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MakingHistory:Deep,Permanent,andTransferableUnderstandingthrough
ConceptualModeling
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NationalCouncilfortheSocialStudiesNovember,2017Conference,SanFrancisco
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ConceptualModelingworkedforphysicseducation.Now,it’sprovingsuccessfulasawayofteachinghistory,socialsciences,andhumanities.
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ModelingWorks
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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
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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
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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
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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.”
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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.
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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
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