NEH Awards $250,000 to World History Association to Develop World History Curriculum in U.S. Schools and Colleges
Nine 10-day institutes are taking place nationwide this summer
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has awarded the World History Association (WHA) $250,000 to hold 9 regional institutes this summer aimed at developing a world history curriculum for U.S. schools, colleges and universities. The institutes, organized by the WHA in collaboration with the College Board, comprise a national education project called Developing a New Teaching Field: World History for the 21st Century.
"As our student population grows in international diversity, a strong world history curriculum will help students better understand each other and the forces that shape our world," said NEH Chairman William Ferris. "By providing rich, collegial study opportunities for world history educators, this project will reach thousands of students who will benefit from their teachers' own adventures in ideas. I am delighted to affirm NEH's support for this important national education project."
"The National Endowment for the Humanities' support will help strengthen the teaching of world history at all levels," says Heidi Roupp, director of the WHA. "World history studies provide a global historical framework that weaves information into larger frameworks. This approach equips students to understand forces-such as the environment, industrialization, nationalism and ethnocentrism¾that shape today's and tomorrow's world."
The project includes an online world history course maintained at Colorado University in Denver. Access is available through Marilynn Hitchens, (303) 321-1615.
Each of the 9 institutes will bring together 25 world history teachers and scholars to design world history programs based on recent scholarship. They will also develop new teaching strategies and evaluations. Each new program will be reviewed by a leading scholar in the field and classroom-tested during the school year.
This summer's schedule of institutes is:
California
Long Beach, California State University, Long Beach-July 10-21
Contact: Tim Keirn, (562) 985-4428
San Francisco, San Francisco State University-August 7-18
Contact: Tom Martin, (415) 647-9668
Colorado
Denver, Colorado University, Denver (online)-June 1-August 15
Contact: Marilynn Hitchens, (303) 321-1615
Georgia
Kennesaw, Kennesaw State University-June 12-23
Contact: Alan LeBaron, (770) 423-6589
Illinois
Chicago, University of Illinois at Chicago-July 10-22
Contact: Gerald Danzer, (312) 996-5471
New York
Bronx, Horace Mann School-July 31-August 11
Contact: Sam Gellens, (718) 432-3916
New York City, American Forum for Global Education-August 14-25
Contact: Elizabeth Sperling, (212) 873-2347, or Linda Arkin, (212) 624-1300, ext. 342
Texas
Austin, St. Edwards University-July 24-August 4
Dallas-Forth Worth, University of North Texas-June 12-22
Contact: Harold Tanner, (940) 565-2288
Virginia
Falls Church, Fairfax County Public Schools-June 26-30, July 5-7, July 10-12
Contact: Bernadette Glaze, (703) 208-7706
The WHA promotes scholarship and teaching in the fields of world and comparative history at all levels. WHA's membership consists of secondary, college and university teachers and has regional affiliates throughout the United States.
The College Board, located in New York City, is developing an advanced placement world history program to be taught for the first time in 2000-2001. The Board is a national association of schools and colleges offering services and programs in the areas of assessment, guidance, admission, placement, financial aid, curriculum, and research.