Shaping a New Nation: Turning Points in American History. A Report on a Research Study, 2005-2006. Interim Technical Report No. 1

This research paper examines the effectiveness of the Teaching American History (TAH) Program in Jefferson County, Kentucky from 2005-2006. We employ a combination of survey, interview, observational, and data mining research methods to examine attainment of program objectives and goals. In addition to evaluating the overall effectiveness of the program as it related to meeting its five specific goals, we study the effects of participant satisfaction, expectations, efficacy, and curiosity on learning and its classroom application. We conduct a combination of X[superscript 2], paired-sample t tests, ANOVAs, multiple regressions, and qualitative analyses to study the data. We conclude that although the TAH program is still evolving, the overall effects of the program appear promising. The statistically significant results indicate that the participants were satisfied; their expectations met, teaching efficacy improved, and curiosity stimulated. In addition, both their US History content and primary source material knowledge increased significantly. Substantial evidence suggests that the first four goals of the grant were attained, while preliminary evidence indicates that the program may have had an influence on student achievement (fifth goal) as well. Overall, the combined quantitative and qualitative data suggest that the TAH program promotes the development of teachers' American History content knowledge, primary source material use as a teaching strategy, and its productive classroom application. These findings are particularly salient as a number of the participating teachers work in elementary and middle schools with below state average US History test scores and wide achievement gaps. This paper was prepared for the United States Department of Education and the University of Louisville McConnell Center for Political Leadership, July 2006. The following are appended: (1) US History Content Knowledge Pre- and Post tests; (2) Pre- and Post-Institute Participant Surveys; and (3) References. (Contains 5 footnotes.)