This ERIC Digest outlines what world history is and why and how world history should be implemented into social studies curricula. The Digest offers suggestions on how to improve the study of world history in schools. Topics discussed in the Digest include: "What Is World History?"; "Why World History in the School…

Discusses why world history instruction is flourishing in higher education. Describes the new Advanced Placement (AP) world history course and states that the course is comparable to college-level world history courses. Considers to which college world history course the AP course is most comparable. (CMK)

Many thousands of students take standardized tests every year. In the current research, we asked whether answering standardized test questions affects students' later test performance. Prior research has shown both positive and negative effects of multiple-choice testing on later tests, with negative effects arising from students selecting…

This handbook is the product of a second world history institute held in Aspen, Colorado in 1996. Intended to supplement the first handbook, this production focuses on many lesser-known areas of histories of the world that remain either unexamined, ignored, or not yet included into the story of world history. Second, habits of mind peculiar to…

Proceedings of a conference held to discuss the problems of teaching world history are reported. Eight papers are presented. The first four address the issue of world history as an academic discipline. In "The World History Survey Course" William McNeill argues that major curriculum changes take place in this country only when sound pedagogical…

According to the California Department of Education's Curriculum Framework, the secondary curriculum for grades nine through twelve is geared toward students who are beginning "to develop [an] abstract understanding of historical causality--the often complex patterns of relationships between historical events, their multiple antecedents, and…

This paper examines the shortcomings of the area studies approach and the comprehensive chronological world history survey approach to teaching world history courses. The study notes the increasing interdependence of the world and its people and advocates a thematic world history approach. By teaching a few important themes in world history,…

Developing a cognitive model of task performance is an important and often overlooked phase in assessment design; failing to establish such a model can threaten the validity of the inferences made from the scores produced by an assessment (e.g., Leighton, 2004). Conducting think aloud interviews (TAIs), where students think aloud while completing…

Seeks to define world history through an analysis of its historical antecedents. Concentrates on the efforts of three historians--Louis Moreau, William H. McNeill, and Leften S. Stavrianos--to establish world history's place in education. Analyzes the relationship between world history, peace, and global education and the state of world history in…

This case study explores potential educational tensions in historical empathy for learning about emotionally difficult topics through lessons that use dramatic feature films (movies). It investigates one case of historical empathy in the classroom by analyzing what a high-school teacher and her students do and talk about in class. The observed…

Lists and describes some resources on teaching world history that are available from the Educational Resource Information Center (ERIC). Articles cover periodization, humanistic approaches, hierarchical organization of knowledge, skills in world history, teaching about Japan to students in Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana, global history, and a…

This paper presents a snapshot of world history education to illuminate the challenges that the National Assessment Governing Board faces in creating a National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) world history framework. Using state standards documents, statutes concerning high school graduation, results from the NAEP transcript studies,…

International revulsion at the violation of human rights during World War II helped spark a global movement to define and protect individual human rights. Starting with the creation of war crimes tribunals after the war, this newfound awareness stimulated a concerted international effort to establish human rights for all, both in periods of war…

In this study we examine early career social studies teachers' use and understanding of critical simulations. We began work with participants as teacher candidates in their pre-service programs and formally studied them as they began their in-service teaching. We were particularly interested in teacher efforts to use simulation to facilitate a…

World history textbooks currently used in U.S. high schools adopt Western civilization as the integrating element of world history. The high school world history approach with Western civilization as the essence was a product of the late 19th century and early 20th century. The historical consciousness of this period continues to influence…