Researching for innovating: today's and historical societies as a research field

Abstract

I

In this paper, a review of the author's research and innovation trajectory is carried out based on the design of the Research Field of Present and Past Societies and its experimentation in the initial formation of Primary Education teachers. It is part of the establishment of three stages in this trajectory, as well as the location of the same within the framework of the IRES Project and the Curriculum Project Investigating Our World. As a third level of concretion of this project, the aforementioned Research Field is presented as an organizer of scholastic and professional knowledge, to then provide some results of the research and didactic innovations developed with it in five lines of work: research on the conceptions of Primary students, as well as of students for teacher, teaching innovation in initial training and, in particular, in the curricular design in Heritage Education and analysis of textbooks. Finally, a series of conclusions and proposals are established in relation to research and innovation in Social Sciences Education derived from the analyzed case, among which we highlight the promotion of research and innovation within the framework of a curricular project, as well as research projects and teaching innovation and the need for a greater impact of didactic research in the practice of teaching, in the improvement of student learning, in the initial and permanent training programs, educational legislation and the elaboration of textbooks.