In this essay, the authors present a case study that demonstrates how graphic novels can be utilized in the history classroom. More specifically, they discuss the benefits (and challenges) of using comic books to teach undergraduates about war and violence. While much of their discussion focuses on the historical particularities of Uganda, their…

In recent years, historical events, issues, and characters have been portrayed in an increasing number of non-fiction graphic texts. Similar to comics and graphic novels, graphic texts are defined as fully developed, non-fiction narratives told through panels of sequential art. Such non-fiction graphic texts are being used to teach history in…

Most teachers hope to make a difference in the lives of their students, but whether they accomplish this with any regularity is often left unclear. With a topic like the Holocaust, the stakes are greatly raised. In this essay, the author discusses the place of the Holocaust in the liberal arts. He argues that the content of Holocaust education…

One of the aspects of the combination of educator and historian that has not been thoroughly researched is the actual interaction of the instructors themselves. How do they approach this blend of content and pedagogy? How do they construct the purposes of the course? This study addresses these questions. Rather than focus on the student outcomes,…

In this article, the author examines some issues linked to the impact of new technologies on teaching. In a 2003 survey, respondents stressed that the priority was to understand "how new media are changing student learning." There are by now numerous studies that attempt to assess how students conduct research and learn in the digital age, but…

This article aims to present an annotated bibliography of paired books--one fiction and one informational--about multiple topics in history and social studies that, when read together, can help support students' learning through experiencing the topic from multiple perspectives and voices. It begins with a brief rationale for pairing fiction and…

"The History Teacher" originated in a movement to reform history education that grew up among historians in both schools and universities in the 1960s. The call went out to raise the intellectual level of history teaching by having students analyze primary sources in open-ended discussions and thereby, "become their own historians." Teaching with…

In this article, the author discusses the collaboration between university professors and classroom teachers to improve history teaching over the past twenty-five years, and explores the nature of these partnerships from the perspectives of the university participants. She highlights the salient themes that emerged from the interviews. In a…

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…

Examining history from the perspective of investigators who wrestle with involved scenarios for which no simple answers exist, or from which no obvious conclusions can be drawn, allows students to understand the historiographic process and the complex nature of historical events, while gaining valuable practice in applying analytical and critical…

W. E. B. Du Bois (1868-1963) is widely known as a champion for the political rights of African Americans, founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), aggressive advocate of Pan-Africanism, staunch supporter of female suffrage, and one of the creative forces behind the Harlem Renaissance. Further still, Du…

Narratives encompass ways of thinking historically and several skills of the historian, and Tom Holt believes it is imperative that educators teach--and their students learn--how to construct historical narratives. Understanding and constructing history as narratives opens up the historical project for students. Moreover, demonstrating how…

The Geographic Information System (GIS) is a tool for effective teacher-centered instruction, powerful student-centered instruction, and engagement in historiography. GIS tools have existed since the 1960s, but only since the 1990s have educators explored their application to social studies. Proponents expect GIS to have a dramatic impact upon…

The American Historical Association (AHA) and the National Council for History Education (NCHE) have recently advocated for raising the visibility of historians--and the significance of history coursework and subject matter preparation--in pre-service history teacher education. In 2006, NCHE adopted a position statement on history teacher…

Since 2005, the author and Elizabeth Moje have been engaged in a project to create a more coherent and cohesive program to prepare secondary teachers at the University of Michigan, a project they call the Clinical Rounds Project. Central to this effort has been their use of "disciplinary literacy" to build connections and enhance prospective…