Presents dialectical thinking as a useful tool in teaching psychology. Argues that the basic notion of dialectical thinking is that ideas evolve in cycles. Provides examples of dialectical thinking in psychology and methods of using it in teaching. Contrasts the dialectical model for teaching with the more traditional model. (DSK)

In this paper we describe the action research projects of two second-grade teachers. Using the state-mandated content on famous Americans, the teacher/researchers developed foundational levels of historical thinking in their second grade students. To develop temporal understanding, the first teacher employed a time line of visual images to place…

Delineates four ways of knowing history: (1) organizing events and people in a meaningful time frame and in a meaningful space frame; (2) interpreting by hypothesizing cause-effect and by generalizing about meaning; (3) interpreting by comparing events; and (4) cross-examining the accuracy and validity of purported "facts." Discusses instructional…

Provides examples of how faculty can integrate ethical issues into the instructional process, specifically in literature, science, and history classes. Asserts that in order to develop student's ethical reasoning abilities, teachers must encourage students to explore conflicting ethical perspectives, to reason through ethical issues from multiple…

Discusses the discrepancy between traditional history learning and thinking like a historian. Describes two studies in which high school history students read multiple texts on a given historical event. Argues that students need to be taught to evaluate messages and to think critically, and that using multiple texts to teach students to think like…

There is a lot of talk these days about thinking historically. Policy makers use the term. So do teachers, curriculum writers, test makers, and administrators. And above all researchers use it--a lot. A number of articles have been published in this very column concerning the topic, many by those who do history-education research. Some might argue…

The ability to judge quality of information published and importance of Internet in departing knowledge to the students is described. The awareness among the students about topics in history and ability to discuss the topics show that they are well-informed readers, writers and thinkers.

UCLA has issued world history standards calling for less memorization and more historical thinking skills. The standards are neither rigid nor doctrinaire, but they have been criticized for promoting a national curriculum, stressing 20th-century events, downplaying traditional U.S. heroes, exhibiting an anti-Western bias, confusing suggestions…

Presents activities to help elementary students learn to interpret history. Using the voyage of Columbus, students can learn how history is written, what a historian's job is, and why it is important to analyze more than one point of view. The activities also teach students to understand historical symbols. (SM)

Suggests that, because both history and computers are information based, there is an natural link between the two. Argues that history teachers should exploit the technology to help students to understand history while they become computer literate. Points out uses for databases, word processing, desktop publishing, and telecommunications in…

Currently, no research exists that teases apart and compares how pre-service teachers within different national educational settings begin to reorganize, reconstruct and transform their own experiences, knowledge and perspectives on history and history teaching as they negotiate the process of learning to teach history. This comparative case study…

This study investigates how teachers and students assess the textbooks they use in history courses at the high school level in Turkey. Through a survey questionnaire, teachers and students were asked their perceptions of the textbooks. Then a sub-sample of the teachers and students were interviewed to collect more in-depth data on their assessment…

Employing a sample of 51 12-year-old British secondary pupils, a study analyzed children's written and oral responses to a series of (contradictory) historical questions concerning the Boston Massacre of 1770. Many students were capable of abstract historical reasoning--critiquing sources, detecting bias and ambiguity, and determining flaws in…

The authors have been working with teachers who are drawing upon various online resources to construct digital documentaries that explore some facet of history, such as Japanese American internment or the liberation of Western Europe during World War II. These activities build on students' interest in digital media, recognizing a fundamental shift…

The momentum gathering behind authentic learning/critical skills raises fundamental issues concerning teaching and learning. This article discusses some of the more general arguments surrounding authentic learning with particular reference to an in-depth evaluation of its impact on schools in one part of Great Britain. It then moves on to describe…