Bill Gates Optimistic About Big History Project
What is “Big History” and why is Bill Gates interested in it?
Originally, “Big History” was a college course created by the Australian professor David Christian. His course not only covered important events in human history; it also linked history with other seemingly unrelated fields like biology or astronomy. After Gates watched the DVD version of “Big History,” he met with David Christian to plan how to convert it into a high school course.
The Big History Project was first available in only 5 high schools in 2011; in 2014, Big History was opened in 1,200 schools. The University of California system also accepts the Big History Project as fulfilling a history requirement.
Teachers have expressed concerns about the limited perspectives presented by the Big History Project and wonder if it takes any time to teach students how to evaluate historical sources. But for supporters of “Big History,” the connections it helps students recognize between multiple fields outweighs the drawbacks.
(Source: New York Times)