Advocates teaching critical thinking through showing students the logic of a subject. Uses one example of instruction in history that allows students to think their way through the logic of the subject rather than memorize bits and pieces of someone else's thought (never grasping its logic). (VWC)

Examines how elementary student teachers' composition of historical narratives constructed from primary and secondary source accounts demonstrated their historical thinking. Finds that the student teachers were ill-prepared about the "know what" and "know how" of history. Concludes that when student teachers' overall knowledge of history is…

Asserts that Steven Spielberg's film "Amistad" fictionalizes the overall facts of the case by inaccurately portraying many of the events that occurred. Explains that the myth-making tradition of Hollywood changes the messages derived from the Amistad court case. Critiques the teaching kit that corresponds to the movie. (CMK)

Cites anecdotal and research examples indicating that content knowledge, especially in history, is undervalued in schools of education, teacher selection and assignment, and staff development. States that as long as theory is valued over subject matter, the situation will not change. (SK)

Professionals spend thousands in design, production, and distribution of marketing brochures for tourist information centers, yet have no proof that the brochures work. Explains how to market heritage attractions by better understanding the intended visitors. Includes questions for identifying markets, ways to generate new market groups, trends in…

Describes the purposes and structure of an undergraduate course for sophomore-level students called "Your Family in History" that takes an anthropological approach to studying family history. States that the course encourages students to do ethnographic research on a dimension of their own family culture. Includes an abbreviated course syllabus.…

Discusses why and how teachers use simulations to teach about the Holocaust. Asserts that simulations constitute "poor pedagogy" and oversimplify Holocaust history. Argues that firsthand accounts from Holocaust survivors, bystanders, and victims be utilized when teaching Holocaust history. Includes excerpts from victims and survivors as…

Historically, the cold war was a watershed that separated two epochs: the time of abnormal, although compelled, partnership of two political systems and the period of peaceful coexistence with barely hidden hostility. The peacefulness of the latter, however elusive and vulnerable it was from time to time, has to be credited to the cold war, a…

A book is a treasure that can hold fascination and wonder within and capture our attention with exterior beauty as well. With this in mind, the author had her students explore the rare book covers of the Middle Ages, when books were handwritten by monks on handmade paper. They created their own large-format books (12 x 13" or 30.5 x 33 cm)…

In this article, the author discusses his "History of the Vietnam War" course, which takes oral history as the core of its curriculum. This oral history focuses on personal lives and stories that can bring history to life. The components of the course are as follows: (1) overview of the History of the Vietnam War; (2) email interviews;…

Recent research on children's historical thinking has produced rich descriptions of instruction. However, the research literature is largely lacking a theoretical model of learning. This article asserts that developmental constructivist theory informs research design and interpretation, provides explanatory power, and promises more useful…

Teachers often play a mistaken notion of lecturing their students about the importance of the past rather than allowing students to discover for themselves the significance of past events. In this article, the author talks about the "detective" strategy he used which strengthens the critical thinking and analyzing skills of his students in their…

Students learn best when they interact with new information on a personal level. It is a challenge for teachers to tightly align student experiences with the standards assessed on high-stakes tests. To achieve this goal in social studies, the author has turned increasingly to simulations where students find such activities engaging, and their…

"Greater Expectations": A New Vision for Learning as a Nation Goes to College", a recently published national report by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, calls for a radical restructuring of liberal arts education in American colleges and universities. Rather than defining liberal arts education in terms of…

The author writes that, while teaching online can be problematic, a history instructor can still create an exciting and interactive learning experience for both teacher and students. To accomplish this, a history instructor needs a large degree of technical knowledge, or at least technical help, good organizational skills, and empathy with the…