Jannet van Drie

That's in the time of the Romans! Knowledge and strategies students use to contextualize historical images and documents

An important goal of history education is the development of a chronological frame of reference that can be used to interpret and date historical images and documents. Despite the importance of this contextualization goal, little is known about the knowledge and strategies that allow students to situate information historically. Two studies were conducted to uncover the contextualization process. The first exploratory process investigation involved 18 students working in dyads to interpret and date two cartoons and a historical text. Subsequently, we conducted an experimental study with 114 students to investigate the effects of a knowledge training and strategic support. Outcomes support the idea that a rich associative network of historical knowledge organized around key historical concepts and knowledge of landmarks helps students anchor and calibrate timelines for effective contextualization. Results also suggest that systematic consideration of potential clues will not contribute additional contextua...An important goal of history education is the development of a chronological frame of reference that can be used to interpret and date historical images and documents. Despite the importance of this contextualization goal, little is known about the knowledge and strategies that allow students to situate information historically. Two studies were conducted to uncover the contextualization process. The first exploratory process investigation involved 18 students working in dyads to interpret and date two cartoons and a historical text. Subsequently, we conducted an experimental study with 114 students to investigate the effects of a knowledge training and strategic support. Outcomes support the idea that a rich associative network of historical knowledge organized around key historical concepts and knowledge of landmarks helps students anchor and calibrate timelines for effective contextualization. Results also suggest that systematic consideration of potential clues will not contribute additional contextualization power prior to internalization of relevant knowledge.

The effects of explicit teaching of strategies, second-order concepts, and epistemological underpinnings on students’ ability to reason causally in history

This article reports an experimental study on the effects of explicit teaching on 11th grade students’ ability to reason causally in history. Underpinned by the model of domain learning, explicit teaching is conceptualized as multidimensional, focusing on strategies and second-order concepts to generate and verbalize causal explanations and epistemological underpinnings connected to causal reasoning in history. In a randomized pretest–posttest design (N = 95), with a treatment and a control condition, effects of explicit teaching were investigated on students’ (a) second-order and strategy knowledge, (b) their epistemological beliefs, and (c) their ability to construct a causal explanation, as well as (d) their topic knowledge, and (e) their individual interest. Results show that students in the experimental group scored significantly higher at the posttest on knowledge of causal-reasoning strategies and second-order concepts (sr2 = .09), attributed a significantly higher value to criterialist epistemological beliefs (sr2 = .04), and reported a higher individual interest (sr2 = .02). We found no differences between conditions in the overall quality of students’ written explanations. However, the experimental group scored significantly higher on 1 core criterion, that is, the “use of second-order language and causal connections” (sr2 = .06). No differences were found on first-order knowledge. Furthermore, self-reports on learning gains and correlational analysis were applied to explore the interrelatedness of second-order and strategy knowledge, epistemological beliefs, student’s ability to construct a causal explanation, topic knowledge, and individual interest.

Theoretical triangulation as an approach for revealing the complexity of a classroom discussion

In this paper we explore the value of theoretical triangulation as a methodological approach for the analysis of classroom interaction. We analyze an excerpt of a whole-class discussion in history from three theoretical perspectives: interactivity of the discourse, conceptual level raising and historical reasoning. We conclude that using theoretical triangulation enables us to relate the perspectives of the teacher, the students and the domain to each other, which provides us with deeper insight into the complex phenomenon of classroom interaction. The analyses reveal the complexities the teacher faces when trying to elicit and promote collaborative knowledge construction and the dilemma of promoting student participation, on the one hand, and deepening the quality of reasoning, on the other.

Engaging Students in Historical Reasoning: The Need for Dialogic History Education

In this chapter, Van Boxtel and Van Drie argue that dialogic teaching is needed to develop students’ historical reasoning ability. First, the authors specify types of historical reasoning and the activities and underlying knowledge, interest and beliefs that constitute a historical reasoning. Second, important characteristics of dialogic teaching are discussed. In dialogic education, the teacher and students explore multiple perspectives, challenge ideas and co-construct historical insights. The chapter offers examples of how a dialogic way of teaching opens up, widens and deepens historical reasoning in the classroom. Students are enhanced to ask historical questions, to explain and compare, and critically assess interpretations and evidence. It is concluded that dialogic history education can prepare students to become more able and informed participants in a democratic society.

Moving ideas: an exploration of students’ use of dialogue for writing in history

ABSTRACT In this study, we explored how students make use of whole-class interaction in individual writing. Although various studies show the importance of classroom interaction for writing, little is known about how this works, particularly in history. Starting point is the idea that learning can move from the interpersonal level in classroom discourse to the intrapersonal level in subsequent individual writing. We analyzed nine student texts in history (Grade 11) and traced back the origins of the ideas used (documents or discussion). We found that students not only referenced both documents and classroom discussion in their texts but also that they developed additional ideas. We identified two ways in which students used classroom interaction in their texts: reproducing existing ideas or transforming existing ideas into new ones. Examples of both are discussed. Furthermore, we found differences in students’ use of the language of history in the discussion and in writing. When writing, students seemed to use more nominalizations and the language of time was more complex. We conclude that individual writing can benefit from whole-class discussion because students reproduced and transformed ideas in their writing, resulting in knowledge development, and because students’ use of the language of history became more proficient.ABSTRACTIn this study, we explored how students make use of whole-class interaction in individual writing. Although various studies show the importance of classroom interaction for writing, little is known about how this works, particularly in history. Starting point is the idea that learning can move from the interpersonal level in classroom discourse to the intrapersonal level in subsequent individual writing. We analyzed nine student texts in history (Grade 11) and traced back the origins of the ideas used (documents or discussion). We found that students not only referenced both documents and classroom discussion in their texts but also that they developed additional ideas. We identified two ways in which students used classroom interaction in their texts: reproducing existing ideas or transforming existing ideas into new ones. Examples of both are discussed. Furthermore, we found differences in students’ use of the language of history in the discussion and in writing. When writing, students seemed to...

Mentor teachers’ views of their mentees

Abstract Successful mentoring relationships are essential for novice teachers entering the teaching profession. The success of the mentoring process depends in large part on the diagnostic abilities of the mentor, but there is little research on how mentor teachers view their mentees. In this small-scale study, we explored how 11 mentor teachers describe similarities and differences between their mentee teachers. We found that mentor teachers’ descriptions predominantly relate to differences in personal engagement with pupils, identifying as a teacher, perfectionism and self-confidence. Mentors tended to describe these differences in terms of traits and dispositions. We provide suggestions for addressing this issue in mentor preparation and for using findings in mentor training, and we provide a conceptual framework for future studies of mentor teachers’ views of their mentees.

Can learning by qualitative modelling be deployed as an effective method for learning Subject-Specific Content?

Modelling can help understanding dynamic systems, but learning how to model is a difficult and time-consuming task. The challenge is to foster modelling skills, while not limiting the learning of regular subject matter, or better, to also improve this learning. We investigate how learning by qualitative modelling can be as successful as a regular classroom setting that uses an active and stimulating approach. 74 students from two high schools participated in two Biology lessons. Particularly, in the school 2 study, students in the modelling condition improved as much as students in the control group.