Introductory college courses should offer students the opportunity to explore the subject as well as practice the craft, therefore all intro level history classes should focus on incorporating primary source analysis, research and writing skills. This collaborative practicum, which includes faculty from K-12 and higher education, will offer examples of inclusive and transformative assignments that encourage students to engage in historical inquiry. Inspired by experiences from the AHA’s “History Gateways” project, these assignments provide students with the opportunity to “do” history as they ask historical questions, apply historical thinking, and develop their own interpretations of the past. The panelists will offer engaging alternatives to the traditional research paper, while maintaining a commitment to historical methodology and rigor.

Each panelist will offer a brief overview of their assignment or research tool and highlight the important skill set students will practice while completing the assignment. We plan to begin with lightning rounds talking about each innovative project. Presenters will then conduct mini-interest sessions where participants can rotate through one or more stations to ask questions and see how they could employ or adapt each assignment in their own courses.