We are constantly assessing our own programs, as well as turning to outside sources for evaluation. The Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and others have provided funding for or conducted research studies on Facing History’s effectiveness.
The studies have found that Facing History students:
- Demonstrate a decrease in fighting behavior
- Show increased moral reasoning and empathy
- Have an increased understanding of historical events
- Engage with one another in personally meaningful ways as they grapple with historical and moral issues concerning inter-group relations.
And Facing History teachers:
- Have a revitalized interest in teaching and in rethinking their methodologies
- Demonstrate an increased ability to relate history to the lives of their students and are more likely to relate their course work to important issues of citizenship and individual responsibility.
We are currently launching a groundbreaking study over five years to evaluate the impact of Facing History's program on students over time and on teachers’ professional development. This experimental study of high school students, alumni, and teachers will explore their acquisition of historical, civic, and social competencies.
To learn more about the efficacy of Facing History's work, please read the following recent studies:
- Early adolescents' reflections on social justice: Facing History and Ourselves in practice and assessment. Intercultural Education. Publisher Abstract
- The value of a developmental approach to evaluating character development programmes: An outcome study of Facing History & Ourselves. Journal of Moral Education. Full Text PDF (226 KB)
Or email us at evaluation@facing.org.
