MakingHistory:Deep,Permanent,andTransferableUnderstandingthrough

ConceptualModeling

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NationalCouncilfortheSocialStudiesNovember,2017Conference,SanFrancisco

ConceptualModelingworkedforphysicseducation.Now,it’sprovingsuccessfulasawayofteachinghistory,socialsciences,andhumanities.

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ModelingWorks

WhatisConceptualModeling?

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StudentsLearntoThinkasaHistorian

• Inmodeling,studentsdiscernpatternsintheevidencethatlead(inductively)totheconstructionoftheory.

• Withthetheoryasaframework,studentsexamineotherevidence• oftenfromcasesdifferentintimeandplace• toconfirmthevalidityoftheirmodel

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StudentsConstructingTheory

• Conceptscomefromapplicationofprior

knowledgeandskills

• Appliedtonewdata

• Usinginterdisciplinaryanalyticaltools

• Constructionism• Learningthroughmaking

• Studentcreatingmeaning

• GroundedTheory• Analyzingdata

• Studentconstructstheory—fromthegroundup

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Modeling:Deep,Permanent,andTransferable

• ThresholdConcepts• PersonalTheoryCreation• Modelsthathave

• Predictive ability• Explanatory power• Transferability/Universality

• Better Understanding• Provides a more disciplined and

systematic method for filtering and understanding of information

TheConceptualModelingProcess

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TopicSelection

• Topicsarechosenbyeachmodelinggroupof3studentsbasedon• Themainandsub-topicsbeingreviewed• Studentinterest• Theteachervetstheproposedtopic• Topicalrelevance(e.g.EPICS)• Significance• Likelihoodoffindingresources

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Research

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Exploringmultiplesources

• Secondarytexts

• Primarydocuments

• Statistics

• Materialculture

• Art

• Artifacts

Research

• WorksCited• Alston,LeeJ.,andKyleD.Kauffman."CompetitionandtheCompensationofSharecroppersbyRace:AViewfromPlantationsintheEarlyTwentiethCentury." ExplorationsinEconomicHistory 38.1(2001):181-94. ColoradoEdu.UniversityofColorado,2001.Web.

• Menard,RussellR."PlantationEmpire:HowSugarandTobaccoPlantersBuiltTheirIndustriesandRaisedanEmpire." JStor.AgriculturalHistorySociety,Summer2007.Web.

• US.Consensus."StatisticsByColorandTenureofFarmOperator." AgriculturalConsensus (1930):n.pag. CornellEdu.CornellUniversity,n/a.Web.

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AnalysisandSynthesis--Guidance

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“Mymodeldepictsthefunctionalrelationshipbetweenreligionandeachaspectofcivilization.Thebluetriangleinthecenterrepresentsreligion.Eachsideofthetriangleconnectstoanelementofcivilization:control,culture,orconnection....”

StudentModelofControlandConnectioninReligion

ModelConstruction

• Eachgroupspendsafullclassperiodconstructingtheirmodel.• Theprocessisoneofdialogueandrevision.• Conceptsaremappedout• Draftmodelsare

• Created• Debated• Revised

• Untila“final”modelisproduced

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UnderstandingHistoricalInquiryandEvents:ExamplesofStudent-DerivedConcepts

• HistoricalInquiry• Causality—ProximateandLong-Term• NatureofEvidence

• Bias• MultiplePerspective• LookingforWhat’sMissing

• ChangeinInterpretations• OverPlace• OverTime

• HistoricalEvents• CoreandPeriphery

• ColonialTrade• City/Countryside

• ExpansionandContraction• EconomicDevelopment• PoliticalControl

• UnintendedConsequences• IncreasedControlLeadingtoGreaterResistance

• SelfishGoalandCommunityBenefit

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StudentModelofHistoriographicConcept

• Modelshowinghowambiguousevidencecanbedistortedtoprovidethepretenseofclarity:• “Inthecenterofourmodelisashapewithadashedoutlinethatdoesn’tseemtohaveadefinedform....Thedotted linesbesidetheshaperepresent“lenses”thatallowtheideatobelookedatmoreclosely,makingitseemconcrete....”

