Understanding the Processes of Transition From Dictatorship to Democracy. A Survey Among Secondary Schools Students in Chile. Issue 2 (1st July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sánchez-Agustí, María; Vásquez-Lara, Nelson; Vásquez-Leytón, Gabriela
• Is Part Of: History education research journal. Volume 13:Issue 2(2014)
• Page Start: 23
• Page End: 34
• Publication Date: 2016-07-01
• Subjects: TEACHING OF HISTORY -- RECENT HISTORY -- TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY -- CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION -- STUDENT PERCEPTIONS -- SECONDARY EDUCATION; History -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; History -- Research -- Periodicals; 907
• DOI: 10.18546/HERJ.13.2.05
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2631-9713

Abstract

Abstract : This aim of this paper is to understand how young Chileans conceptualize the process of Transition from dictatorship to democracy that countries such as Chile and Spain have experienced in their recent histories. The research hypothesis for this paper is that secondary pupils have only a simple grasp of the issues and that this prevents them from understanding the process as a period of adaptation of political and social structures during which the pursuit of agreements and consensus between the different political powers was essential. To obtain the necessary data 616 students from Secondary Education institutions were asked to explain what they understood by the Transition from dictatorship to democracy. Their responses were analysed using an analytical typology for specific content, based on the SOLO classification (taxonomy) (Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome) which enables the level and quality of thought in relation to some particular knowledge to be measured. The results indicate that the majority of the students surveyed demonstrate a prestructural or unistructural conceptualization of the Transition. This means that the definitions they provide lack any historic meaning or that their explanations fail to include essential aspects of the concept. Very few of the students understand the process of transition as an historical event based on the balance of political power and the search for agreements that enable a return to democracy. This situation represents a lost opportunity for education in citizenship through the teaching of history.