Informational and Methodological Potential of Photography as a Historical Source (on the Example of the Textbook "Exploring History and Society ")

Abstract

The article reveals the informational and methodological potential of photo documents as a historical source on the example of the textbook "Exploring History and Society", 5th grade. According to the authors, photographs are a unique and reliable means of preserving historical memory for future generations, as well as a fairly informative source of information about historical events and phenomena, historical figures, traditions, customs and everyday life of people in the past. They are also an invaluable source for studying and researching the history of the native land, its memorial places, and monuments.
The authors analyzed the works devoted to both the peculiarities of the study of visual sources in historical science and the methods of their use in the educational process. It is noted that photographic documents are completely self-sufficient historical sources that require the same source criticism and appropriate methodological tools as written documents or material sources. Having analyzed methodical approaches to the use of photographs as a historical source, the authors propose an algorithm for their processing by students.
The article notes that special attention in the educational process should be paid to research work with photographs as a historical source, as it activates students' thinking in general and forms the ability to critically analyze historical information in particular. Having analyzed methodological approaches to the use of photographs in the educational process, the authors propose an algorithm for their processing by students.
The methodological value of photographs as a historical source, according to the authors, is that their use in the educational process activates the cognitive, research and creative activity of students, develops their cognitive interest, promotes the stability of attention, the development of critical thinking and visual memory, plays an important role in the formation of their media literacy and ideas about the historical past.