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The Emergence of Big History THE EMERGENCE OF BIG HISTORY An interdisciplinary case study on the extent to which Big History can contribute to the modernization of the Dutch educational system. Maureen de Boer (3973263) Expertise in History Ana Pereira Daoud (4132963) Expertise in Philosophy of Education Sanette van Noord (4078187) Expertise in Educational Sciences The Emergence of Big History: An Interdisciplinary Case Study Acknowledgements We are pleased to present an interdisciplinary case study on Big History and its potential contribution to the modernization of the Dutch educational system. This thesis fulfils the graduation requirements of the bachelor Liberal Arts & Sciences at the University of Utrecht, and would not have been possible without the insights of teachers, professors and friends. First of all, we would like to thank Dr. Iris van der Tuin for bringing Big History to our attention, as well as Constance van Hall and Joris Burmeister for taking the time to answer our questions in an extensive interview and welcoming us in their Big History class. Needless to say, we sincerely thank our respective disciplinary referents, prof. Dr. Berteke Waaldijk, prof. Dr. Jesse Mulder and prof. Dr. Jeroen Janssen, for investing their time and energy in this endeavour and providing us with valuable insights and constructive feedback. We also take this opportunity to thank Sharida Mohamedjoesoef, Bejna Yildiz and Elisabeth Dywer for their kindness and expertise. Most of all, we would like to show our appreciation and gratitude to our supervisor, Dr. Merel van Goch, for her sincere guidance and help in making this project successful. The present interdisciplinary research would not have been possible without your kindness, expertise and feedback. 2 The Emergence of Big History: An Interdisciplinary Case Study BSc. Thesis Liberal Arts and Sciences An Interdisciplinary Case Study December 2016 14 422 words Supervisor: Dr. M. M. van Goch Disciplinary Referent History: Prof. Dr. M. L. Waaldijk Disciplinary Referent Philosophy of Education: Dr. J. Mulder Disciplinary Referent Educational Science: Dr. J. J. H. M. Janssen 3 The Emergence of Big History: An Interdisciplinary Case Study Table of Contents Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 5 Chapter 1: Big History, a Historical Interpretation ........................................................................... 8 Big History: A History ...................................................................................................................... 9 The Discipline .................................................................................................................................. 10 The Grand Narrative and the Creation Myth .............................................................................. 12 The Discipline, the Goal and the Effect ......................................................................................... 13 Chapter 2: The Educational Philosophy of Modernization ............................................................. 17 The Platform’s Educational Philosophy ........................................................................................ 18 A Progressivist Perspective ............................................................................................................. 20 Big History as a Means to an End .................................................................................................. 23 Chapter 3: Exploring the Encouragement and Development of Interdisciplinary 21st Century Skills in Big History ............................................................................................................................. 26 Method .............................................................................................................................................. 28 Creativity ....................................................................................................................................... 29 Collaboration ................................................................................................................................ 31 Results .............................................................................................................................................. 32 Creativity ....................................................................................................................................... 33 Collaboration ................................................................................................................................ 33 Other findings ................................................................................................................................ 33 Chapter 4: Integrating Disciplinary Insights .................................................................................... 36 Identifying disciplinary conflicts and intersections ...................................................................... 36 Extending Modernization (of Education) ...................................................................................... 36 Extending Big History ................................................................................................................... 37 Clustering Vision, Skills and Knowledge ...................................................................................... 38 Clustering Vision ............................................................................................................................. 39 Clustering Skills ............................................................................................................................... 41 Clustering Knowledge ..................................................................................................................... 43 A More Comprehensive Understanding ........................................................................................ 44 Chapter 5: Interdisciplinary Discussion ............................................................................................ 46 Call for action .................................................................................................................................. 47 Bibliography ........................................................................................................................................ 49 Appendix 1: Data Management Table ............................................................................................... 52 Appendix 2: Interview with Constance van Hall and Joris Burmeister ......................................... 60 4 The Emergence of Big History: An Interdisciplinary Case Study Introduction In November 2014, the Dutch State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science, Sander Dekker, launched a national debate regarding the modernization of the Dutch educational system. The current educational system is allegedly too fragmented, old-fashioned and not in touch with modern-day society. As a result, more than 16.000 people, including parents, teachers, educational experts and representatives of societal organizations, were invited to discuss their take on necessary future-oriented knowledge and skills.1 The insights presented in Platform Onderwijs2032 are the result of these contributions and aim primarily at preparing high school students for the society of the future.2 Platform Onderwijs2032 has been – and continues to be – heavily debated. Critics argue that its fundamentals are unscientific and cliché.3 It will, however, be assumed that the Platform’s insights are extensive enough to offer an idea into how the government interprets the modernization of the Dutch educational system. The Platform puts great emphasis on the relevance of the digital world as well as cross-curricular, interdisciplinary working and thinking. This latter aspect makes the Platform’s insights of particular interest to the present thesis and, more generally, to a widespread scholarly debate. Many have come to realize that complex issues are often beyond the scope of disciplinary knowledge, and that the integration of various disciplinary concepts, theories, and techniques relevant for a specific phenomenon offers a deeper, more fundamental understanding of complex issues. Big History, for instance, an increasingly popular course, clearly departs from this confidence in interdisciplinary reasoning. It examines history in its totality – from the Big Bang to the present – by integrating a wide range of disciplinary knowledge into one big picture of human existence. This concept sparked a great interest in the potential advantages of Big History for the modernization of Dutch secondary schools. Hence, this thesis aims to inquire to what extent Big History can contribute to the modernization of the Dutch educational system. The various components of this research question – e.g., Big History, modernization of education – are all interconnected and too complex to explain from a single discipline. In 1 “Wat is Onderwijs2032?” Onderwijs2032, accessed September 21, 2016, http://onsonderwijs2032.nl/over-ons/. 2 Platform Onderwijs2032, Ons Onderwijs 2032: Eindadvies (Den Haag, 2016), 13, accessed September 20, 2016, http://onsonderwijs2032.nl/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Ons-Onderwijs2032-Eindadvies-januari- 2016.pdf. 3 Johannes Visser, “Reconstructie: Onderwijs2032, een schoolvoorbeeld van schijninspraak,” De Correspondent, May 2016,
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