A new national survey shows that Holocaust education in high school reflects gains not only in historical knowledge but also manifests in cultivating more empathetic, tolerant, and engaged students. The results also indicate that exposure to Holocaust survivor testimony is strongly associated with numerous positive outcomes in early adulthood including higher critical thinking skills and a greater sense of social responsibility.
Key findings shows that students with Holocaust education:
- Report having greater knowledge about the Holocaust than their peers and understand its value.
- Have more pluralistic attitudes and are more open to differing viewpoints.
- Report a greater willingness to challenge intolerant behavior in others.
- Show higher critical thinking skills and greater sense of social responsibility and civic efficacy if they watched survivor testimony as part of their experience.