Developing Historical Thinking in Special Education: A Mixed-Methods Study

• In Event: New Directions in the Teaching and Learning of History

Abstract

This study is part of a multi-year design-based research project focusing on an instructional intervention using a historical thinking framework. We present here the results of the second phase of the study using an embedded quasi-experimental mixed-methods research design. The overarching goal of this project is to investigate how historical thinking impacts adolescent special education students' ability to critically interact with historical documents. The intervention resulted in statistically significant increases between pre/posttest on a reading comprehension measure, an expository essay task, and a highlighting task. Qualitative data were obtained for each measure and student interviews were conducted and analyzed. Both data sources yielded findings that provided further evidence of overall gains in students’ historical thinking/understanding.

Authors

• Eric Claravall, San Francisco State University

• Robin Irey, University of California at Berkeley