Once More unto the Breach: Trying to Get Preservice Teachers to Link Historiographical Knowledge to Pedagogy

Abstract

This essay describes the results of an experimental class co-taught by an historian and a social studies educator. The class was designed to accomplish two things: to narrow the gap in disciplinary thinking between preservice teachers and historians, and to overcome the preservice teachers' compartmentalized thinking about the nature of their newly acquired historical knowledge and the teaching of it. Through an analysis of the teacher candidates' final projects, which included an historiographic essay, rationale statement, and teaching unit, I demonstrate that the course was only marginally successful with the first objective, but considerably more successful in achieving the second. I suggest that disciplinary thinking may be more useful as a means of improving pedagogy than as an end in itself, and I conclude with a reflection on how the course could have been strengthened.

Fostering Analysis in Historical Inquiry Through Multimedia Embedded Scaffolding

“…However, research reveals the difficulties facing teachers in terms of developing "historiographical knowledge" and subsequently transforming and infusing this knowledge into their teaching (see Fallace, 2007). Few examples regarding how to scaffold the epistemological shift toward fostering inquiry and historical thinking within classrooms are readily apparent and available.…”

“…This study joins a small but growing body of empirical research designed to examine how digital technologies can support the teaching and learning of the doing of history (Britt et al, 2000;Saye & Brush, 1999, 2007. Much of this research has sought to examine how multimedia tools can broadly scaffold the analysis of multiple historical sources as part of the process of engaging in problem-based/ historical inquiry , 2007.…”

“…Stumbling blocks include the pressure teachers feel to cover content, often via the textbook, in order to have students ready for the end of year assessments (Gerwin & Visone, 2006;Hicks, 2005); the level of sophisticated disciplinary and procedural knowledge required to teach students how to engage in the doing of history (Fallace, 2007;VanSledright, 2002b); the perceived difficulty and reluctance of students to work closely with sources to develop evidence-based interpretations in favor of making up what they thought happened in the past (Barton, 1997;VanSledright, 2002aVanSledright, , 2002c; and the subsequent ease with which students discard sources to the "biased scrapheap" as an alternative to scrutinizing them in order to answer historical questions (Barton, 2005;Riley, 1999).…”

Developing Historical Consciousness and a Community of History Practitioners: A Survey of Prospective History Teachers Across Canada

“…They can also discuss how they develop their own perspectives on the past, dealing with their own subjectivities, and on how they account for and handle different historiographical traditions. Such an approach has already proved to be useful as can be seen with Fallace's (2007Fallace's ( , 2009) notion of immersing prospective teachers in a historiography course, which helped them break down compartmentalized thinking between disciplinary history and pedagogy (see also von Heyking, 2014). Similar input could be gained by bringing in other guest speakers from museums and historical sites to talk about the kind of work they do, and what their pedagogical objectives and dilemmas involve.…”

“…Although we may read about particular actionresearch or classroom projects in various Canadian settings (Cardin, Éthier, & Meunier, 2010;Lévesque, 2003Lévesque, , 2009Peck & Seixas 2008;Seixas, 1993a), we lack a more global perspective on teachers' historical consciousness as evidenced by their background knowledge, their perceptions of the trustworthiness of sources, their experiences in the history classroom, and their vision of school history. 1 Indeed, growing research has suggested that knowing history is more complex than mastering vast historical facts, as is bridging the gap between novice and expert harder than overcoming the disparity between disciplinary knowledge and pedagogy among future teachers (Fallace 2007(Fallace , 2009Fallace & Neem, 2005). As Barton and Levstik (2003) suggested, exemplary history teachers possess and deploy strategic forms of knowledge, which implies "doing history"; engaging learners in historical activities and inquiries, sourcing historical information, assessing the value of sources, and considering various perspectives.…”