If history teachers' aim is to teach students how to think, why not ask: What forms of thought do historians use, and what specific techniques will inculcate these forms? In this article, the author proposes a fundamental shift, from courses with a focus on the mastery of data to courses with a priority on learning the historian's craft. The…

In order to broaden student understanding of past and contemporary situations, the world history survey course needs to consider religion as a vehicle through which history moves. The course proposal includes prehistory and paleolithic times to contemporary Islamic culture. The course is thematic and comparative in orientation, but moves through…

A program based upon the study of human history and culture has been developed for seventh grade students by social studies teachers in Montgomery, Alabama public schools. The major objective of the program is to help students understand how basic relationships between time, space, and the cosmos have operated throughout the history of…

Although the history of war and military establishments is often neglected in the college liberal arts curriculum, it can be relevant to students and should be offered by history departments. Military history can give liberal arts students a rudimentary understanding of the nature, evolution, and impact of war and familiarize them with some of the…

The program of civic education in Indianapolis elementary schools in the early part of the 20th century is described. Content and teaching methods of community civics are reviewed. Objectives of the program were to help children understand their roles as members of various social groups; to establish habits of order, cooperation, and service; to…

The Committee for General and Technical Education of the Council of Europe has initiated several projects to study, compare and evaluate curriculum materials used in the member nations. The study highlights preoccupations of educators in member countries responsible for the planning of history programs. There is concern for the content of the…

Describes a high school U.S. history course where the students are completely responsible for instruction on the period from 1950-96. Small groups each take a decade from this period and prepare week-long presentations. The presentations cover economics, politics, foreign affairs, technology, sociocultural aspects, and other issues. (MJP)

Describes the personal development of a private-school teacher involved in course restructuring in U.S. history. Lists and discusses the use of seven themes as the basis for the course. Concludes that history, more than any other subject, is linked to personal identity. (CFR)

The New York City social studies curriculum revision program emphasizes the teaching of basic concepts rather than the accumulation of data, providing students with necessary values and skills to cope with today's social problems. To accomplish this, the curriculum uses techniques of inquiry and discovery that aim at conceptualization and that…

This document reports on a summer institute for 20 secondary school history teachers from the central Virginia public school community. Emphasis at the institute was on the fact that historically, as well as morally, all people are important. This idea is the basis for the "new social history" that tends to start with everyday experience. Because…

Discusses a survey of 56 advanced placement (AP) U.S. history teachers. Explores the scope of AP history and types of posttest activities used after Advanced Placement examinations. Concludes that public school courses developed more deeply into post-1960 events than the private schools did. Describes movies, debates, simulations, and local…

Asserts the need for new undergraduate culture studies textbooks that maintain broad historical scope and shed the Western humanistic model. Proposes a "postmodern textbook" less concerned with covering canonical facts than with issues to be discussed and situations to be analyzed. (21 citations) (VWC)

Compares questionnaire results sent to elementary and secondary school teachers in Indiana and Japan. Surveys how and what is taught about World War II. Reports teachers in the United States concentrate more on Europe, Pearl Harbor, and fascism, whereas Japanese teachers are more concerned with Pacific theater. Concludes Japanese teach peace…

Describes the social studies program at Walker Junior High School (La Palma, CA). Uses student research and role playing to make areas of history, geography, and government more meaningful. Includes colonial period, slavery, medieval life, and city government. Suggests themes, methods, and telecommunication and computer use. Reports that the…

The cornerstone of Alaska's effort to bring higher standards and accountability to the public school system was the development of content standards in 10 core areas. These standards represent what Alaskans want students to know and be able to do as a result of their public schooling. This booklet presents the following content standards and their…