Imagined communities: Reflections on the origin and spread of nationalism

Course Description In this course, we will explore the question of the actual and potential connections between democracy and education. Our focus of attention will be placed on a critical examination of democratic theory and its implications for the civic education roles and contributions of teachers, adult educators, community development practitioners, and community organizers. We will survey and deal critically with a range of competing conceptions of democracy, variously described as classical, republican, liberal, radical, marxist, neomarxist, pragmatist, feminist, populist, pluralist, postmodern, and/or participatory. Using narrative inquiry as a means for illuminating and interpreting contemporary practice, we will analyze the implications of different conceptions of democracy for the practical work of civic education.

Democracy and education.

After virtue, a study in moral theory

This is an account of the largest on-the-scene study of U.S. schools ever undertaken. Called A Study of Schooling' and carried on over 4 years, trained investigators went into more than 1,000 classrooms in 38 elementary and secondary schools in seven different sections of the United States. These schools were located in urban, rural, and suburban areas. The investigators talked to teachers, students, administrators, school board officials, parents, and other members of the community. The result is this landmark report, written by one of the country's most astute and experienced educators. His message is one of cautious optimism, despite the extensive problems uncovered, and he provides a realistic agenda for improvement. This report will be a rich and stimulating resource for all those concerned with the education of our youth.

The Schools We Deserve@@@A Place Called School: Prospects for the Future

http://jah.oxfordjournals.org/content/89/4/1625.full.pdf

Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts: Charting the Future of Teaching the Past

Contents: Preface. A Sociocultural Perspective on History Education. Participatory Democracy and Democratic Humanism. The Identification Stance. The Analytic Stance. The Moral Response Stance. The Exhibition Stance. Narrative Structure and History Education. Narratives of Individual Achievement and Motivation. The Story of National Freedom and Progress. Inquiry. Historical Empathy as Perspective Recognition. Empathy as Caring. Teacher Education and the Purposes of History.

Teaching History for the Common Good

Preface Author Biographies Chapter 1 Past, Present, and Future: The Sociocultural Context for Studying History Chapter 2 It's Not Just a Mishap: The Theory Behind Disciplined Inquiry Chapter 3 There Aren't a Lot of "For Sure" Facts: Building Communities of Historical Inquiry Chapter 4 To Find Out Things We Didn't Know About Ourselves: Personal Histories Chapter 5 Tell Me About Yourself: Linking Children to the Past Through Family Histories Chapter 6 I Think Columbus Went to Hell!: Connections and Controversies in World History Chapter 7 Camel Dies, Lose Three Turns: Scaffolding Inquiry Into World History Chapter 8 Rats in the Hospital: Creating a History Museum Chapter 9 I Have No Experience with This! Historical Inquiry in an Integrated Social Studies Setting Chapter 10 Why Isn't That in the Textbook? Fiction, Nonfiction, and Historical Thinking Chapter 11 Oh, Good! We Get to Argue: Putting Conflict in Context Chapter 12 In My Opinion, It Could Happen Again: How Attitudes and Beliefs Have Changed Over Time Chapter 13 Nosotros La Gente: Diverse Perspectives in U.S. History Chapter 14 The Arts Make Us All Part of Humankind: Cognitive Pluralism in History Teaching and Learning Epilogue References Index

Doing History: Investigating with Children in Elementary and Middle Schools

/pdf/the-college-career-and-civic-life-c3-framework-for-social-2igtfaf4dd.pdf

The College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards: Guidance for Enhancing the Rigor of K-12 Civics, Economics, Geography, and History

This study reports results of an empirical investigation of secondary students' conceptions of history and identity in Northern Ireland. Interviews with 253 students from a variety of backgrounds indicate that they initially identify with a wide range of historical themes, but that these identifications narrow as they study the required national curriculum during the first 3 years of secondary school. Often, they draw selectively from the formal curriculum in order to support their developing identification with the history of their own political/religious communities. This process is most apparent among boys, at predominantly Protestant schools, and in schools located in areas of conflict. These findings suggest that to address history's role in ongoing community conflict, educators may need to challenge more directly the beliefs and assumptions held by students of varied backgrounds, as well as to provide a clearer alternative to the partisan histories encountered elsewhere.

History, identity, and the school curriculum in Northern Ireland: an empirical study of secondary students' ideas and perspectives

Over the past fifteen years, a great deal of attention has been devoted to the reform of history teaching. Although advocates of reform come from a variety of backgrounds, most share a belief that students' encounters with history should center on the process of historical interpretation. From this perspective, there is little point in simply transmitting a story of the past to students in hopes they will remember and repeat it. Instead, students should learn how such stories are developed in the first place: They should be involved in historical investigations, they should analyze and interpret primary sources, and they should understand the relationship between historical evidence and the construction of accounts--both their own and those of others. This process necessarily involves consideration of multiple perspectives, not only so that students understand how the same evidence can lead to divergent interpretations, but also so they recognize that people in the past held different outlooks than we do today and may have perceived events differently than we do. (1) Many history teachers adhere closely to this vision: Their students develop questions about the past, consult a variety of primary and secondary sources to answer those questions, compare perspectives, and share conclusions through discussion, debate, presentations, artwork, and essays. One need only read works such as James Percocco's A Passion for the Past: Creative Teaching of US. History and Divided We Stand: Teaching about Conflict in U.S. History, or David Kobrin's Beyond the Textbook: Teaching History Using Documents and Primary Sources to see stimulating examples of this approach in secondary classrooms. At the elementary and middle school levels, we have portrayed students and teachers engaged in interpretive, evidence-based inquiry in our own Doing History: Investigating with Children in Elementary and Middle Schools. (2) But we also know that many experienced teachers remain unfazed by these concerns, and that many new teachers have no intention of giving their students the chance to analyze sources or develop interpretations. Instead, they require students to read textbook chapters, listen to lectures (which they often refer to as "discussion"), locate answers to questions at the end of chapters, and then repeat the information on tests or in essays. At times, these teachers may introduce more engaging or hands-on activities (videos, field trips, games), but they still do not focus on the key characteristics of history as advocated by reformers--investigation, interpretation, and perspective. A critical issue for those of us concerned with history education is why these differences exist: Why do some teachers engage students in historical investigations, while others expect them to reproduce a story of the past? It would be misleading to think that some teachers are simply "better" than others, or that they care more about their students. Many teachers in our second category are excellent lecturers, and many develop exciting games or activities to help students learn historical content. They may also care deeply about students and devote a great deal of time to helping them develop into mature and responsible adults. What we need to know is why some good, caring teachers follow one approach, and other good, caring teachers follow another. Conveying the Process of Historical Knowledge The most widely accepted answer is that some teachers know more about teaching history; they have more pedagogical content knowledge, as it is usually called. (3) This does not just mean that they know more about the past (more facts, dates, and sources) or that they are more familiar with effective teaching techniques (using wait time, advance organizers, and so on). Rather, it means that they have a deep and accurate understanding of how historical knowledge is constructed, and they know how to represent that process to students. …

Keith C. Barton

Papers

Teaching History for the Common Good

Doing History: Investigating with Children in Elementary and Middle Schools

The College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards: Guidance for Enhancing the Rigor of K-12 Civics, Economics, Geography, and History

History, identity, and the school curriculum in Northern Ireland: an empirical study of secondary students' ideas and perspectives

Why Don’t More History Teachers Engage Students in Interpretation?