TEACHING THE HOLOCAUST: A CASE STUDY AND CONTENT ANALYSIS OF TEACHER’S CONCEPTUALIZATION AND PEDAGOGY

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore how teachers conceptualize and teach the Holocaust. Although there were numerous studies on Holocaust education, particularly on teachers’ approaches and practices, there was little evidence regarding teachers’ conceptualization of the event and the ways it impacted their approach to teaching it in their classrooms. In addition to examining their approach to teaching it, this study carefully reviewed the state curricula and mandates on the topic, mass marketed textbooks and other materials on the topic, and teacher-generated teaching materials, learning guides, and assessments to capture how teachers’ conceptualizations of the Holocaust were transmitted to their students. Further, it provided researchers with a comprehensive empirical analysis and contributed to increasing the scholarly literature on Holocaust education. This study sought to address the following research questions: How do three in-service teachers conceptualize and teach the Holocaust? How do the teachers define the event and narrate and frame the rationale for teaching it and its causes, course stages, consequences, historical actors, and lessons? How did their conceptualization influence and inform their pedagogical decision-making? How did their conceptualization influence and inform their interpretation of the curriculum? This intrinsic collective case study triangulated data from interviews with teachers, reviews of their materials, and observations of their classes to provide an in-depth and detailed view of the approaches three Pennsylvania Social Studies teachers took to teach about the Holocaust in their classroom. This study additionally served as a tool for school districts and policy makers to best inform their future decision-making regarding the types of pre- and in-service trainings teachers need to fully conceptualize and teach the Holocaust, including their selection of powerful strategies and resources and assessments, to cover the topic in a way that met all of the local and state standards while also covering the state’s suggested pseudo-mandate, which hopefully led to more robust and enduring student learning.