Change and continuity: a study of approved history textbooks for primary schools in Ghana

Change and continuity are among the fundamental concepts of procedural knowledge. Its relevance in history and history education requires that the concepts are appropriately reflected in historical reconstruction, teaching history and curriculum documents. This study, therefore, seeks to examine how the concepts of change and continuity are reflected in selected History of Ghana ‘approved’ textbooks for primary schools. The mixed critical research design that blends qualitative and quantitative approaches was used to examine 12 selected history of Ghana ‘approved’ textbooks for primary schools. Two methods of documentary analysis—content analysis and visual semiotics—were used to analyze the data. The results show that change and continuity are reflected in the approved textbooks, albeit there are differences among the textbooks. The differences also existed in how change and continuity are reflected separately in the various textbooks. Therefore, any review of the textbooks should ensure a balance between the two concepts.