The strength of a hypothesis lies in the strength of the evidence used to support it. Therefore, useful, reliable and trustworthy sources can make or break an inquiry task. We can assist students to find good evidence by giving them the skills to evaluate the worth of their sources. These skills follow a developmental progression,…
The focus of historical inquiry is a significant question or issue. Students need sufficient scope and depth of research materials to fully respond to such a question or issue. Students should ask, What else do I need to find out before I can answer this question? The ‘what else’ takes the form of research questions…
One important skill in the social sciences is independent inquiry or research. On a general level, the aim with independent inquiry is for students to frame and conduct their own investigation into an issue of significance, demonstrating a number of skills, including questioning, data-gathering, interpretation, analysis, hypothesis-formation, evaluation, justification and reflection. In history, the curriculum…
Spiderscribe is an online brainstorming and mind mapping tool that students can use to record their ideas and engage in a number of higher order thinking activities. There are a number of advantages to using Spiderscribe in the classroom: It is very straightforward to use Students have their own login so all mind maps are…
“The process of writing history using primary sources involves a three-way interplay among the inquiry questions that propel the study, the close analysis of available sources, and knowledge of the context of the sources.” (Sexias & Morton, 2013, p.42). Accordingly, historical evidence from primary sources is central to this process. An often neglected category of…
