The integration of the educational space in secondary schools and universities as a pre-requisite for the formation of historical thinking

Introduction: features and ways of historical thinking development of a student as a subject of educational and professional activity are analyzed. The aim of the research is to monitor the degree of formation of the features of historical thinking in the system of higher education. Materials and Methods: the psycho-diagnostic methods were used during the study. These techniques aimed at identifying special aspects of historical thinking among students-historians. The correlation analysis was used for statistical processing of the obtained results. Results: the experimental research of specifics of historical thinking among students and historians revealed the influential factors on the formation. The skills of reading and interpreting of historical sources are the most important and sometimes the main means of the historical thinking formation. Historical document is the point of departure for the analysis of the historical situation, and social phenomena. Discussion and Conclusions: professional historical thinking is a mental activity aimed at solving social problems and drawn to understanding the past, present and projected future. It does not simply reproduce reality, but reconstructs and models it. Unlike other academic disciplines, history does not deal with existing at the moment object rather its reconstruction. While thinking of the history involves critical perception, and synthesis of sources, imagination, play, simulation development, and personal empathy (entering into the situation), understanding of phenomena identification and rationale of their position. The historical thinking skills consist of philosophical, logical and specific historical intellectual operations. The development of historical thinking can be realised only on the general laws of thought, knowledge of general methodological principles and properties of historical knowledge. The properties of thinking are realised through substantive content of stories, which determines the policies and main lines, alternation and combination of mental operations, and using the various methodological and epistemological ideas. Socio-historical thinking is a mental activity aimed at the reconstruction of the past, understanding the past, present and projected future. It has ontological, epistemological, praxiologic, system, logic, religious, cultural, and aesthetic grounds. Knowledge must be structured according to a certain principle for effective thinking. The practical significance of the research lies in effective using of modern methods, forms and means in the teaching of history in the university.