Marcus, Alan S. “Students Making Sense of the Past: ‘It’s Almost Like Living the Event.’” (2007)

Alan Marcus presents findings from a year-long study conducted in two high school United States history classrooms. Marcus explores how students make sense of the past through film. Specifically, he considers the influence and importance of specific teacher practices with film, the nature of the films shown, and the background and experiences of the students. The discussion centers on students’ beliefs and attitudes about film as a way to learn about the past with a focus on how and if they use film as historical evidence. The analysis revolves around three films used by the teachers in the study: Iron Jawed Angels (2004), Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1987), and The 60’s (1999).