Engaging Elementary/Middle-Level Teacher Candidates With Primary Sources

• In Event: 63.085 - Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: 63.085-3 - Examining Teaching Practices Across the Content Areas

Abstract

This study examined 29 elementary/middle level teacher candidates’ dispositions toward historical thinking and their ability to both analyze and integrate primary sources into their planning. The researchers provided an instructional seminar over the course of two days on the use of primary sources from the Library of Congress. In order to examine participant experiences in the seminar influenced, we analyzed several data sources. These included document analysis of both primary source analysis and lesson plans, and results from the pre post Noke’s Historical Thinking Questionnaire. We found that while the candidates’ dispositions generally improved, and they had the ability to analyze a primary source, their ability to effectively integrate primary sources and historical thinking into their planning was more limited.

Authors

• Kenneth V. Anthony, Mississippi State University

• Nicole C. Miller, Mississippi State University