Judith Ridner, Associate Professor, Mississippi State University
Proposal Type: Roundtable
Abstract: Having just taught a graduate-level (MA and PhD) readings class in public history for the first time here at Mississippi State University, I learned, what I believe, were valuable lessons about what works and what doesn’t in the teaching of this dynamic field. I’d like to discuss what I learned about: 1) how to structure my course, 2) how to select readings that balance information about the field with more abstract analyses of the intellectual questions public historians ask, and 3) how to balance classroom discussion with at least some limited work in the field. Still, I have many questions and thus would welcome conversation about what others have learned in teaching this field for the first time.
Seeking: I’m looking for perhaps 3, maybe 4, panelists to join me in this roundtable discussion of the lessons they learned in teaching public history for the first time. All panelists would be those new to teaching public history. Ideally, panelists would also include some mix of undergraduate and graduate faculty (I teach PH at the grad level). As I envision it, we would address such themes as: 1) designing/structuring the course, 2) introducing the practice of PH while also addressing its intellectual substance, 3) balancing classroom and field work. It might also be interesting to discuss how we have coped with colleagues who continue to see PH as much less acceptable “plan B” for our students.
Related Topics: Teaching
If you have a direct offer of assistance, sensitive criticism, or wish to share contact information for other people the proposer should reach out to, please get in contact directly: Judith Ridner, jridner[at]history.msstate.edu
If you have general ideas or feedback to share please feel free to use the comments feature below.
please note that my email seems to have bee listed incorrectly above:
it’s [email protected]
Hi Judy – It’s the same email – we just don’t put them in as live links because it cuts down on the possibility of having people’s emails hijacked by spammers.
Hi Judy. We had a working group on similar issues in 2013. Although participants mostly came from outside the U.S, you may find some interesting materials in our case statements: http://ncph.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/Teaching-Public-History-Case-Statements.pdf
You could also ask the list-serv of the NCPH educators, I am sure some people would be interested.
thank you very much for sharing the link. Judy
I think sessions or even workshops on “how to teach public history” used to make a regular appearance on the annual meeting program. Some people will say there have been enough such topics over the years and the conversation should move on to new things. But your own experience is evidence that there will always be faculty having to teach public history for the first time. There will always be an audience for such sessions. You might want to look through some past NCPH programs online at http://ncph.org/cms/conferences/#pastconferences to see how others have done this. As Thomas Cauvin noted, he was part of a related Working Group in 2013 at the NCPH conference in Ottawa.
Thank you for the suggestion. Judy
Aloha Judy,
You might want to try contacting Dr. John Kvach at the University of Alabama-Huntsville. His curriculum and style of teaching intro-level Public History while fresh out of his PHD hooked numerous students and quickly led to his being able to establish a viable Public History program where one did not exist before.
Mahalo
Justin Mattli