Date of Award

Spring 5-1-2001

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Education

First Advisor

Sandra B. DeCosta

Second Advisor

Gail Huffman-Joley

Third Advisor

Rebecca Libler

Abstract

Although it has been over fifty years since the world learned of the horrors committed by the Nazis against those considered "undesirable", many attitudes that fostered the "Holocaust" are still with us. Prejudice and discrimination arc a part of the social fabric of our lives. This study examined how teachers in Indiana implemented the 1995 Indiana Concurrent resolution on teaching about the Holocaust, specifically in middle schools/junior high and high schools. Selected teachers were those cunently in reading/language arts and social studies from grades 6-12, since these grades and subject areas are where Holocaust study typically occurs. A survey was distributed to 254 teachers of reading/language arts and social studies throughout the state with 92 teachers responding from 45 oflndiana's 92 counties. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Major findings were that: (I) 80 percent of respondents were unfamiliar with the resolution regarding teaching about the Holocaust but many were incorporating Holocaust education into the classrooms; (2) most respondents felt comfortable with their background knowledge for teaching about the Holocaust but reported most knowledge was gained through self-study; (3) teachers used a variety of resources and strategics for teaching about the Holocaust; ( 4) most teachers considered the Holocaust an important subject for their students and felt the topic could be used in various age-appropriate settings; and (5) many teachers stressed the concerns about communication of legislative actions to the classroom teacher and proper funding for implementation of state legislated expectations. Included in the appendices are an annotated bibliography for Holocaust study and a timeline of the Holocaust from the National Council for the Social Studies.

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