Teaching World War I in the 21st Century 1 | Page 21

all, history writing is as much a reflection of the age it
is written in as it is the age it is written about. Another
advantage for the skillful teacher of this British
obsession is that the combination of the centenary
and the Internet has brought an unparalleled amount
of newly available teaching resources. There are
far too many to mention in this article, but many of
the more notable include the UK National Archives
and the BBC, which has a large quantity of available
primary source evidence.

Teaching Points to Consider: Access to and
Analysis of Primary Sources; How and Why a
Nation Remembers the Past

From the history teacher’s standpoint, the next four
years promise an unprecedented vista of educational
opportunities. This article has discussed some possibilities
from a British perspective, but the important point to
keep in mind is that teaching what to cover is perhaps not
as important as how you cover it. Any historical issue of
significance has dangers and opportunities for the teacher,
World War I more than most, but with a bit of thinking
and careful planning, the opportunities for teachers far
outweigh any potential negatives or controversies. These
opportunities include developing critical thinking based on
newly available primary sources, exploring the nature of
historical controversy, questioning underlying assumptions
(double loop learning), and building real tra nsferable
skills for the knowledge age. Most important, it gives us an
opportunity to produce learners who are constructively
critical, and who examine evidence rather than blindly
accepting expertise. By being able to question not just

British recruiting poster featuring the national personification, John
Bull. (Image courtesy of the United States Library of Congress Prints
and Photographs division)

evidence, but also received wisdom, these are exactly the
kind of learners we need to be producing, to ensure that
the leaders and politicians of the early twenty-first century
do not repeat the mistakes made by those in the early
twentieth century.
To find links to the archives and clips mentioned, go to
http://www.nhd.org/WWI.htm.

Scan for additional resources
(including links to the documents
and materials) or visit
http://www.nhd.org/WWI.htm.
British Vickers machine-gun crew during the Battle of Menin Road
Ridge, World War I. (Image courtesy of The Imperial War Museum)

Essays & Resources

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