Was the Great Depression always depressing? Examining diachronic diversity in students’ historical learning

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore and characterise students’ historical thinking as they attempt to work simultaneously with two second‐order concepts – change and diversity, to examine student difficulties in so doing and to reflect on the value of certain teaching approaches.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is a case study using data gathered from teaching and learning experiences across five history lessons taught to two Year 9 classes.

Findings

“Diachronic diversity” may be a useful characterisation of the distinctive student accomplishment of linking change and diversity in discursive historical analysis. An elaboration of shortfall in the form of “proto‐diachronic diversity” helps to establish the boundaries of that achievement and the possible properties that future curricular goals and assessment might privilege.

Practical implications

History teachers may need to find ways of integrating teaching of change and diversity rather than expecting the two to merge naturally after separate analyses. Possible impediments may include difficulties with language and limitations in students’ existing concept of “change”.

Originality/value

“Diachronic diversity” points to a new curricular category for characterising a particular disciplinary property of student thinking and learning in history lessons.

Citation

Palek, D. (2013), "Was the Great Depression always depressing? Examining diachronic diversity in students’ historical learning", International Journal for Lesson and Learning Studies, Vol. 2 No. 2, pp. 168-187. https://doi.org/10.1108/20468251311323405