Canadian Social Studies - Volume 40 Number 1 - Special Issue: History Alive! Old Sources, New Technologies

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by SANS

This special issue presents “History Alive! Old Sources, New Technologies,” focusing on how educational research strengthens history teaching and learning. It argues that effective instruction depends on teachers combining theory with classroom practice, using new strategies, performance tasks, assessment tools, and attention to student learning styles. The Ontario grade 10 mandatory History course is used as a concrete case, showing how integrating research transforms a reenactment activity into a meaningful performance task aligned with enduring understandings.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

The Importance of Educational Research In the Teaching of History

Abstract and core argument

From engaging reenactment to performance task

Understanding by Design and backward design filters

Enduring understandings for Canadian History Since World War I

CANADIAN SOCIAL STUDIES VOLUME 40 NUMBER 1, Summer 2006 [www.quasar.ualberta.ca/css](www.quasar.ualberta.ca/css) Special Issue: History Alive! Old Sources, New Technologies The Importance of Educational Research In the Teaching of History. Joseph T. Stafford Classroom teacher Return to Articles Abstract This article discusses the importance of teachers integrating new educational research into their classroom instruction. The mandatory grade 10 History course in Ontario is used as an example of how such integration leads to improved teacher instruction and therefore student learning. Behind the classroom door the key factor in the success of a lesson, in determining whether the students actually learn something that matters, is the creative ability of the teachers—their ability to combine theory and practical classroom experience. Theory alone will not result in effective teaching. Nor will practice alone result in truly excellent teachers engaged in the learning process. Critical to this process is the teacher's knowledge of the subject content, and his/her ability to implement new strategies, to develop effective performance tasks, to design appropriate assessment tools, and to address the different student learning styles. Little of this can be accomplished if teachers are not knowledgeable of new research, and determined to implement it. Effective teaching therefore involves the practical application of new research/theory in a classroom environment. In this paper the mandatory grade 10 History course in Ontario, Canadian History Since World War I, is used as an example of how the implementation of new educational research improves both pedagogical practices and student learning. Special attention will be given to the transformation of one historical re enactment from an entertaining classroom activity to an effective performance task. For years I have used a popular re enactment I call the " 1920's Nightclub" . For this activity the students completed research projects as well as organized the entire day with a complete meal, vaudeville acts, music and dance shows. All the students were in period costume. The students loved the activity, enjoyed history, and most importantly, many of them enrolled in the optional grade eleven History course! A simple "formula" was used to develop a vibrant history course: interesting content, student centered activities, and research/essay skills. Despite the success of the activity the teachers in the department, me included, were unaware of some serious flaws in curriculum design. Indeed curriculum design was not even a concern. No overall plan existed. No serious effort was made to connect what the students learned in the activity with the history of 20th century Canada beyond the 1920's. It did not even matter if the students remembered the content that they had researched. No serious thought was given to assessment. The projects were graded without any precise scoring system and extra marks were assigned to those students who either organized the day or participated in the various acts. A fun and engaging classroom activity remained only that a fun activity! Yet, with the benefit of recent research, this activity became much more. Critical here was anew model for curriculum design developed by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe,"Understanding by Design", or as it is sometimes known as, "the backward design" . Wigginsand McTighe emphasize that teachers must reverse what they have traditionally done: design daily lesson plans first, and only consider assessment at the end of a particular unit with little thought given to organizing an overall curriculum plan. Content is taught without any serious attempt at determining if all of the content deserves equal attention. The textbook is the guide. Instead, Wiggins and McTighe begin at what is traditionally tackled at the end: assessment and overall learning goals. Teachers need to know what content and skills are

FAQs

Why does the article emphasize integrating new educational research into history teaching?

It stresses that classroom success depends on teachers creatively combining theory with practical experience, and using evidence-based strategies for instruction, tasks, assessment, and learning-style responsiveness.

What role does the Ontario grade 10 History course play in the article?

It serves as a concrete example showing how implementing new educational research improves pedagogical practices and student learning.

How does the article suggest transforming an entertaining reenactment into an effective learning activity?

It uses “Understanding by Design” to connect the activity to clear learning goals and “enduring understandings,” and to align assessment tasks with those understandings.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by SANS