After a quarter-century with historical thinking skills at the forefront of the history-teaching agenda, the news from history education is not good. In 2012, for example, the American Historical Association (AHA) observed, "the systematic teaching of history had all but ended in elementary schools across the country." In late 2018, the…

In this article, the author, based on his own experience, contends that historical videos are engaging--more engaging than history text. As far as he can recall, almost no layperson (that is, a nonacademic) has ever contacted him about his published research. In contrast, "users" of YouTube comment on the historical videos daily. Thousands of…

Since its first appearance in 1947, "The Diary of Anne Frank" has been translated into sixty-five different languages, including Welsh, Esperanto, and Faroese. Millions and perhaps even billions of readers, scattered throughout the globe and now spanning multiple generations, are familiar with the life and work of this young Jewish…

In this paper, the author argues that sustained, discipline-specific professional development provides the key to transferring research knowledge base to the classroom, where it can lead to significant improvements in the quality of history instruction. To be successful, such professional development must--like good classroom instruction--begin…

The public has always had a keen interest in textbooks on history. Despite all the differences among textbooks on national histories, most countries have a similar focus: the task of shaping the new generations' positive image of their own people in its long or short history, while not disregarding any sinister, dark, at times frightful pages of…

Lecturing can be done well or it can be done badly. It is wrong to assume that certain methods of teaching are inherently poor pedagogy, or, for that matter, to go through the motions of carrying out best practices without considering the ways in which practices (even those supposedly the best) can be executed poorly. One problem from which…

This essay provides an argument for the study of monuments and provides an analytical framework to promote thoughtful study. The essay focuses on three points of analyses that educational leaders should consider when exposing their students to monuments. These include: an analysis of referent--the person or event being memorialized; an analysis of…

In many of the U.S. History courses the author has taught, she has encountered students who refer to the second-wave feminists of the 1960s and 1970s as "bra-burners." Unsurprisingly, these students know very little about the origin of this epithet, and frequently, they know even less about the women's movement generally. Second-wave feminism, and…

The historical fiction novel straddles the factual and the fictive recreation of past motivations that animate historical events. Through reading a work of historical fiction, Ursula Hegi's novel "Stones from the River," Kent den Heyer and Alexandra Fidyk offer a theoretical consideration of the following questions and their classroom…

Defines history as social science and humanity. States that history possesses primary responsibility for understanding and explaining evolution of civilization. Offers a list of 22 reasons why students should study history. They include: (1) to avoid being mislead by government officials, (2) to learn critical thinking skills, and (3) to enable…

Myths that have grown up and persisted about Canada's involvement in World War II are examined. It is a mythodology heavy in self-congratulation, contemptous of politicians, suspicious of outsiders, and uncertain about the possibilities for Canadian independence in a complicated world. (RM)

Describes ten values which are developed from the study of history. The values are: appreciation of change, appreciation of historiography, vicarious experience, perspective, historical insight, pluralism, skepticism, empiricism, humanism, and responsible citizenship. Describes how the study of history develops each value and states that explicit…

Advocates teaching about the Holocaust in European and Canadian history courses. Maintains that the study of the Holocaust should help students see that history provides grist for reflection on our past and how our past has shaped the world we live in today. (JDH)

Identifies the goals of history instruction as developing a sense of history through knowledge of human behavior; developing an empathetic feeling for the past; experiencing the past on its own terms through primary sources; using the outlook of the humanities and social sciences; and developing broad understanding and mental discipline. (DMM)

Students tell us that for them the past is inconsequential and insignificant--a dead issue. What this "now" generation fails to realize is that without a past there would be no present and no future. (Author)