“The qualifications for self-government in society are not innate. They are the result of habit and long training.”

Thomas Jefferson, 1824.

Major funding provided by: the National Endowment for the Humanities, Auburn University, Indiana University

Major funding provided by: the National Endowment for the Humanities, Auburn University, Indiana University

John Saye, Cory Callahan

Auburn University

Tom BrushIndiana University

The PIH Mission

To develop and support a community of master teachers who:

Focus their teaching on developing civic competence

Are skilled in engaging their students in problem-based historical inquiry

Promoting Civic Competence

Preparing informed citizens of a diverse democratic society who can reason together about the public good

Overview of Presentation

Program Rationale What is Problem-based Historical Inquiry? Challenges to PBHI Implementation Affordances of Technology Examples of PIHNet Learning

Environment

PIH Rationale History’s prominence in 6-12 curriculum

demands a focus on civic competence

What are the requirements for civic competence in a constitutional democratic republic?

PIH Rationale

“Democracy is an on-going, creative struggle to work out a way of living together fairly, freely, and equally.”

Walter Parker, 2001

PIH Rationale

Assumptions about Democratic Life Pluralistic democratic societies are innately

conflictual

Competent democratic citizenship requires:• Experience with persistent societal conflicts• Resources for reasoning together about the public good

PIH Rationale

Pragmatism Current approaches show little effect

• Disengagement• Failure to think deeply

Current approaches lack focus and authenticity• Cohesive conceptual framework• Real world purpose for history study

PIH Curriculum Organization

Persistent Issue Representative Topics Topic-Specific Issue

When are citizens justified in resisting governmental authority?

American Revolution

English Civil War

Palestinian Intifada

Revolution: Were the colonists justified in revolting from Great Britain?

What actions are justified in the interest of national or community security?

Native AmericansMing Dynasty Isolationism Rise of Fascism

Native Americans: Were European-American policies towards Native Americans justified?

When are nations justified in intervening in the affairs of other countries?

Crusades

WWII

Vietnam

Vietnam War: Should the U.S. be praised or condemned for its Vietnam policies?

Problem-Based Historical Inquiry (PBHI) Historical Inquiry Refocused for Civic Purposes

Standard historical inquiry• Problem of meaning making: Interpreting Texts &

Constructing Narratives• “What were the events and causes of the Boston Massacre?”

Problem-based historical inquiry• Focus on ethical decision-making• “Were colonists justified in actions they took against British

authority?”

Problem-Based Historical Inquiry (PBHI)

Focus on Reasoning about Ethical Issues

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Issue: What actions are justified to createa more just, equal society?

Proposal: Reject pacifism & integration • Right to self-defense • Separatism

Challenges of Implementing PBHI: Learners

Learner Obstacles Motivation Cognitive load of ill-structured problems

Learner Obstacles to Competent PBHI: Cognitive Load

Building a Model of the Problem Landscape

Historical Thinking• Epistemological assumptions• Disciplinary knowledge

• Declarative & Conceptual• Procedural & Strategic• Metacognitive

Dialectical Reasoning

Technological Affordances:Learner Engagement

Realistic representations and multiple media Support for Disciplined Inquiry

Conceptual, chronological database structure Introductory essays hyperlinked to:

• Related primary documents• Conflicting accounts

Embedded expertise:• Structured inquiry activities & strategic scaffolds• On-line models

Database Structure/ Links to Primary Documents

DP Main Menu

Strand Main Menu

Event Main Menu

Interactive Essay

Primary Document

Hyperlinks Confront with Conflicting Accounts

Embedded Expertise:Structured Inquiry withContextual Cues/ Strategic Scaffolds

No “Ghost in the Machine”

Utilizing the affordances of PIH infrastructure hinges on skilled teachers

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• Soft Scaffolding:

Spontaneous Interchanges in the construction zone

Challenges of Implementing PBHI: Teachers

Teacher Obstacles Vision: Lack of PBHI models Time demands: Preparation / implementation Cognitive load of inquiry practice

Technological Affordances:Teacher

Multiple online models of PBHI Online curriculum development tools PIHNet Community

Peer support Curriculum expertise Technological expertise

Example: Models of PBHI

Example: Online Development Tools

Example: PIHNet Community

The PIHnet Learning Environment

A PIHnet tour

PIHnet Timeline

Summer 2003 - First PIH Summer Seminar YR 2003-04: First PIH Fellows pilot PIHnet Summer 2004

2nd PIH Summer Seminar Phase 1 of PIHnet open for enrollment

YR 2004-05: Develop distance professional development

infrastructure Collaborate to develop new DP content databases

For More Information

Contact: John Saye - sayejoh@auburn.edu Tom Brush - tbrush@indiana.edu Visit our web site:

• http://www.pihnet.org