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GroupPresentationandSeminar

• GroupPresentation—20minuteseach.• Thegroupsof3taketurnsmakinga5-minutepresentationoftheirboard—data,concept,andthesis.

• Othergroupshave10-minutestomakecommentsandaskquestions.

• Theteacheraskquestionsandprovidesfeedbackforanother5minutes.

• Seminar—approx.50minutes• 40-minutediscussionintheroundaboutaltheboardsandconcepts

• Teachergives10-minutesummary.

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WrittenReflection

• Eachstudentproducesametacognitivereflectionattheendofeachunit.• Approximately2pagesperunitofstudy.• Focuses

• Thenatureofhistoricalinquiry• Themostsignificantlessonorthemefromtheunit.

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Studentreflection (excerpt):

“Throughmodeling,studentsfocusonconnectinghistoricalpatternstolargerabstractideas.Focusingonmainconceptsofhistorysuchas:changeovertime,causeandeffectandmeansandends,modelingprovokesquestioninghistoricaleventsinwhichallowsforamorein-depthunderstanding.”

ModelinginYourClasses

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Logistics

• Materials• Whiteboard(s)(2’x3’)• Dryerasemarkers—atleast4differentcolors

• Othermediamaybesubstituted,thoughlow-techwhiteboardsseemtoworkbest• Animation• 3-D/physical• Digitaltechnology

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PlanningaUnit

• Unitsaredesignedtolast2weeks• Week1

• Introductiontotopicandcontext• Research• AnalysisandSynthesis• Modelconstruction

• Week2• Grouppresentations• Seminar• Meta-cognitivewrittenreflection

• Unitsshouldbebroadenoughtoofferstudentchoice• Theeducatorshouldinsurethatthegroupswillhave

enoughmaterialandbackgroundtogenerateideas• Theteachershouldalso

• presentpreliminarycontext• Provideformativefeedbackbyengagingthegroupsin

Socraticdialogue• Andtheteachermightwanttohavestudentsproducea

summative“meta-model”

SampleUnitonRailroads(excerpt)

• Forthisassignment,youwillbeaskedtomodel,ingraphicform,theeffectsoftherailroadonAmericansociety.Wewillusethelogistics,construction,andcompletionofthetranscontinentallineasourjumping-offpointandexaminetheeffectsinfivemajorareas:Economic,Political,Intellectual,Cultural,andSocial(EPICS).

• YourgroupmaychoosetofocusononeormoreoftheEPICScategories.Themodelshoulddepictthewaysinwhichtherailroad(anditssistertechnology,thetelegraph),asaforce,affectedAmerica,withinyourchosensub-categories.Yourmodelshouldusespecificevidencefromtherailroadandtelegraphtocreateatheorypowerfulenoughtoexplaintheeffectsofothergreattechnologicalchanges--pastandpresent.

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ConceptualModeling--Summary

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StagesinaModelingUnit:

1. Unitintroduction2. Providecontextualframework3. Topicselection4. Research5. AnalysisandSynthesis6. Modelconstruction7. Groupmodelpresentations8. Seminar9. Writtenreflection

ConceptualModeling:StudentsasHistorians

• Developinghabitsofmind• Findingpatternsintheevidence• Constructingtheory• DiscoveringThresholdConcepts• Obtainingdeep,permanent,andtransferableknowledge

Inconceptualmodeling,studentsdiscernpatternsintheevidencethatlead(inductively)totheconstructionoftheory.

Resources

Coven,R.(2016).Seeingbydoing.ChildArt 16 (4),pp.28-29.Manfra,M.&Coven,R.(2011).Adigitalview:Drawinganddiscussingmodelsofhistoricalconcepts.SocialEducation75(2),pp.102-106.STEP(ShiftingtheEducationParadigm)

https://blogs.caryacademy.org/step/what-we-do/who-we-are

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ForFurtherInformationRobertcovenCaryAcademy,SocialStudies1500N.HarrisonAve.Cary,NC27513

robert_coven@caryacademy.org

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