Procedural Concepts and their AssessmentProcedural Concepts and their Assessment

Presented by Mr. George Calleja

Distinction between substantive and procedural

concepts

Distinction between substantive and procedural

concepts First-order or substantive concepts relate to

themes and ideas that appear and reoccur at intervals in the study of history. Examples of such concepts are government, revolution, monarchy, parliament or fascist.

Second-order, procedural or technical concepts are more pervasive and provide a framework or rationale for historical enquiry. They help us understand how historical knowledge and understanding is created and constructed. These concepts include chronology, change, continuity, causation, consequence, comparison, difference.

Concepts and Categorisation in learning

Concepts and Categorisation in learning

development of intellectual skills mental representation (mental

shorthand that leads to simplification)

organise ideas, establish patterns and make generalisations useful.

Importance of ConceptsImportance of Concepts

In history lessons concepts are general ideas which

‘provide a means of organising historical knowledge, organising ideas about history, making generalizations, recognising similarities and differences, finding patterns and establishing connection’. ( R. Stradling)

Strategies to be adopted in teaching concepts

Strategies to be adopted in teaching concepts

helping learners• to organise their conceptual thinking • to develop an effective conceptual

framework• to acquire the essential terminology • to learn through visual illustrations• to be actively involved • to amend future teaching by

responding to their difficulties• through reinforcement and repetition

Concepts are important toConcepts are important to

• test new evidence • increase significance in history• understand change • build a mental framework of the past • encourage progression through

generalisation• apply knowledge• foster an education for life

The concept of timeThe concept of time

Dates ‘are the fixed points around which we may weave our understanding' of the historical process. (Fines J. & Nichol J.)

Chronology ‘provides a mental framework or map which gives significance and coherence to the study of history.’ (Bourdillon H.)

'without a grasp of the concept of time, there can be no real understanding of change, development, continuity, progression and regression.’ (Lomas T.)

Importance of

Importance of

– understanding the mechanics of time-dating systems, vocabulary and how time works.

– building a mental framework of the past

– adopting sign posts in order to begin to appreciate sequence and absorb some reference points

Stages in learners’ understanding of time.

Stages in learners’ understanding of time.

• show how time works, time vocabulary and

the mechanics of time-dating systems. • present a framework of the past through

chronology and the sequence of historical events

• accumulating an increasing range of historical topics or episodes where the learners should have a sound grasp of the sequence of events.

• developing learners’ understanding of Deep Time (understanding of the whole scale of the past down to the present)

Ways to develop learners’ understanding of time

Ways to develop learners’ understanding of time

• the use of time lines and retrographs• development through sequencing

exercises• emphasizing the importance of

language• careful monitoring by the teacher • systematic teaching using a wide

range of methods• reinforcement • consistent use of visual

representations of time

Change and ContinuityChange and Continuity

Change implies a clear break with the past. It may mean progress or regress.

Continuity means that things remain the same. It is a gradual, incremental and evolutionary process.

Learners’ understanding of these concepts

• take little account of the time involved

• see change as episodic and not as a continuous process

Questions which the learner should be able to answer

Questions which the learner should be able to answer

• What has changed significantly? • What has changed very little? • Which changes represent

dramatic breaks with the past?• Which ones demonstrate a

process of incremental development?

Ways to develop learners’ understanding of change

Ways to develop learners’ understanding of change

• the comparative approach • sequencing activities • activities based on finding out

anachronisms • creative questioning • visual and imaginative

representations of the changes dealt with

• empathetic activities• active engagement and discussion

The concepts of cause and consequence

The concepts of cause and consequence

Related questions• Why did it happen? • Why did it happen when it did? • Which causes were the most

significant ones? • Which were the immediate

consequences?• Which were the long-lasting results?

Why are the concepts of causation and consequence

important?

Why are the concepts of causation and consequence

important? Learners need to understand the

‘interlocking factors in webs of causation with a consideration of unintended and intended consequences, as well as the difference between short-term and long-term issues.' (Arthur J. & Phillips R.)

Important methodological implications

not teachers’ intellectual work but

facilitating learning

Learners’ understanding of the concept of causation

Learners’ understanding of the concept of causation

• learners tend to settle on one cause for any particular event

• tendency to view causes as everything that happened before an event

• language appears to progress hand in hand with the cognitive development of the learner

Structure for the cognitive and language development in

causation

Structure for the cognitive and language development in

causation• no logic of causation in history• causes are connected to one

another in sequence• causes are like scientific forces,

acting in combination• causes are like a net • relationship between the nature

of historical causes and the attribution given to them by historians

How to develop an understanding of cause and

consequence

How to develop an understanding of cause and

consequence • creating a mental picture using visual sources

and resources e.g. cartoons, pictures • emphasising long-term causes • asking learners to put causes in rank order

according to their importance and significance • discussing the extent to which these events

were inevitable and the part played by chance • asking learners the question 'Why Then?' and

developing relevant activities • facilitating working in groups

How to develop an understanding of cause and

consequence

How to develop an understanding of cause and

consequence• empathic activities• asking learners to pinpoint which

causes or results were the most important

• asking learners to identify causes from a list of events and causes

• repeating this activity with events and consequences

• placing causes along a time-line • encouraging a general discussion

Teacher EffectivenessTeacher Effectiveness

Teachers should

• initiate and develop in their students a process of question-posing or a kind of inquiry method.

