Active Learning

Too many students spell history b*o*r*i*n*g. They regard history as a jumble of disconnected facts. The word they use to describe history is "irrelevant."

The result is that too many students are ignorant of the most basic information about American history. The 2001 U.S. History Report Card concluded that 57 percent of high school seniors could not even perform "at the bottom of the achievement ladder"; 32 percent performed on the bottom rung; 10 percent performed grade-level work; and only 1 percent were advanced or superior.

Knowledge about the past is more important than ever in the 21st century. Our society's most pressing problems are rooted in history. Knowledge of history is essential if we are to avoid the mistakes of the past. Students without an understanding of history lack an essential component of citizenship and of global understanding.

Our teaching resources are designed to help instructors at all levels bring the past to life and to help students understand that knowledge of the past is our best guide in making decisions that will determine our future.

• eXplorations

Explorations are inquiry-based, interactive modules designed to give students the opportunity to do history: to conduct research, analyze primary sources, and draw their own conclusions.