Reviews the book, "Historical Literacy: The Case for History in American Education" edited by Paul Gagnon and the Bradley Commission on History in the Schools. Critiques the Bradley Commission's recommendations, and the essays on restructuring history curriculum and improving history instruction. (RW)

Contends that world history should be taught as "Big History," a view that includes all space and time beginning with the Big Bang. Discusses five "Cardinal Questions" that serve as a course structure and address the following concepts: perspectives, diversity, change and continuity, interdependence, and causes. (CMK)

Asserts that the two problems with history teaching in Canada are the failure of historians to engage with the schools and the inability of many history teachers to feel at home in their subject. Reviews five crises in the teaching of history over the last 100 years. (CMK)

History instruction at the secondary level is not sufficiently relevant to the needs of students today. The traditional concept and function of most textbook oriented teaching is one of indoctrination, Americanization, and an attempt at preserving the economic, social, and political status quo. There is a need to educate students to intelligently…

Examines recent changes in history curriculum in Ontario, Canada. The curriculum decisions stress ethnicity and cultural pluralism in English Canadian society. The new curriculum for elementary school history and social science is entitled "Multiculturalism in Action," and the secondary curriculum includes a unit on Canada's…

States that World War I served as a catalyst for rapid change in the teaching of history, geography, and current events. Indicators of change were found in professional journals such as THE HISTORY TEACHER'S MAGAZINE. Concludes that post-World War I social studies was more like our current curriculum than that which existed prior to the War.…

Presents a review of research literature that was undertaken to determine the extent to which research about teaching and learning history supports the current reform movement. Examines history's status in the schools, surveys recent trends in the history curriculum, explores how teachers use textbooks, and questions the appropriateness of history…

Discusses California's Middle Grade Task Force and its report, "Caught in the Middle: Educational Reform for Young Adolescents in California Public Schools." Describes the 1987 revision of the California history-social science framework which emphasizes character development through studying the moral and ethical struggles of literary…

Provides an overview of the National Commission on Social Studies in the Schools' publication, "Charting a Course: Social Studies for the 21st Century." Reprints the report's curriculum characteristics and goals segments, which briefly outlines content placement. Presents conflicting conceptions of social studies education and questions…

Questions whether the requirement of more history courses, as called for by some reformers, will advance citizenship education. Explores the questions: Will the incorporation of more history improve social studies programs? Is curriculum reform the most urgent need in social studies education? and Should the nation expect widespread change in how…

Critically assesses current reformist views on teaching social studies. Warns that these educators and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) position is anti-intellectual, contradicting the ideals of education and democracy. Encourages healthy debate about social studies and supports the virtues of humanism, skepticism, and pluralism. (NL)

Contends that, in the past several years, the field of western U.S. history has been more vibrant and visible. Maintains that Patricia Nelson Limerick and others revived the field. Concludes that a new approach provides a better appreciation about what did happen and what was mythical in U.S. western history. (CFR)

Lists some of the documents and journal articles on history education reform in the ERIC database. Includes items on the teaching of history, curriculum development, textbooks, student achievement, and constraints of teaching methods. Gives a brief summary of each work listed. (DK)

Provides a partial listing of documents and journal articles in the ERIC database on the status of U.S. history instruction and history education reform. Includes items concerning curriculum guidelines and development, the study of democracy, teaching methods, and history versus social studies. (DK)

Argues that dispute between history and social studies in the curriculum is not recent but goes back 75 years. Asserts the term "social studies" is not a separate discipline but simply an umbrella term to describe the broad field of social subjects offered in the school curriculum. Calls for an end to the dispute between history and…