Historical Investigation
Review the Historical Investigation strategy as presented by Marzano et. al. What is your opinion of this strategy, and why? Would you use it in your classroom. (Feel free to say no...as long as you explain your reasoning!)
Respond to at least one peer here as well!
posted by Tanya Judd Pucella @ 12:45 PM
13 Comments:
I like the historical investigation strategy because it allows students to have their own opinions about various historical topics. It is a fun exercise that allows students to see what it is like to be a historian. Historical investigation allows students to have hands on learning and allows the students to make their own hypothesis using primary sources. Historical investigation works on a variety of skills that each student will need later on. It works on research skills, looking at primary sources, fact vs opinion, as-well-as a variety of other skills that students will need to succeed later on. I would use it in my classroom for the reasons I stated above. I could see using this activity multiple times throughout the year hopefully to give my students another side or more in-depth study of a given topic. This exercise allows for variety, which is necessary in order to keep the children engaged and excited about history.
I think that the historical investigation strategy is a good way to help students develop research related skills and to add some depth to the textbooks. By investigating topics, students learn more then what is in the books. This discovery of something "the textbook doesn't know" may help them to feel more connected and more interested in the topic.
I would like to use this strategy in the classroom to help students connect to topics which they might find boring. I also think that this would be a great way to teach younger students how to research topics and begin to support opinions with facts.
I agree with Geoff that students would find this activity fun and that it would generate opinions as well as working on research skills the students will continue to use later in life.
I think the historical investigation strategy is a great way to get students involved in their own learning. I would definitely suggest allowing the students to pick their own topics because they will be more motivated if they have the opportunity to choose an area of interest. I think it also helps students see that history is an interpretation and there are a variety of viewpoints. It helps them develop skills in higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy (the HOTS) because it requires them to synthesize and evaluate various information and form their own conclusions.
I would probably use this as a big performance assessment and allow students to choose a topic and then create some form of presentation with their findings.
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I think historical investigations are a great idea and I would definitely use it in my classroom. I love that it involves a variety of learning strategies. Students must first brainstorm about possible events to investigate, they must then interview and find out what people already know, they must use resources available to them and conduct research, and then analyze the data and come to a conclusion. This process moves students from the lower order of thinking to the higher order of think within Bloom’s Taxonomy. It is important to point out that the historical investigation is very similarly to the scientific method. Students will probably see the similarities and understand that they can use investigations any time to help them answer a question.
Response to jessica pirc:
I agree with jessica pirc in that in teaches students more than what is written in textbooks. This could also lead to a discussion about bias in textbooks.
I really like this historical investigation. It gives students the chance to be the historian instead of listen to one. They get knowledge on a topic of interest and controversy while at the same time building major process skills. How bored do students get when we just tell them this happened then this happened because of it, but if there is something we aren't sure about let them do the searching and make an informed decision based on their research. It will teach them so many of the processes you are aiming for all in one. It kind of sums of what you were going for to see how successful you were in getting those main ideas down to them. I agree with Rebecca that it is a great motivator for students and would have students present their findings to the class in some oral presentation.
I really like the idea of historical investigations in the classroom. Like Geoff said, it's a great way to engage students so they are excited about the content. However, the fact that it would take a long time to investigate one topic might be a problem if the teacher was on a tight curriculum schedule. Perhaps narrower topics may be easier to fit in than topics that are very broad or topics that have multiple conspiracies associated with them. For example, the JFK Assassination could take weeks to cover thoroughly, so I think it is necessary for the teacher to assign limits within the investigation without taking over the investigation process of the students. But, either way, I would really like to use this method in my classroom.
I enjoy historical investigation although I never actually participated in one as a student. Besides getting students interested it is a great way to teach key concepts: fact vs. opinion, research skills, compare and contrast, and using evidence to support an opinion.
I agree with Jessica that this is a great way to go beyond the textbook and study something more in depth.
I believe that the strategy of historical investigation is great. It allows students to express their opinions and theories. It also shows students what being a historian is all about. I believe that students would get excited about history and look forward to using this strategy. I would use this strategy in the classroom when discussing a topic that has a lot of different theories or is argued about.
I agree with Geoff that not only would students find this fun, but it would also help them work on some important skills such as research or opinion vs. fact.
I like what Rebecca said about allowing students to choose their own topics. That would allow the students become more engaged and enthusiastic about the investigation because it is a topic of interest to them. I think i would definitely allow any upper level students to do this. I also agree with jessica that historical investigation gives the students experience and knowledge that they can't get from a textbook.
I really like the historical investigation strategy because it allows students to make their own judgments on things that have happened and it allows them to find out things beyond what a textbook will tell them. I am a big supporter of researching topics, and allow my students may not like it at the time, I think developing their research abilities is a great way to get them to think more and practice if they are going on to college. I would like to use this as much as I can without over-whelming my students. There are just so many things that are so exciting about history that a textbook won't or can't cover. It allows students to find their own support and then share with the class. This can lead to a debate of things or a well-rounded discussion of an event.
I agree with Geoff because I feel all the skills he lists are very important to know and understand, but especially to apply later in life. The fact that it allows for them to develop their own hypothesis makes it more exciting for the student, and may lead them to learn more by doing the work themselves!
I will definitely use historical investigations in my social studies classroom. Geoff and Ashley both pointed out the important “social studies skills” that this type of project will instill students with—fact v. opinion, using evidence to support claims, and using primary resources. This type of project will also encourage students to think for themselves, which is a skill that I think is quite often lacking.
Mallory made a really good point, too, though about time constraints. I think one idea to resolve that would be to offer topics around your unit plan at the beginning of the year, then have a revolving schedule of “mini-historical investigations” throughout the year/semester so students are always investigating and presenting. Then, when you are teaching about JFK, the student who was assigned to investigate the assassination could serve as a co-teacher/textbook-editor since s/he would be a mini-expert on that topic.
I really like the process of historical investigation. It allows students to pick apart a specific event in history, and as Rebecca mentioned really get into the critical thinking skills that are involved with being a historian~the "hots". Mallory made the point of time constraints,which is why I think this would make such an interesting end of the year project. It would test their skills of outlining, researching, fact vs. opinion etc., and if put at the end of the year AFTER all the topics had been covered it may be easier to fit in.
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