The second part will be a moderated discussion, led by two high school teachers and a college instructor, who will query the scholar about how to incorporate new research into the classroom. Teachers attending the session will be invited into the conversation by the moderators. We envision a lively exchange in which all participants can walk away with new insights and resources.

This year’s topic is Pacific Rim History.

How might teachers of a US history survey go beyond a discussion of the Chinese Exclusion Act or the Pacific Theatre in World War II to convey to students the ways in which the Pacific has linked the histories of North, Central, and South America and East Asia over centuries? How might a World History survey include a discussion of people criss-crossing the Pacific to shape the continents surrounding it? The theme of the AHA Teaching Division’s third annual “A State of the Field for Busy Teachers” is Pacific Rim History and will tackle these questions and others, as an expert in the field and educators engage in a discussion on latest historiographical interpretations, new lines of inquiry, current debates, primary sources of interest, and new periodizations to consider. The first part of the session will feature a 25-minute talk by Fredy González, Associate Professor of Global Asian Studies and History at the University of Illinois. The second part will be a moderated 45 minute discussion, led by two high school teachers and a university professor, who will invite the audience into a conversation about how Pacific Rim History may realistically make it into packed curricula (and classrooms). We envision a lively exchange in which all participants can walk away with new insights and resources.