Case Studies in Education

Case Study 1, Ineffective:

Teachers used the contemporary or modern communication means to teach students about the issue and its moralities. Teachers used recorded an episode called “Eyewitness” displayed in history lessons discussing the topic entitled “(Everyday) Life in Nazi.” Each video brings a witness who was involved in Holocaust during the Holocaust to tell the story from his or her perspective. The pedagogical aim of these videos was “to expose student to authentic and multi-perspective approaches to NS as personally remembered history” ( Meseth and Proske, 2010, p. 209).  Educators hoped that this narrative-style teaching approach would succeed in transmitting the aspired knowledge and values of the holocaust. This case shows the following:

1.      The video did not add to moral implications, as it did not provide symbolic information of the lessons.

2.      Students’ unpredictable reactions to the videos have not been dealt with and have not been connected to the moral side of the testimonials.

3.      The students focused more on the details of the narrative itself, from their perspective, while the teacher concentrated on his overall plan that preceded the lesson.

These findings indicate that this approach did not help to foster mutual dialogue between the students and the teacher about the moralities and values of the Holocaust. Therefore this approach could be classified as an “under-morality approach.”

Case Study 2, Ineffective:

Students were given excerpts from Hitler’s Mein Kampf  in the hopes that they would underline the immoralities and hate speech used by Hitler. However, the communication between the teacher and the students was disconnected” (Meseth and Proske , 2010, pp.210-113). This case shows the following:

1.      The teacher did not appreciate the moral evaluation of the students regarding the excerpt from Hitler’s Mein Kampf and considered the way they expressed their view of the text as under-moral.

2.      The teacher did not respect the students’ freedom to portray the moral side of Hitler’s Mein Kampf.

3.      He went on over- moralization of the topic in order to make them grasp the content.

The over-moralization of the Holocaust without positive interaction between both sides of the education process is counter-productive. This approach is top-down, which does not allow full participation and expression of opinion from the students’ side. This led to limiting the freedom of expression of the students, leading to frustration and loss of interest in the topic.

 Case Study 3, Moderately Effective:

Students dealt with material and literature in addition to slideshows on the concentration camps. The teacher delved deeper into the students’ spontaneous and side comments, while the students expressed their opinion more freely (Meseth and Proske, 2010). In this case, the teacher responded to under-moralization without over-moralization. Instead of going through a long lesson on the subject, he asked the students to visit the concentration camps memorial.

Case Study 4, Effective:

 Documentary films were introduced to the classroom, leading a wide discussion and debate among students that even touched the unresolved problems and did not need any direct instruction. This method proved to be the most successful way of teaching the Holocaust in class, as it allowed both teacher and students to play an equal role. There was no superiority in this model from the teacher’s side and both the teacher and students reached a natural conclusion. The discussion was open and teacher did not put any restrictions or limitation for the provided materials on the topic.

Both education and communication can help educate young Germans about the Holocaust and shape their point of view if both are used strategically. Out of the understandings that communication has the ability to reach society if the power relationships are managed well by other power components, like the education institution, as Manuel Castells (2009) illustrates: “Power relationships can be altered by social actors aiming for social change by influencing the public mind and building consent. Power relationships are constructed in a complex interaction between multiple spheres of social practices” (p 3). 

Using different means of communication like videos, documentaries, materials and literature in addition to slideshows on the concentration camps that reflect the understanding of the importance of culture can make real change to the societal attitude regarding the Holocaust (Waisbord, 2004).  The problem was created by the political elite; however, it necessitates a cultural solution that builds new national and cultural identity. This requires multi-institutional involvement in the process, especially ones that can reach vast masses, like education and mass media. Media, however, have contributed to negative feelings toward the Holocausr. “There are a reasonable number of students who are against Holocaust remembrance, which exceed those from the previous generations” (Driel, 2010, pp.127-128). They perceived the Holocaust as a burden, that prevents "normal" German national identity, and the media pay too much attention to the issue.

Waisbord concludes that “ putting the media in the service of the nation-building did not always result in the cultural unification “This has been emphasized by Urban (2005) “Some Germans think the idea that Jews are still receiving money from Europe and Germany as a compensation of the Holocaust till now is inappropriate.”

Waisbord offers a comprehensive discussion on the creation of a national identity. He asks how a people come to share the same national culture and identity, and he says that there are two basic answers to this question. The first is that political centralization is crucial in developing a national identity; in this process, nations aim to eliminate differences and impose one culture. The second argues that centralization is not necessary in forming national identity and suggests that nationalism preceded political centralization (Waisbord 376). Ultimately, regardless of which view one adopts in determining what creates nationalism or national identity, Waisbord argues that the mass media have a prominent effect on creating culture. In the case of Holocaust remembrance and education in Germany, this is exactly what has happened.