Tag: Education

Book: History in the Making: An Absorbing Look at How American History Has Changed in the Telling over the Last 200 Years

February 24, 2015

“In this ‘thought-provoking study’ (Library Journal ), historian Kyle Ward—the widely acclaimed co-author of History Lessons—gives us another fascinating look at the biases inherent in the way we learn about our history. Juxtaposing passages from U.S. history textbooks from different eras, History in the Makingprovides us with intriguing new perspectives on familiar historical events and the ways in which they have been represented over time.”

http://www.amazon.com/History-Making-Absorbing-American-Changed/dp/1595582150/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424789029&sr=8-1&keywords=history+in+the+making

Why Oklahoma Lawmakers Voted to Ban AP U.S. History

February 20, 2015

This is a story that pops up in the United States periodically but also around the world. Because public education is funded by various governments, elected officials have a say in what gets funded and what does not and by extension, what gets taught and what does not. History is an interpretation of past events and not simply a summary of all things that ever happened. What happens when a curriculum does not suit your interpretation of past events? What happens when you believe history serves one agenda and not your own?

Some further questions to consider:

  • How should we decide what gets taught in schools?
  • What makes one historical interpretation more “correct” than another?
  • What is the purpose of learning history? Should it be to promote patriotism?

From the article:

“The new AP U.S. History framework emphasizes ‘what is bad about America’ and doesn’t teach ‘American exceptionalism.’ It’s a complaint that’s been spreading among mostly conservative state legislatures in recent months and has some calling for a ban on all AP courses.”

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/02/why-oklahoma-lawmakers-want-to-ban-ap-us-history.html?wpsrc=nymag

Japan rejects calls to change history textbooks

February 10, 2015

China and South Korea contend that Japanese history textbooks misrepresent Japan’s wartime activities and colonization of the early 20th century and should be revised. But Japan’s new leader has stated firmly that there will be no changes. Officials within Japan’s education ministry said revisions would occur only if books contain factual errors.

http://www.internationalschooltoulouse.net/ibhistory/tok/Japan%20rejects%20calls%20to%20change%20history%20textbooks.htm

The Scientific Method

February 10, 2015

“Too often the ‘scientific method’ is presented in schools and textbooks as a ‘recipe’ for doing science, with numbered steps even! That’s misleading. At the other extreme, someone said that scientific method is ‘Doing one’s damndest with one’s mind.’ I know many have said more profound things about this subject than I will offer, but here’s some informal comments about scientific method presented as a set of practical and general guidlines for doing science. Scientists have learned these through trial and error during the entire history of science.”

https://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/scimeth.htm

How does our memory work?

January 22, 2015

“infomodelThe process of transferring information from STM to LTM involves the encoding or consolidation of information. This is not a function of time, that is, the longer a memory stayed in STM, the more likely it was to be placed into LTM; but on organizing complex information in STM before it can be encoded into LTM. In this process of organization, the meaningfulness or emotional content of an item may play a greater role in its retention into LTM. As instructional designers, we must find ways to make learning relevant and meaningful enough for the learner to make the important transfer of information to long-term memory.”

http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/learning/memory.html