EDSS 500 - Read Between the Lines: Developing a Critical Historical Perspective (3)

Reluctant students of history often come to class with the idea that the subject is focused only on memorizing dates and monotonously rehashing the same long-ago events. However, a historical mind-set involves much more creative and critical thinking. When taught properly, this mind-set can help students engage more deeply and develop their own rich interpretation of historical events.

In this course, you will learn best practices for helping students build critical historical perspectives and apply objective reasoning to historical analysis. You will cultivate techniques for teaching students how to ask good historical questions, analyze primary and secondary sources, and critically examine historical and current events so that they can think like historians and engage authentically with the past. Using Common Core and National History Standards, you will be able to create an environment of open, unbiased discussion in which your students can rationally evaluate even difficult topics such as race, gender, and class inequality.

With the strategies you gain from this course, you will be equipped to shift your students’ mind-set from memorizing dry facts to participating in authentic historical interpretation.