Abstract
The problem of lack of historical thinking skillors training among prospective history teachers poses a challenge to effective history education. This study aims to address the problem of a lack of training in historical thinking skills among prospective secondary school history teachers by evaluating their level of training and perceptions of innovation in history education. The study used grounded theory-based qualitative analysis involving 65 prospective history teachers enrolled in the Bachelor of History Education programme at PGRI University Yogyakarta from 2021 to 2023. The training was classified into three levels: none, declarative, and applicative, and analysed in the context of participants’ views on curriculum models and educational innovation. The results of the analyses showed that most prospective history teachers were still at the declarative level of knowledge, with only a minority reaching the applicative level, which indicates a deeper understanding of pedagogical content. Those who reached the applicative level were mainly actively involved in innovative history learning courses, which provided critical perspectives on curriculum content and practical teaching experience. This research contributes to history education by emphasising the importance of integrating historical thinking skills into teacher training programmes. It addresses a critical gap in the literature by providing an evidence-based framework for evaluating and enhancing the pedagogical readiness of prospective history teachers. Additionally, it demonstrates the positive impact of innovative educational practices in developing these essential skills, offering valuable insights for curriculum developers and educators aiming to improve history teacher education.
Keywords: Historical Thinking Skills, History Education, History Learning, , Learning Innovation, Teacher Training.