Digitalisation of History Education and Historical Thinking Skills (HTS): A conceptual framework

Abstract

The digitalisation of history education has become an essential strategy for promoting meaningful learning and developing students’ higher-order historical thinking competencies in the context of twenty-first-century education. Despite the increasing adoption of digital technologies in educational settings, existing studies have predominantly examined technology integration from general pedagogical perspectives, while the conceptual relationship between digitalisation and the mastery of Historical Thinking Skills (HTS) remains insufficiently explored, particularly in primary history education. This study aims to examine the relationship between the digitalisation of history education and the development of HTS through a systematic literature review and conceptual analysis. Relevant literature was identified from peer-reviewed journal articles, policy documents, and scholarly publications, which were critically synthesized to identify key themes, research trends, and theoretical relationships. The findings indicate that digital technologies—including interactive multimedia, virtual simulations, digital archives, online learning platforms, and collaborative learning tools—significantly enhance student engagement and facilitate the development of core HTS dimensions, including chronological reasoning, historical interpretation, evidence evaluation, cause-and-effect analysis, and historical empathy. Nevertheless, the review reveals the absence of an integrated conceptual model that systematically explains how digitalisation supports HTS development, particularly in primary education contexts. Addressing this gap, the study proposes a conceptual framework that integrates digital pedagogical components with the cognitive dimensions of HTS. The proposed framework contributes theoretically by extending current understanding of digital history education and provides practical guidance for educators, curriculum developers, and policymakers in designing technology-enhanced history learning environments. Furthermore, it establishes a foundation for future empirical studies examining the effectiveness of digital interventions in fostering historical thinking competencies.