Programs and practices: Students' historical understanding, reflection and learning in International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement and regular World History courses

World history has become increasingly important and often a required course for high school students in the United States. This multicase study investigation provided detailed descriptions of students' display of historical understandings in their own words. It also included complex analyses of multiple perspectives and experiences of world history students and teachers, and analysis of specific International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, and regular World History program curricula and pedagogies.;Methods and data sources used in this study included participant observations, in-depth focus group interviews, collection of student artifacts, and program curriculum documents. Triangulation was used to validate the findings of the data collected. The data was coded, analyzed, and synthesized, and themes were developed in each case study to identify the specific characteristics of each world history program and student's historical understanding.;The types of historical understanding varied among the three world history courses, ranging from identifying cause and effect relationships to the inclusion of multiple perspectives in history. The most unique type of historical understanding displayed by students was the acknowledgement of historical humility in International Baccalaureate History.;Findings of this study have implications for pedagogical and curricular approaches to teaching world history. In addition, findings from this study inform pre-service teacher programs in higher education on how and what historical understanding students gain through International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, and regular World History programs.