| |
| author |
Daniel Anthony Papa
| | title |
Action Inspired Learning: Empowering Students to Make History
| | abstract |
History contains many natural opportunities for educators to make connections to relevant topics within our world to engage students in authentic learning experiences. However, history education is facing a great deal of challenges ranging from compromised instructional minutes in elementary school, to a scarcity of authentic learning experiences, and to a lack of investment into the discipline. The 2018 National Assessment of Educational Progress revealed a decline in student achievement nationally in history-and civics-related content. Furthermore, over the past ten years there has been a sharp decline in students entering college deciding to major in history. As a history teacher, I have witnessed these challenges all too clearly in my classes and developed a pedagogy to inspire students to understand that learning about the past is directly connected to the present, essentially that we learn about history so we can make history. I collaborated with my middle school students to start an awareness campaign, which eventually led to the formation of a nonprofit organization, to focus on using education as a preventative measure to combat the global issue of human trafficking. The mission of the student-led organization was to educate young people about the risk factors and warning signs of human trafficking to prevent a young person from becoming victimized by this crime. This research explores the impact of their history-inspired civic engagement as they moved beyond high school, suggesting ways to invigorate history education. I conducted interviews with sixteen participants of Project Stay Gold to explore the learning experiences of the students by analyzing how their work impacted their college decisions, career choices, and civic participation. Further analysis will discover how their experience can provide solutions to the current challenges facing history education by demonstrating what young people can accomplish once they are empowered by their learning to take action. The educational experience of these young people is described as Action Inspired Learning; a pedagogical approach that demonstrates the transformative power of education to motivate, empower, and inspire a generation of history-makers and world-changers.
| | school |
The Caspersen School of Graduate Studies, Drew University
| | degree |
D.Litt.
(2022)
|
| advisor |
Sandra Jamieson
|
| committee |
Jonathon Golden
Liz Azukas
|
| full text | DPapa.pdf |
| |
