Big History Project


Big History is a project to change the way 13.7 billion years of history is taught in schools. At first, I thought that the project suggested the school’s Social Studies curriculum to be taught in one discipline, the Big History class. I knew it wouldn’t be possible to do it in 1 year, the length of the Big History project. After researching a little more about it, it seems to be an additional subject to be introduced to High School students. Either way, any modification to how history is taught can be beneficial to all of us and can hopefully spark creativity to inspire us to improve the way we live. History is currently taught in several different classes, such as, American History, World History, Geography, US Government, European History, International Relations, Economics, Psychology, etc. It would be great if this classes were intentionally connected in some way.  

     This is the first time I hear about this concept and it caught my attention right away. I couldn’t stop researching and want to learn more about it. I find the project fascinating as it sounds very interesting to study about our universe in the way Bill Gates and David Christian suggests. Students have the chance to see all aspects of the history in the past, present and future altogether in one course. The course curriculum shows to be guided by interesting questions, which are simple enough to engage students. The 10 driving questions I am talking about is in the Big History Project 1 year curriculum and below: 

       1)    "Why do we look at things from far away and close up?"

       2)    “How and why did human understanding of the Universe change? (WH)"

       3)    "How can looking at the same information from different perspectives pave the way 

             for progress?”

       4)    "How and why do theories become generally accepted?"

       5)    "How and why do theories evolve?”

       6)    "What makes humans different from other species?"

       7)    "What makes human societies similar and different? (WH) "

            "Why do societies collapse? (WH)"

       8)    "What are the positive and negative impacts of interconnection?”

       9)    "To what extent has the Modern Revolution been a positive or a negative force?"

       10) "What’s the next threshold?”

    

    This project proposes a great opportunity to improve History instruction and to be successful, it is important to consider how current instructors will be affected and will need to adjust the way they teach their courses. To support them during the transition, it would be ideal to involve them from the beginning of the conversation, during the project implementation process along with providing them with professional development and instruction support. There is a better chance they would feel more part of it and engaged on the new teaching style. I am thrilled to see this type of innovation project be the history subject is very important and, especially nowadays, that we are living the changing history.

Websites:    

https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-is-trying-to-change-how-we-teach-history-2014-9

https://school.bighistoryproject.com/bhplive

https://www.gettingsmart.com/2014/08/top-10-reasons-use-big-history-project-school-year/

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