DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A 21ST-CENTURY LEARNING MODULE FOR ETHICAL CITIZENSHIP IN MALAYSIAN PRIMARY HISTORY EDUCATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v23.n3.4323Keywords:
History Education, Ethical Citizenship, Nation-Building, Transformative Pedagogy, Malaysia, Curriculum PolicyAbstract
This article critically examines how history education in Malaysia functions as a state instrument of ideological socialization and explores the potential of transformative pedagogy to promote ethical citizenship among primary school students. Drawing on Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, Kohlberg’s stages of moral development, and Westheimer and Kahne’s citizenship typology, the study investigates the Neo-21st Century Learning History Module a technology-enhanced, inquiry-based teaching innovation. Through a review of Malaysian curriculum policy and international literature, the paper highlights the limitations of textbook-centered instruction, which emphasizes conformity and rote learning at the expense of civic reflection. The proposed pedagogical model seeks to counter these tendencies by fostering historical thinking, moral reasoning, and democratic engagement. The study contributes to current debates on the role of education in social reproduction and transformation, aligning with global calls for justice-oriented and pluralistic citizenship education.
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