John Fielding’s article “Engaging Students in Learning History,” appeared in the Canadian Social Studies Journal in the winter of 2005. In it he relates both personal experiences and professional reactions as to what he deems to be good and bad history teacher characteristics. His main focus is on the development of a student’s “historical imagination,” which ultimately engages them with the subject and makes it interesting and relevant to them. He includes a number of excellent ideas and opinions within his article: including commonly used activities and approaches that he rates in terms of interest and effectiveness. His theories are backed up by studies of how students learn by doing more so than by hearing or seeing, as well as his own personal teaching experience before retiring in 2002. At the end of the article he even includes some helpful references that he feels to be very practical. Through the various activities and approaches he discusses, the ultimate goal of creating active and interested learners runs throughout Fielding’s article and should be read by any aspiring or “pre-service” teacher as it is full of helpful and interesting hints.
Fielding, John. “Engaging Students in Learning History,” Canadian Social Studies, Vol. 39 No. 2 (Winter 2005) : <http://www.quasar.ualberta.ca/css/Css_39_2/ARFielding_engaging_students.htm> (14 September 2008).
Friday, September 26, 2008
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I did the same article as Danika. I probably don't need to sum it up again, but here is what I wrote:
I choose to review John Fielding’s article, “Engaging Students in Learning History” , because one of the biggest issues with teaching Social Studies seems to be engaging students in the subject. His article is divided into two sections. The first section explores the concept of developing “historical imagination”, while the second section provides ways to develop historical imagination in the classroom. Fielding opens the article with a story from his past experience as a history student, and of a particular event that evoked historical imagination. It was that moment which aroused his interest in history; and it is with that experience he argues that historical imagination is the key to engaging students. He then goes on to provide examples of activities that we do to try and engage students but how those activities can be ineffective in the process of learning. Fielding provides further examples of engaging activities that are sometimes effective, and then activities that are effective and incorporate the use of historical imagination.
I would also like to share one example that I thought would be very effective in both engaging students, but challenging critical thought, using research skills, and allowing for imagination. He mentioned an activity called “stepping into the picture”. The students are given a historical picture, with an event that is happening and people that are in it (ie. Fathers of Confederation at the Charlotte Town Conferences), and asked to research the event and the thoughts, ideas, and opinions of the people in the picture. Then the students are asked to construct a dialogue/conversation of what could be happening in this picture and present it to the class. He sources this activity from the website: www.histori.ca/teachers/lessonPlan.do?ID=10086&sl=e .
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