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Educational Approaches for Teachers of History

(Hey students!  Sure, look around here too.  But don't forget to check the resources collections for more links to useful sites!)

Learning and Evaluative Situations:

Cycle 1: Medieval cities LES
A world of knights or a world of merchants?

A Cycle 1 Learning and Evaluative Situation, with strategies, tools and images aligned to the QEP program.   It was adapted by LEARN from the French original on the Recitus - Univers social web site here.


Cycle 2 LEARN LES's in Progress

(LEARN login required.  Available for experimentation)

Year 1
  • LES 1 - First Peoples - Traditions and world-views shaping their society
  • LES 2 - New France - Programs of colonization and a new society
  • LES 2 - New France - Programs of colonization and a new society
  • LES 4 - Demands and struggles: Liberalism and democratic ideas in colony of Quebec
  • LES 5 - Industrialization and ... the Canadian Confederation:  An environmental perspective
  • LES 6 - Modernization of Quebec society, and the role of the State
  • LES 7 - Managing issues: Quebec Society since 1980
Year 2
  • LES 1 Year 2 - Population – Factors affecting population and settlement
  • LES 2 Year 2 - Economy and Development - Effects on territory and society
  • LES 3 Year 2 - Year Currents of Thought and Cultural Expression (New for 2008)
  • LES 4 Year 2 - Power Relations (Official vs Countervailing Power)
  • LES 5 Year 2 - An Issue in Society Today



Cycle 2 Year 1 - LES 7  Managing issues suggestions!

The last sections of the Cycle 1 and Cycle 2 History and Citizenship course permit students and teachers to focus on a current social issue of their choosing. The following websites and resource packages suggest methods and materials appropriate to this task:

A Different World: An Educational Tool Kit for Building Global Justice
The Educational Tool Kit includes two secondary teaching modules designed to help students develop the skills, knowledge, and values necessary to become responsible citizens in an interdependent world.  For more information click here....

Update for 2008!!!  Toolkits are now available online at A Different World
http://www.adifferentworld-unmondedifferent.org/

The Poverty and Basic Human Needs Module explores the themes of nutrition, hunger and food security, health and HIV/AIDS, the environment and water.

The Globalization and Trade Module explores the themes of globalization, trade and multinational corporations.


Taking it Global:  Issues Section
This section of TakingITGlobal helps you inform yourself about pressing global issues, and lets you explore TIG's Featured Theme archive.  The LEARNing Situation above (LES 5 Year 2) we are working on actually suggests using the Taking it Global Millenium development goals section as well.   Posters are available at TIG's kits page as well.  "Only with your voice" action guide is also availabe. (Download PDF version directly)

MELS Evaluation Situation suggestion
Teachers not using them as exams may also want to browse the  prototype ESs (epreuves) available on the MELS site here.  One prototype suggests some ways to explore the issues of the declining birth rate and labour shortages in Quebec.


McCord Eduweb offerings

The Eduweb section of the McCord Museum site is worth browsing for usable scenarios and complete learning situations developed with the Quebec curriculum in mind.  We recently mentioned a new section on cartoons which could include fun approaches.  But best to browse their web activities section here.  Included are various learning situations that could fit at different levels.  As an example, consider the one entitled On the Trail of the First Inhabitants




Other strategies and approaches

This section of the Approaches area hopes to gather together ways of planning and evaluating for historical learning. 

historicalthinkingthumb Historical Thinking Matters
Historical Thinking Matters is a website that is designed to teach students how to critically read primary sources and how to critique and construct historical narratives. [.. ] Includes resources for instructors, pre-service teachers and teacher-educators offering classroom materials and strategies, examples of student and teacher work, and supplementary sources. 
(Thanks Dave for this suggestion!)


Benchmarks of Historical Thinking
"The Benchmarks Project combines the research of historians and educators with the experience and skills of classroom teachers to create practical ways of encouraging historical thinking in realistic classroom settings."   The right navigation on this site suggests phases in an historical learning process, and (it follows) elements of historical learning to evaluate.  Also available on this site is the document Benchmarks of historical thinking: a framework for assessment in Canada,  by Peter Seixas.   And, another contributor to this site, Carla Peck,  has also posted her  course notes online here, which includes her recommended Historical Thinking Powerpoint document.
(Thanks Matt for this suggestion!)

DOTPlan
Dotplan provides an interactive interface for planning projects and learning situations.  The suggested learning process for social sciences is based on the research process suggested in the QEP, and uses terms (Gather, Organize, etc.) which reflect what students are actually doing.  The QEP content is integrated into the interface (up to Sec. Cycle 1), and prompts to encourage appropriate evaluation strategies are built-in.  Apart from the suggested research process, a generic learning process is also available for organizing learning activities.
(Thanks Christine for this suggestion!)

Integrating ICT into a Social Sciences work methodology
The study of Geography and History requires rigorous work methods that focus on the preoccupations of the present day. This suggested methodological framework is divided into  stages paralleling the phases of the Inquiry process.


Photo and image analysis in Social Sciences
Photo analysis allows students to work with primary sources in a non-traditional way. This hands-on approach gives students the opportunity to establish, modify and validate their own perceptions and understanding of history and geography. This document contains methodological and technological guidelines for analyzing period photos and documents using ICT.

Some Missing Pages:
The Black Community in the History of Québec and Canada
Blacks have continued to make a positive impact on Canadian society though largely missing from popular texts and public documents. This document focuses on their contribution. The material is directly compatible with the older History of Québec and Canada program (History 414), but also useful in various sections of the Cycle 2 program which deal with the changing social makeup and new mindsets associated with certain periods in Canadian History.Includes a web and paper-based activity:   A Soldier's Life

 


Older program links, teaching suggestions, etc.

History 414 - History of Quebec and Canada

There are many resources available to enrich the teaching and learning of the History of Quebec and Canada course.

Click here for a description of the resources. Click on the titles below to link directly to the resources.

Are you taking or teaching the History 414 course in French? Consult the links on the Histoire du Québec et du Canada page to find resources developed in the francophone sector.


Simply History © version 1.2

an e-Learning resource in CD format to supplement
The History of Quebec and Canada (History 414)

Developed by e-LEARNing Connections, a division of LEARN, this interactive CD which consists of:

  • an introduction
  • a comprehensive directory of contents
  • simplified text (with audio)
  • visuals a variety of question types (with answers and explanations)  

Visit the e-LEARNing Connections (formerly DECN) website to see a demo and download an order form.


History of Quebec and Canada Study Tips
http://fc.lbpsb.qc.ca/~history/

To help students prepare for the History of Quebec and Canada 414 Exam, members of the History and Geography Task Force - Michael Carley, Len Harney and Walter Baslyk - have developed study tips to accompany their activities and tutorials.

Many activities have been designed to help students review the contents of the History of Quebec and Canada 414 course.

Click here for a description of the resources. Click on the titles below to link directly to the resources.