Understanding and Teaching the Past to Students in a College Prep World History Class

Book excerpt: This doctoral study reflected the need for research in the field of history education specific to how students with various learning abilities understand the past when they use historical evidence. By using developmental theory as a lens to understand this process, this qualitative action research study answered the following question: How do ninth grade students who have been placed in a College Prep World History class explain how they understand the past through the use of historical evidence? This study took place in one, ninth grade College Prep World History classroom at a suburban high school located west of Boston and involved nine student participants, eight girls and one boy. These participants were enrolled in the ninth grade College Prep World History course, a course specifically designed for students who need more content and skill support than they would receive in other ninth grade World History classes. Since the action research nature of this study allowed for both researcher and student reflection and collaboration, the data was collected in a comfortable and familiar environment. The data collected was provided through student interviews, assessments, and classroom observations following student participation in activities that required the use of historical evidence. While much of the data collected confirmed and complemented the current literature on developmental theory, student understanding of the past, and the use of student voice, data analysis also complicated some of the existing ideas in the literature and offered new insights, specific to how students, who need more content and skill support, understand the past when they use historical evidence. Therefore, the findings revealed how various instructional strategies, activity formats and requirements, student interaction with varied and multiple sources, and student historical thinking skills both positively and negatively impacted student understanding of the past. Participants' explanations provided insights into how these activities hindered or helped their ability to make meaning of the past.