Donna Donald, Liberty University
Proposal Type
Traditional Panel
Seeking
- Seeking Additional Presenters
- Seeking General Feedback and Interest
Related Topics
- Preservation
- Teaching and Training
Abstract
To share successes and failures in teaching public history to undergraduates and to invite suggestions for future improvement. This session will build on a 2018 session where panelists presented their recent experiences in developing intro classes for undergraduates, opening up about what worked and what didn’t and asking attendees to offer suggestions. The previous session was well-attended with a lively Q&A indicating a broad interest in practical application for teaching and learning.
Description
Some of my best experiences at NCPH have been in sessions with educators. I envision a panel of educators who are developing or teaching courses in public history aimed at undergraduates.
Our university has now acquired two historic structures which are currently being studied (architectural investigation and archaeological excavation). I have created and taught several classes over the last four years with these sites as the centerpiece. Our classes have emphasized hands-on, collaborative learning. We have included research, interpretation, exhibits/collections, photography, digitizing documents, investigation of historic structures, collaboration with professionals and members of the community, and presenting student work publicly in person and online. I believe sharing the work of my students and our experiences might help others and offer an opportunity for feedback from panelists and attendees about how we might move forward.
If you have a direct offer of assistance, sensitive criticism, or wish to pass along someone’s contact information confidentially, please get in contact directly: Donna Donald, [email protected]
All feedback and offers of assistance should be submitted by July 1, 2019. If you have general ideas or feedback to share, please feel free to use the comments feature below.
Donna,
I strongly encourage you to solicit input from a practitioner or a few practitioners in the field. I’d like to see more emphasis on the discussion of more real-world, hands-on training. Part of your topic proposal is “beyond the classroom”–so what is it that practitioners can contribute to this conversation? What are the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities that will set newly-minted graduates on the path to success? These are some questions that will perhaps strengthen the “training” aspect of your proposal.