Zoom In to Teaching History

Challenge

Recent NAEP findings show that our country urgently needs to better support our students’ history and literacy learning. In 2022, only 13% of U.S. eighth graders scored at or above proficient in U.S. History. In 2024, only 30% of Grade 8 students scored at or above proficient in Reading.

In our Zoom In To History education R&D project, EDC launched a Web-based platform that successfully supports teachers in building students’ literacy and historical thinking skills through “deep dives” into primary and secondary sources. Its lessons focus on key events in six  NAEP historical periods, while building key skills such as close reading, writing, and arguing with evidence. We provided the platform at no cost for 11 years and will need to retire the site late in 2026. Contact us if you are interested in partnering with us to restore the site.

Key Activities

Working closely with middle school teachers as co-designers and expert advisors, our team carried out the following activities:

• Collaborated with partners to develop an online platform with 18 interactive lessons.
• Conducted a field test of Zoom In in 35 middle school classrooms in 10 states.
• Developed professional development for teachers, as well as assessment tools that help teachers monitor students’ learning and refine instruction.
• Provided the Zoom In platform at no cost for 11 years, including embedded interactive supports for students and teachers.
• Produced videos to demonstrate how Zoom In works, including this brief introductory video.

Impact

Zoom In achieved the following impacts:

•  The platform had over 50,000 registered users from all 50 states and over 149 countries, as well as many unregistered visitors who view and download materials.
•  Findings from the platform’s national field test indicated that Zoom In produces positive changes in teacher practice and student outcomes. Social studies teacher Kristy Craven commented: “It’s an amazing tool to foster student exploration of historic events and concepts. I had so much fun with these lessons, and so did my students! I would definitely use the curriculum again.”
• The American Association of School Librarians selected Zoom In  as a 2016 Best Website for Teaching and Learning.
• Zoom In was one of only a handful of innovative resources to receive an Honorable Mention in the 2015 Digital Innovation in Learning Awards competition sponsored by EdSurge and Digital Promise.
• Teacher and Education Week blogger Larry Ferlazzo recognized Zoom In as “One of the Best Tools That Can Help Students Write An Essay” and one of the “Best Sites That Students Can Use Independently and Let Teachers Check On Progress.”
• Glenn Wiebe, Past-President of the National Social Studies Leaders Association said of Zoom In: “My first impression? Two words: game changer. Seriously. If you’re a middle or high school U.S. history teacher, this is something that you need to try. I’m not kidding. This thing is the future of historical thinking. Zoom In is what social studies instruction in the 21st century should look like.”