The history teacher frequently struggles to find classroom sources that are not only insightful, but also challenge students to be interpretative and imaginative about the past. As an instructional tool, popular culture can do all of these while reflecting the cultural impulses emanating from a particular country or region. To this end, the…

Seven college professors give personal views about why courses in Western civilization and national history are declining in popularity. Because students seem to be oriented toward the present and away from foreign affairs, history courses must be relevant to students' lives in order to be of interest. (AV)

Compares basic themes in women's history and the Western civilization survey course and concludes that women's studies do not assimilate comfortably because women are not a part of the heroic epics upon which European history is based. (CK)

Discusses the use of novels in a Latin American history course. Provides a theoretical basis for the course. Outlines course format, class assignments, and reading lists. Points out the value of the novel to students in understanding the history of Latin America. (RW)

Delineates why the National Commission for the Social Studies provides an excellent opportunity for improving social studies education. Identifies several issues the Commission must address, including the value of teaching social studies, the content of social studies curriculum, and when and how to teach the social studies. (LS)

Discusses the secondary status in teaching history in relation to contemporary emphasis on values, self-esteem, and attitude. Explains how this has taken place and proposes returning content to a primary position by teaching history as a usable past. (CK)

Treasures await students and researchers on the shelves of libraries and archives across the country, but unfortunately they often remain unknown to the "modern" researcher who limits his/her research to using the Internet. The process of physically going to the library stacks and browsing the shelves in a subject area is on the decline…

A team-teaching approach to a college-level world history course using a lecture-lab format was very popular with students. One professor taught historical methods, including oral history, quantification, local history, family history, and visual history, in his labs. A detailed course outline is provided. (RM)

Describes the content for community college history courses that meet the needs of the students by focusing on the educational aids; affective teaching techniques, such as using period music or an anecdotal story; and student outreach. Includes a lecture outline and hints for writing essays. (CMK)

Presents the reader with three interpretations of the historical significance of the urban political boss. Identifies one group which condemns the practitioners of machine politics, another which emphasizes the function of bossism, and that group whose members point out the complex relationships involved in the operation of city government. (KO)

Examines increased interest in Latin American studies initiated by Cuban Revolution of Fidel Castro. Identifies and compares older historiography which evolved in Latin America and newer efforts which have emanated from the United States. Suggests that a changing political and economic climate and different emphasis in methodology are affecting…

Suggests a method for teaching history as a means of exposing students to and enabling them to internalize historical definitions, theories, and uses. Lists topics that should be discussed in an introductory unit on the nature of history. Includes an appendix setting out a schedule of themes for the unit. (SG)

Discusses the usefulness of war games in high school and college classrooms, specifically games involving the role of Western Europe in World War II. Twenty games are identified and evaluated in terms of strategy and educational value. (AV)

Description of a course built around the question, What is History?'' The methodological principles of selection, causation, generalization, and interpretation are applied. (JB)

Innovation in a Western Civilization course, using reverse chronology to survey historical developments, provides needed relevance and student involvement. Exercises covering eleven themes defined in discussion of post-1945 period are listed which direct students to reorganize data, and which lend themselves to further independent reading and…