oakeshott’s (2003) typology of the past, distinguishing between practical past and historical past. The results indicate a predominance of conceptions of the past associated with temporal anteriority and lived experience, with a lower incidence of epistemological and historical-reflective understandings. A certain heterogeneity in the responses is also observed, revealing different levels of conceptual systematization among participants. It is concluded that, even in advanced stages of initial teacher education, underdeveloped and loosely articulated understandings of the concept of the past persist, pointing to challenges in consolidating a perspective of historical learning more closely aligned with History Education.