Tonight, the students in my research class, who have broken out into teams, turn in their initial report. Next week is the final research report where they attempt to answer the questions assigned.

One team gets to work on identifying the different theories and suspects surrounding the missing princes - Edward V and Richard. It's been a joy watching their progress. It's also amusing to see them fall into the Ricardian mode of thinking, at which point I start nagging them about maintaining objectivity during the research process. They usually pull back, but there's just something magnetic about the Ricardians.

The questions for all of the teams are really impossible. No class has ever answered them completely in the time allotted. But that's part of the plan. I mean, it would really ruin the point if they were able to Google the answer.

That's really interesting. I agree that there is something mgnetic about the Ricardian point of view. I remember being hooked after reading Sharon Penman's Sunne in Splendour. And now my favourite actor, Richard Armitage wants to do a play or something about Richard.

It's great that your students are being made to think like this though - especially on a historical topic

The students turned in their research reports last night. They really are a fantastic group. The questions were designed so that they could not be completed in the time allowed. Yet all four groups exceeded my expectations. These are the moments a teacher lives for.

Anyhoo, I thought it might interest Susan to know that the group working on the princes cited her blog as one of their sources. They had to evaluate each source to assess the quality of the information before relying on it, so kudos! You made the list! (No pointers from me, btw. They found your blog through their research.)

They rightly determined that they didn't have enough information to decide what happened to the princes. They found about 10 or more theories with varying degrees of credibility, which they adequately assessed.

Can you tell I'm thrilled?!

Thanks, fuzzyhistory! Sounds like a great course!

It sounds like a realy fun class - just what kids need these days! Wel done and thanks for telling us about it.