Evaluation of World History Project

This evaluation assesses the impact of World History Project, a freely accessible online high school world history curriculum developed by OER Project in collaboration with educators and historians. The study, conducted during the 2022-23 school year, focused on 9th or 10th-grade on-level or honors world history classes in public schools across the United States. Key evaluation questions included the curriculum's effect on historical thinking skills, its usability, and its impact on student engagement. Results indicate statistically significant positive effects on learning opportunities for the historical thinking skill of continuity and change over time. However, challenges in usability and student engagement were identified, with recommendations for curriculum designers, practitioners, and future research. The findings underscore the curriculum's potential impact and the importance of ongoing refinement to empower teachers and enhance students' understanding of world history.