ERIC Number: EJ1378422
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0037-7996
EISSN: EISSN-2152-405X
Using an Instructional Model of Historical Empathy to Teach the Holocaust
Conner, Caroline J.; Graham, Taylor C.
Social Studies, v114 n1 p19-35 2023
The current study investigates the impact of using an Instructional Model of Historical Empathy to teach the Holocaust on students' ability to contextualize historical events, recognize perspectives, and affectively connect to victims of the Holocaust. A three-day instructional unit was designed that incorporates primary sources from a variety of voices such as victims, perpetrators, and bystanders. Participants included a tenth grade on-level world history class enrolled in a large high school located in the southeastern U.S. Using a mixed method research design, the researchers measured students' level of historical empathy qualitatively and quantitatively through pre- and post-surveys, work samples, and interviews. Results indicate that students' ability to contextualize the Holocaust, recognize diverse perspectives, and care for individuals of the past significantly improved. Students made moral judgements of the past and stressed the need to act on behalf of others to prevent future atrocities. Using an Instructional Model of Historical Empathy to teach the Holocaust can meet curricular goals of improving historical thinking and add value beyond school by promoting social justice.
Descriptors: Social Studies, Jews, European History, History Instruction, Death, Teaching Methods, Empathy, Victims, Units of Study, Grade 10, High School Students, Student Attitudes, Moral Values, Prevention, Futures (of Society), Thinking Skills, Perspective Taking, Cultural Context, Historical Interpretation, Criticism
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Grade 10; High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A