Post-Conference Workshops

In conjunction with

“New Dimensions in Humanities Education, 2008”

18 – 20 November 2008

Organized by:

Humanities and Social Studies Academic Group

National Institute of Education

Nanyang Technological University

Singapore

This workshop presents an interesting approach to renew the interest in school geography through teacher-led curriculum development projects, emulating the examples of some projects conducted by the Geography Association and the Royal Geographical Society in the United Kingdom. This approach is premised on the principle of curriculum making as a practical classroom activity and a conceptual tool that provides plenty of room for the innovative teaching of geography with active participation from students. The workshop will explore curriculum making and “living geography” concepts, drawing some practical examples from the Singapore context.

About Professor David Lambert

David Lambert was a comprehensive school geography teacher in the UK for 12 years before becoming a Deputy Head in 1985. In 1987, he joined the Institute of Education (IoE) and became a Reader in Education in 1999. Between 1985 and 1999, Professor Lambert led the Geography PGCE and the MA Geography in Education and also had a spell as Assistant Dean ITE (research). He played a leading role in introducing the Master of Teaching (MTeach), an innovative programme, which now has over 200 registered students. In 2002, Professor Lambert became full-time Chief Executive of the Geographical Association, transforming its function to a significant provider of CPD and leader of funded curriculum development activity. Since September 2007, Professor Lambert has combined this role with a return to the IoE as Professor of Geography Education. His writings and research are concerned with curriculum development and assessment, and his overarching goal is to advance understanding of the role of geography in schools in relation to broad educational purposes.

This workshop is catered for teachers wanting to focus on deepening and enriching their students’ historical understanding through active involvement in historical inquiry. Participants will take part in activities using original historical sources to examine the differing perspectives of people in the past. These activities serve as a model of how teachers can develop students’ ability to think critically in the area of history.

About Professor Keith Barton

Keith Barton is a professor in the Division of Teacher Education at the University of Cincinnati (USA) and a former elementary and middle school teacher. Professor Barton’s work focuses on the teaching and learning of history and social studies, and he has conducted several studies of students’ historical understanding in the United States and Northern Ireland. Professor Barton has also served as a visiting professor at the UNESCO Centre for Education in Pluralism, Human Rights and Democracy at the University of Ulster, and he is a frequent presenter at conferences and workshops for teachers and teacher-educators in the US and internationally. Professor Barton is co-author, with Linda Levstik, of Doing History: Investigating with Children in Elementary and Middle Schools (2005), Teaching History for the Common Good (2004), and Researching History Education (2008).

The nature of social studies topics - the teaching of critical events, cultures, conflicts, politics or important ideas past and present – sometimes leads to controversial issues coming up in the social studies classroom. It may be a student’s question or a current world or local event that brings a sensitive topic into the classroom. The nature of social studies may also lead teachers to question how they should respond or what they should allow given the age of the students, their own knowledge, or the concerns of the larger community.

In this workshop, the speaker will present several rationales, strategies and resources for handling controversial issues. Teacher participants will then examine and discuss actual case studies of social studies teachers who made different kinds of decisions on how to approach a controversial issue in their classrooms. They will also discuss ways in which specific controversial issues might come into the Singapore social studies classrooms and work together to assess alternative ways to address them. The workshop will end with the sharing of ideas and resources.

About Professor Merry Merryfield

Professor Merryfield began her career as a teacher of social studies and Latin in Atlanta during the early 1970s. She served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Sierra Leone in West Africa from 1977 – 79, and worked as an evaluation specialist for Peace Corps in Washington DC. Professor Merryfield’s doctoral work, completed at Indiana University, focused on social studies, African Studies and educational inquiry. She was awarded a Fulbright Dissertation Scholarship for her study of the role of social studies in the national development of Nigeria, Kenya and Malawi, for which she spent 18 months collecting data in primary schools in those countries. Professor Merryfield worked for USAID in Botswana following her graduation and joined Ohio State University in 1988, where she is currently Professor of Social Studies and Global Education in the School of Teaching and Learning.