An analysis of predictors of history content knowledge: Implications for policy and practice
How and to what extent students learn history content is a complicated process, drawing from the instructional opportunities they experience; the policy prioritization of history/social studies instruction in schools; and their own cultural perspectives toward the past. In an attempt to better under...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Arizona State University
2017-06-01
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| Series: | Education Policy Analysis Archives |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/2761 |
| _version_ | 1811336859658223616 |
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| author | Paul G. Fitchett Tina L. Heafner Richard G. Lambert |
| author_facet | Paul G. Fitchett Tina L. Heafner Richard G. Lambert |
| author_sort | Paul G. Fitchett |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | How and to what extent students learn history content is a complicated process, drawing from the instructional opportunities they experience; the policy prioritization of history/social studies instruction in schools; and their own cultural perspectives toward the past. In an attempt to better understand the complex inter-play among these dimensions, we examined relationships among student sociocultural characteristics, instructional exposure, and school-level variables and US History content knowledge. Using data from the 2010 National Assessment of Educational Progress Test on US History (NAEP-USH), multilevel analyses indicated that while sociocultural indicators (such as race, gender, and socioeconomic status) correlate with achievement, students’ instructional exposure variables remain significant predictors of history content knowledge. Moreover, school context such as building-level demographics and state testing-policy predict between school variance in content knowledge and moderate the achievement gap. Results also suggest that, while a substantial achievement gap remains, exposure to text-based instructional practices is associated with increased knowledge. Findings from this study have policy implications for the development of a more inclusive social studies curriculum, the advocating of text-dependent instruction as a high-leverage practice among history teachers, and cautious consideration of tests as proxies for accountability in history education. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T17:46:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-045e500279874221a1a9419d24d75a47 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1068-2341 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T17:46:36Z |
| publishDate | 2017-06-01 |
| publisher | Arizona State University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Policy Analysis Archives |
| spelling | doaj.art-045e500279874221a1a9419d24d75a472022-12-22T02:36:56ZengArizona State UniversityEducation Policy Analysis Archives1068-23412017-06-0125010.14507/epaa.25.27611636An analysis of predictors of history content knowledge: Implications for policy and practicePaul G. Fitchett0Tina L. Heafner1Richard G. Lambert2University of North Carolina at CharlotteUniversity of North Carolina at CharlotteUniversity of North Carolina at CharlotteHow and to what extent students learn history content is a complicated process, drawing from the instructional opportunities they experience; the policy prioritization of history/social studies instruction in schools; and their own cultural perspectives toward the past. In an attempt to better understand the complex inter-play among these dimensions, we examined relationships among student sociocultural characteristics, instructional exposure, and school-level variables and US History content knowledge. Using data from the 2010 National Assessment of Educational Progress Test on US History (NAEP-USH), multilevel analyses indicated that while sociocultural indicators (such as race, gender, and socioeconomic status) correlate with achievement, students’ instructional exposure variables remain significant predictors of history content knowledge. Moreover, school context such as building-level demographics and state testing-policy predict between school variance in content knowledge and moderate the achievement gap. Results also suggest that, while a substantial achievement gap remains, exposure to text-based instructional practices is associated with increased knowledge. Findings from this study have policy implications for the development of a more inclusive social studies curriculum, the advocating of text-dependent instruction as a high-leverage practice among history teachers, and cautious consideration of tests as proxies for accountability in history education.https://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/2761history education, social studies education, content knowledge, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) |
| spellingShingle | Paul G. Fitchett Tina L. Heafner Richard G. Lambert An analysis of predictors of history content knowledge: Implications for policy and practice Education Policy Analysis Archives history education, social studies education, content knowledge, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) |
| title | An analysis of predictors of history content knowledge: Implications for policy and practice |
| title_full | An analysis of predictors of history content knowledge: Implications for policy and practice |
| title_fullStr | An analysis of predictors of history content knowledge: Implications for policy and practice |
| title_full_unstemmed | An analysis of predictors of history content knowledge: Implications for policy and practice |
| title_short | An analysis of predictors of history content knowledge: Implications for policy and practice |
| title_sort | analysis of predictors of history content knowledge implications for policy and practice |
| topic | history education, social studies education, content knowledge, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) |
| url | https://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/2761 |
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