『세계사』교과서 일본사 관련 서술의 현황과 전망－전근대사 서술을 중심으로－

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze the content system of four types of World History textbooks currently used in high schools comparatively and to examine the characteristics of descriptions of Japanese premodern history. Moreover, by examining the "2015 Revised National Curriculum" recently made public and the criteria of writing textbooks, this author studies how the descriptions of Japanese history will be changed or should be changed in newly published textbooks. Furthermore, this study suggests what needs to be supported institutionally as well as politically. The current curriculum stresses "The Regional World" and "Exchange and Trade." As a result, Japanese premodern history is not described within the context of a chronicle format, but is dispersed in different units. According to a content analysis, four different types of textbooks describe Japanese premodern history distinctly from each other. Meanwhile, there are not a few misconceptions or ambiguous explanations found. The title, which fails to capture the essence of a certain period, is also problematic. The current high school "World History" textbooks highlight Japan's image as "a culture receiver." But it is rather "unhistorical" to understand that all the elements of culture move in the same direction, thus we should also take note of either two-way or multilateral movements of culture and civilization. Also, all of these four types of textbooks describe the history of Japan as having developed not within the limited stage of East Asia but in the vast world. This is evaluated as having potential for pedagogical use. The core of the 2015 Curriculum, which was newly released, is to reduce learning content quite much in order to lessen the burden of learning. But if we examine only the history of Japan, we can see that neither the criteria of achievement nor the related elements of learning are reduced. Therefore, the textbooks to be published subsequently are also expected to maintain the amount of description. In the current textbooks, descriptions of Japan's premodern history are scattered. According to the new curriculum, the textbooks will arrange the contents rather more systematically. This can be evaluated from the position of learners. It will be easier to follow the flow of Japanese history by periods. Considering the current situation in Korea, we can hardly expect that descriptions of Japan's premodern history will become more concretized or systematized than in the current textbooks. What is important is how we should "cook" (teach) with limited "ingredients" (textbooks). To teach the history of Japan better, it is absolutely and preferentially necessary to train (retrain) teachers. Aside from that, political and institutional improvement should come next. Furthermore, it is necessary to write "quality" introductions and reference books which teachers and students can both use easily.