This RFI is issued for information and planning purposes only, and does not constitute an offer by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) to fund, as a whole or in part, the opportunities referenced herein. This RFI does not represent a pre-solicitation synopsis or a solicitation and does not constitute a request for proposal or request for quote. USHMM will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in responding to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party’s expense. Any response received will not be used as a proposal or quote. The responses to this RFI will be reviewed by USHMM and may be used to develop requirements for future needs. OVERVIEW The Levine Institute for Holocaust Education of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) requests input on mixed method research that will lead to greater understanding of why, where, and how Holocaust education is being practiced in the United States, as well how young people respond to this education and what it means for their knowledge, understanding and meaning-making. In order to do this, we would like to identify and document teacher disciplinary and content knowledge, rationale, pedagogical choices or requirements, along with resources chosen or mandated to further student knowledge, and understanding pertaining to the Holocaust. In addition, we seek to understand not only the teaching choices but the learning that ensues from these interventions, to compare teacher and students perspectives on the Holocaust, educational approaches to that subject, and of each other’s role in the teaching and learning process. It is intended that as a result, this study would enable the Levine Institute to more accurately identify the obstacles and challenges teachers and students face in the classroom when studying the Holocaust, and ultimately, what institutions can do to best support educators who seek to engage with quality Holocaust education. PURPOSE OF THIS RFI This RFI supports the Levine Institute’s process to gather information for the development of a national research project proposal and to invite interested scholars, practitioners, and experts to offer comment, guidance, and advice on how best to accomplish this. Interested parties are encouraged to submit written responses to any or all of the following questions. While it is not necessary to answer each of them in depth, they should be considered as a guide. Please refer to page 4 for directions concerning formatting and where to send your response. Informing and Shaping the Project: What facets of this project are of particular interest to you or your institution? From reading the Request, what do you perceive as the priorities of this research? What questions do you believe are important concerning the relationship between historical knowledge, teacher practice, and student understanding? What similar education research projects have you conducted or been involved in? What kinds of questions were asked in those projects? How did those projects better inform their respective fields? What research are you familiar with (both within and outside of Holocaust education) that addresses similar questions? How might those projects guide you and what critiques do you have of their methods and analysis? Implementing the Project: Implementation of this project will demand the coordination of multiple parties, creation of unique instruments, knowledge of both educational theory and practice, and Holocaust history. In which area - Holocaust history or education - do you believe your strength lies? How would address the area in which you lack expertise to ensure the fidelity of this research? How would you go about conducting this research in an effective and timely manner? What methods and models would you employ? What are the primary considerations that could hinder success in a research project of this scale? What role would you suggest the Museum play in this project? What other stakeholders are critical for a project like this? How much would a study of this scope cost? Describe a potential research timeline for such a project, including the types of staff and expertise that would be essential PROBLEM: We know very little about what the practice of Holocaust education and what student understandings look like on a national scale, or how this varies between classrooms. The Holocaust is taught in a variety of contexts throughout the U.S. but pedagogies are not informed by systematic research. We lack an empirical landscape as well as concise research which illustrates the kinds of knowledge, resources, and pedagogies being employed by educators and how they contribute to student interpretation and meaning-making. What we do know: In the United States, roughly 65 -70% of explicit Holocaust education is taught in English and Language Arts classrooms whose disciplinary goals differ from those of History and Social Studies teachers. Any survey of the field and practice of Holocaust education must assess the extent to which resources and professional development programs are responsive to this difference. With no consistent standards guiding instruction, the methodology for teaching of the Holocaust is often left to indivdual teachers. Recent studies indicate 80-85% of Holocaust education is undertaken by teachers who identify as self-taught about the history. Currently, fourteen states have enacted mandates that require teaching of the Holocaust (with seven more pending), but these mandates have little financial support, have inconsistent language and aims, have few accountability measures, lack PD opportunities, and do not specify what aspects of the Holocaust are required for students to know. Existing mandates seldom require assessment of student learning about the Holocaust. It is critical to determine how professional and content knowledge along with rationales, methods, and resource selections made by educators - together with the interests, dispositions, worldview, age, socio-economic context, gender and agency of their students - enhances or inhibits understanding of the history and relevance of the Holocaust for US students. Once this is identified educators, policy makers, institutions and schools will be able to provide more targeted and effective measures that strengthen educational efforts by: improving learners’ knowledge and understanding of how and why the Holocaust happened helping learners think critically about the history and its relevance to their lives today from their study of this complex and emotionally-challenging history. OUR INITIAL IDEAS Broad, quantitative national surveys (landscape) of teachers and of students in partnership with a coordinated group of professionals, research university, foundation, think tank and/or professional organization or company. This would be the first of its kind in the US and allow for a more accurate snapshot of what teachers know and teach about the Holocaust, how they approach the topic, and what students are learning, as well as how Museum resources - and others’ resources are being used. Using statistical analysis, strong correlations between discipline, rationale, knowledge, methods, resources, and understandings could be made. Qualitative research (interviews and focus groups of teachers and students) that builds on the initial findings of the national survey. To begin to make correlations between the data and statistics in the national survey and: actual teacher rationales and practices how students experience this education and their learning outcomes what methods are successful in achieving student learning outcomes What resources are needed to achieve student learning outcomes INSTRUCTIONS FOR WRITTEN RESPONSES Interested parties should provide written responses to the questions outlined above or in response to the project as a whole. While there is no specific format interested parties must follow when responding to one or more of the question(s), respondents are encouraged to submit materials and content directly relevant to this RFI. Executive summaries (for written submissions over 15 pages), other narrative materials – including PowerPoint slides, visuals such as graphics or diagrams, as well as links to relevant articles are welcomed. Submissions are due on October 2, 2020. To respond: Through email to Tim Kaiser, Deputy Director, Levine Institute for Holocaust Education:
[email protected] Please also include the below in your response, limiting this portion of your response to one page: The name of the individual(s) and/or organization responding. A brief description of the responding individual(s) or organization’s mission and/or areas of expertise. A contact for questions or other follow-up on your response.