World History Resources for Teaching and Learning
by Fred Czarra and Heidi Roupp

Teaching a true global world history in our schools remains one of the most difficult challenges facing American education. Undergraduate training in world history for future social studies teachers is weak in many teacher training colleges and universities. The approaches to a ‘true global world history’ are limited in many undergraduate and graduate programs to a Western Heritage Model as described by Ross Dunn, omitting many of the major contributions of “other” civilizations and the centuries of interactions between people of different cultures all over the world. Additionally, as Professor Dunn points out there are other patterns employed to teach world history such as Contemporary Studies and the Different Cultures Model. What he suggests is the Patterns of Change Model which stresses historical problems to be presented and historical questions to be asked rather than studying fixed cultures as facts to be learned. However, emulating a Patterns of Change Model will be both a strenuous and challenging task. There has not been a systematic effort to acquaint teachers with the rapidly expanding scholarship in the field. Efforts are being made to bolster the world history training of future social studies teachers in some universities. In-service training for teachers in a ‘true global world history’ is, at present, limited to workshops and a few summer institutes, some of which are supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities. What follows is intended to be a primer on a “true global world history” suggesting some readings and other resources that can help teachers and curriculum developers work toward the teaching of a global world history. The first section outlines some general global histories that are “classics.” This listing is followed by some “big idea” books that represent some of the best works by historians and other scholars about the development of the world. The next section outlines organizations that you will find very supportive as you go about learning world history. In this section many resources such as publications and journal articles are listed for you in order to pursue your areas of interest. Also listed here are World History Association regional meetings and information about their next annual meeting. Other national historical associations are also identified with resources offered that relate to global world history. This section is followed by some suggested primary source document books, a selection of books on teaching about world history, and some college textbooks that can be helpful in identifying some of the main ideas of history. Fred Czarra is the Consultant for International Education and Specialist in Social Studies and Interdisciplinary Learning for the state superintendents of schools and state education agencies in the US at the Council of Chief State School Officers in Washington, DC. He is a former Executive Editor of The Social Studies. Heidi Roupp is President of the World History Association and a former high school world history teacher from Aspen, Colorado.