• use a variety of sources as evidence so that learners might draw their own conclusions

• encourage learners to take part in discussions • create opportunities for paired or small group work • devise activities which are tailored to the students’

needs • indulge in differentiation to ensure that students

with special needs are catered for • consider the students’ expectations both

individually and as a class • reflect on their work

Strategies for the history teacher

Strategies for the history teacher

• make an appropriate use of visual evidence

• improve the questioning technique • tap information technology• teach historical language• resort to group work• use role play and simulations• resort to history outside the classroom• indulge in continuous development• make good use of the history room when

available

Clock TimeClock Time

These words explain an amount of time. Put them in the right order according to the length of time by putting in numbers. You should start from the least amount of time. Number 1 is given as an example.

Period Number Day

Hour

Year

Month

Second

Week

Millennium

Minute

Second 1

Calendar TimeCalendar Time

• In which century are we living?• In which year are we living?• What do the letters B.C. refer to?• What do the letters A.D. refer to?• Which centuries do the following years

form part of? 1734 A.D., 92 B.C.,1062 A.D.• Mention any year that formed part of each

of these centuries. 2nd century B.C., 10th century A.D., 1st century B.C., !4th century A.D.

ChronologyChronology

Period No.

The Ancient Times

The Modern Age

Prehistory

Contemporary Times

Medieval Times

Put these periods of time one after the other according to the time which they represent. Number 1 should be given to the period which is the furthest away from today.

ChronologyChronology

Choose the right date from the following and put it near the correct statement. ( 1400A.D., 1600A.D., 1800A.D., 1900A.D., 2000A.D.)

a. Malta was an independent state._______b. The Aragonese ruled Malta._______c. The French ruled Malta._______d. Malta was under the Order of St. John._______e. Malta formed part of the British

Empire._______

SequenceSequence

Action No.

Man started to go hunting to provide himself with food.

Man started to work in factories to earn a living.

Man started to grow vegetables.

Man started using computers in his work.

Man started trading with other people.

Put these actions one after the other according to the time which they happened. Number 1 should be given to the action which used to happen the furthest away from today

SequenceSequence

Event No.

The Second World War

The fall of the Berlin Wall

The French Revolution

The Cold War

The First World War

The 1848 revolutions

The Unification of Italy

Put these events one after the other according to the time when they happened. Number 1 should be given to the event which happened the longest away from today.

SequenceSequence

Put these events one after the other according to their sequence. Number 1 should be given to the event which happened first.

Event No.

The Declaration of the Rights of Man

The King’s execution

The King’s flight to Varennes.

The King calls the Estates General.

The third Estate refuses to meet separately.

Period LabelingPeriod Labeling

Who ruled Malta during these years?

200B.C.

900A.D.

1300A.D.

1700A.D.

1900A.B.

Change and continuity: Which of these leisure activities could man

enjoy two hundred years ago?

Change and continuity: Which of these leisure activities could man

enjoy two hundred years ago?

Activity Yes No

Horse Racing

Disco

Marriage Feasts

Christmas

Radio

Carnival

Football

Computer Games

Change and Continuity: Find out the anachronisms in this

paragraph

Change and Continuity: Find out the anachronisms in this

paragraph During the Great Siege of Malta the

Grand Master La Vallette wanted to defend Valletta well. So he supplied machine guns to all the knights and ordered them to set their watches carefully so that everybody will have the same time. Submarines were brought into the Grand Harbour so as not to suffer any damage. The war tanks were also sheltered after the Vittoriosa bastions. On the radio he made an appeal to the Maltese not to go out in their cars.

ChangeChange

i. Mention three changes which happened from the time that your grandfather was still a young boy.

ii. Mention three weapons which were used two thousand years ago and which are no longer used in warfare.

iii. Mention three means of transport which used to be used and which are no longer used today.

iv. Mention three buildings or sites which were built over a hundred years ago.

Causation: Which, in your opinion, were the three most important

causes of the French Revolution?

Causation: Which, in your opinion, were the three most important

causes of the French Revolution?

The absolute power of the King.

Parliament had not met for many years.

The privileged position of the nobility and clergy.

Philosophers’ writings.

The example of the American War of Independence.

The bankruptcy of the French Crown.

The weak character of Louis XVI.

The ever increasing price of corn.

The terrible winter of 1789.

The bad harvest of 1788.

Unemployment and the subsequent Paris mobs.

Consequence: Mark the five results of Napoleon’s Career

from the following

Consequence: Mark the five results of Napoleon’s Career

from the followingThe French fleet became very famous.

The spirit of nationalism increased.

France won many colonies in Africa.

Successful internal policies had been followed.

European countries had increased their armies.

Italy became a united state.

The French ruled Malta for many years.

Other nations adopted the Napoleonic Code.

Feudalism practically disappeared.

All the French people became rich.

Consequence: Choose the most important result for

this event

Consequence: Choose the most important result for

this eventThe French departure from Malta

The French had been heavily defeated.

Malta became part of the British Empire.

The Maltese showed that they were good warriors.

Other ActivitiesOther Activities

Choose any event and write what were the main causes for this event.

Choose any event and write what were the main results of this event.

Look at the picture and write about what has changed and what has remained the same.

Put these pictures one after the other according to the sequence in which they happened.

Find out the anachronisms from a picture.

Group WorkGroup Work

In groups devise some activities which you would give to students to develop their understanding of ONE of these groups of procedural concepts.

a. Time, Chronology and Sequenceb. Cause and Consequencec. Change and Continuity