This research paper examines hidden cultural patterns establishing the expression of historical thought in Native Alaskan narratives which describe first contact with Russians. Historical consciousness in oral contact stories is always mythic in form, as well as in content. Native American oral cultures understood new events by…

This report describes some curriculum development work done by the Local History Classroom Project (LHCP) which explores approaches to the classroom teaching of local history and possible roles for computerized banks of standardized historical data. Part one of the document gives a sample lesson developed from court records and newspaper articles.…

A survey found that secondary U.S. history textbooks provided the most coverage of propaganda and included the largest number of examples for student analysis. Very little coverage of propaganda was found in world geography and world history texts. A few government texts provided excellent coverage, but most gave the subject little attention. (RM)

Georgia state history textbooks published from 1917 to 1982 were analyzed to determine how they interpreted the Reconstruction Era. A traditional interpretation, a pro-Southern viewpoint, was used in textbooks until the 1960s. Since then, the most widely adopted texts have taken a revisionist perspective--a more neutral point of view. (IS)

Colorado State University students in elective history courses were surveyed for their attitudes toward elements of teaching: subject knowledge, relaxed classroom atmosphere, teacher approachability, teacher enjoyment of subject, mechanics of teaching, and delivery of material. The personal dimension was of high priority of students, the mechanics…

Responses of two high school history teachers on three performance assessments of teaching, part of the Stanford University Teacher Assessment Project, were analyzed. Differences that emerged in teacher attitudes and knowledge level illustrate what performance assessment can reveal about pedagogical knowledge and the implications for educational…

Asserts that, while historians value public communication, their view of the public is dominated by traditional college classroom demographics. Maintains that historians should broaden these boundaries to include nontraditional students. Describes efforts in Wyoming to present history in public meetings. (CFR)

Presents reactions to a survey of attitudes toward history, historiography, and instruction among contemporary historians. Contends that both museums and universities are undergoing fundamental transformations and that more communication between historians and museum curators is desirable. (CFR)

Discusses the goals and purposes of history instruction as reported in a survey of historians. Presents and discusses four goals for history instruction in a private college's history department. Asserts that the use of collaborative groups and discussion is preferable to the lecture method. (CFR)

To find out what lesson plans formats were most useful to novices, five elementary and seven secondary student-teachers in English and history were asked to modify traditional linear formats according to their needs and to document their experimentation during student teaching. Also compares planning needs of elementary/secondary novices.…

Discusses the origins and impact of the Piri Reis map, an early world map based on the voyages of Columbus and 20 other source maps. Maintains that evidence exists that Christopher Columbus may have drawn part of the map. Includes lengthy quotes from the map's legend written by Reis. (CFR)

Reports on a study of the geographic content in 44 secondary school U.S. and European Advanced Placement history lessons. States that 75% of 550 references to geographic content were categorized as "passing references," not "substantive references." Concludes that core geographic concepts that enable students to understand and…

This study investigated how domain specifications controlled topic and rater reliability. History students completed three performance tasks. For each topic, they took prior knowledge tests, read primary materials, and wrote explanatory essays. Using a theory-based scoring rubric, four raters scored all essays. The rubric worked similarly on the…

Presents a folkloristic analysis of two history teachers' performances of lectures in an eleventh grade U.S. history course. Discusses educational research on teachers as storytellers, a folkloristic framework for analyzing teachers' storytelling, and the reception of stories by students. Reveals that the history lectures combine both anecdote and…

Examines why a sixth-grade teacher in a Waldorf classroom selected the particular forms of representation for the lessons in a thematic unit. States that the teacher represented the lessons in ways that would bring about experiences, feelings, and imagination (such as story telling, visual arts, and singing.) (CMK)