Recording the Controversial: Students as Oral Historians in a Guatemalan International School

• In Event: 44.033 - Challenging Educational Borders

Abstract

This paper uses a longitudinal single case study approach to explore the use of oral history curriculum as a means of introducing students in post-conflict societies to controversial subjects in their country’s history. The research focuses on an oral history project implemented in a private Guatemalan secondary school. Post-project questionnaires and interviews indicate that students felt safe and comfortable learning about a historical period that is often taboo in their context. The findings suggest that oral history can be an effective curriculum strategy for educators interested in introducing difficult topics into the classroom.

Authors

• Chris Lemley, Baylor University

• Tony Lee Talbert, Baylor University

• Brooke Blevins, Baylor University