Historical thinking is the "process of using historical information including deciphering content, perspective, point of view, and perceived facts" (Chowen, 2005) "via inquiry into and analysis of multiple, often primary, soures for deliberative conclusions" (Pelligrino, 2010). In short, historical thinking matters when teaching social studies because it fosters critical thinking and inquiry into the past, beyond textbooks and master narratives. When students think historically, they choose how to interpret the past to form educated and novel ideas about people, places, and events. Getting students to think historically is one of the greatest challenges facing social studies educators, thus how can we create students into successful historical thinkers?
Historical Thinking and Metacognition
Highlighted Course: EDP 504 Advanced Educational Psychology
Course Description: This course provides an in-depth study of the major theories of classroom learning. Emphasis will be placed on enabling teachers to better understand how students learn; on helping educators identify and remove barriers that impede student learning; and on helping educators develop, utilize and advocate teaching practices, programs, and curriculum that lead to academic success for all. Theories of motivation and belief systems that promote learning will also be addressed.
Successful historical thinking allows students to become active doers of history, rather than consumers. Metacognition is the knowledge people have about their own cognitive processes, essentially thinking about thinking. This aspect of thinking is usually late developing, therefore, high school students need help and scaffolding to think about their learning metacognitvely. Metacognition is the essential component of effective learning as it enable students to coordinate reflection and thinking strategies to accomplish learning goals. When students reflect metacognitively on historical thinking, these strategies become ingrained.
Below is a helping video for explaining historical thinking and its importance:
Course Description: This course provides an in-depth study of the major theories of classroom learning. Emphasis will be placed on enabling teachers to better understand how students learn; on helping educators identify and remove barriers that impede student learning; and on helping educators develop, utilize and advocate teaching practices, programs, and curriculum that lead to academic success for all. Theories of motivation and belief systems that promote learning will also be addressed.
Successful historical thinking allows students to become active doers of history, rather than consumers. Metacognition is the knowledge people have about their own cognitive processes, essentially thinking about thinking. This aspect of thinking is usually late developing, therefore, high school students need help and scaffolding to think about their learning metacognitvely. Metacognition is the essential component of effective learning as it enable students to coordinate reflection and thinking strategies to accomplish learning goals. When students reflect metacognitively on historical thinking, these strategies become ingrained.
Below is a helping video for explaining historical thinking and its importance:
How can I use ideas and theories about new literacies and global learning to increase student learning in the social studies?
Promoting historical thinking is facilitated by the use of new digital media in the classroom. Now more than ever, primary sources such as texts, photographs, audio clips, and videos are available for use in the classroom to enhance learning experiences.
I created a tutorial that teaches social studies educators how to transform students into active doers history through the use of historical thinking heuristics and metacognitive reflection. Here is the entire tutorial, titled: Cognitive Strategies, Metacognition, & Historical Thinking.
Below are a few sample slides.
For more information...
Check out these articles and websites that further discuss historical thinking and metacognition:
- Chowen, B. W. (2005). Teaching Historical Thinking: What Happened in a Secondary School World History Classroom. (Doctoral dissertation, University of Texas as Austin, 2005).
- Pellegrino, A. (2010). Critical Thinking in History: A Misnomer? National Social Science Journal. 34(1), 113-122
- www.historicalthinkingmatters.org
- www.teachinghistory.org