Category Archives: The Past Alive: Teaching History

Thinking Deeply about MOOCs

Posted on May 14, 2013 by briansandberg

Once again, technology is being hailed as the solution to all our problems. Entrepreneurs of internet companies—like the advocates of radio and television before them—are touting the transformative potential of technology to educate the masses. Many politicians and pundits are … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Freedom, Digital Humanities, Education Policy, History in the Media, Humanities Education, Information Management, The Past Alive: Teaching History, Undergraduate Work in History | Leave a comment

Faculty Governance and MOOCs

Posted on April 20, 2013 by briansandberg

The faculty of Amherst College have voted to reject a proposal to join edX in providing Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Professors across the United States can appreciate this rare instance of faculty empowerment that affirms the principle of faculty … Continue reading →

Posted in Digital Humanities, Education Policy, Humanities Education, Information Management, The Past Alive: Teaching History, Undergraduate Work in History | Leave a comment

I Quit: A Teacher’s Resignation

Posted on April 8, 2013 by briansandberg

Another veteran history teacher has resigned. In his letter of resignation, this high school teacher laments that “I am not leaving my profession, in truth, it has left me. It no longer exists.” Gerald J. Conti, a social studies teacher … Continue reading →

Posted in Careers in History, Education Policy, Humanities Education, The Past Alive: Teaching History, Undergraduate Work in History | Leave a comment

Holding Your Own Conclave

Posted on March 2, 2013 by briansandberg

As cardinals gather in the Vatican to elect a new pope, other people are holding their own conclaves. The board game “Vatican: Unlock the Secrets of How Men Become Pope” provides a fun way to learn about the process of … Continue reading →

Posted in European History, History in the Media, Humanities Education, Italian History, Political Culture, Religious History, The Past Alive: Teaching History, Uncategorized, Women and Gender History | Leave a comment

H-France Webinars

Posted on August 6, 2011 by briansandberg

H-France is launching a webinar series beginning this fall. Graduate students in History at NIU, as well as undergraduate students in HIST 311 Early Modern France, 1500-1789 and HIST 423 French Revolution and Napoleon will be interested in this series. … Continue reading →

Posted in Comparative Revolutions, Early Modern Europe, French History, French Revolution and Napoleon, Graduate Work in History, History in the Media, Human Rights, The Past Alive: Teaching History | Leave a comment

Economic Value of a Bachelor’s Degree

Posted on May 25, 2011 by briansandberg

Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce has released a new study, “What’s It Worth?: The Economic Value of College Majors,” assessing employment and earnings statistics for recipients of Bachelor’s Degrees. So what is a Bachelor’s degree worth?  A … Continue reading →

Posted in Education Policy, Humanities Education, The Past Alive: Teaching History | Leave a comment

Multicultural Curricular Transformation

Posted on May 25, 2011 by briansandberg

My website/blog has been silent over the past ten days, due to the end-of-the-semester crunch and an intensive week-long pedagogical workshop. Last week, I participated in the Multicultural Curricular Transformation Institute [MCTI] at Northern Illinois University.  This week-long pedagogical workshop … Continue reading →

Posted in Humanities Education, Northern Illinois University, The Past Alive: Teaching History | Leave a comment

Revolutionary Waves

Posted on March 19, 2011 by briansandberg

The ongoing Arab protests and revolutionary movements are simultaneously fascinating, inspiring, and confusing. One of my students in HIST 423 French Revolution and Napoleon sent me this great question: “Do you know of a historical, sociological, or political theory that … Continue reading →

Posted in Comparative Revolutions, French Revolution and Napoleon, History in the Media, History of Violence, The Past Alive: Teaching History | Leave a comment

The American Civil War Remembered in the South

Posted on March 18, 2011 by briansandberg

History is in the news all this spring as the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the American Civil War approaches.  The New York Times is running an almost daily series of blog posts on the 150th anniversary, entitled Disunion, … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Conflict, Historical Film, History in the Media, The Past Alive: Teaching History | 1 Comment

Newberry Teachers’ Consortium

Posted on March 2, 2011 by briansandberg

I was thrilled to lead a seminar today at the Newberry Library as part of the Newberry Teachers’ Consortium.  The NTC seminar series offers high school teachers a chance to work with university professors on specific topics of relevance for … Continue reading →

Posted in Early Modern Europe, European History, French Wars of Religion, Humanities Education, Religious Violence, The Past Alive: Teaching History, Warfare in the Early Modern World | 2 Comments