Bilan S. Historical Thinking of School-Aged Children: Social and Philosophical Analysis

The research object is theoretical models of the historical thinking. The purpose is a social-philosophical analysis of students' historical thinking and detection of determinants of optimization of its development in conditions of the independent Ukraine's establishment. The paradigm approach that is concretized in general-logical and dialectic, historical, synergetic, system, hermeneutic, structural, comparative methods is used in the research paper. Scientific novelty: the content of the concept "students' historical thinking" is defined; the structure, functions, features of students' historical thinking are revealed; the correlation of innovation and traditions as the regularity of the creation and development of students' historical thinking are grounded; determinants of optimization of its development are grounded. The theoretical and practical value is the possibility of further research of this phenomenon in order to improve basic directions of the historical education's reforming. The conclusions of research paper can become the basis for the development of the concept of a historical education, curriculums and history courses.