History Forum

Teachers need to know what to talk about, but they also have to know how to listen because learning is a oftentimes a two-way street.  While most of the course material has been pre-selected (i.e., assignments have been framed in accordance with the four course objectives below), there needs to be time for un-scripted material as well.  Here the students set the agenda, asking your own question, or raising an issue of interest to you.  The only catch here is that your question be related to one of the course objectives below to remain pertinent.  Fair enough?  Questions outside of this can be discussed outside class time between the student and instructor.   

The four stated course objectives (see syllabus) are different means to the same end:  the making of a "History Fan!" 

·         What is American (California) Civilization?  There is no one answer to this, and it varies depending upon one’s perspective; i.e., what questions you ask of American history and what points you concentrate on.  In this course we will approach this issue from various perspectives.

·         What is a History Thinking Machine?   This course endeavors to explore ways of HOW to think about history as opposed to WHAT we should think.  Historians train to approach the study of history with various “history tools” that will be developed.   

·         What does it take to bring history alive?  This course examines the roots of the ongoing dilemma as to why so many students perceive history as being “boring/irrelevant.”  By identifying sources of the problem, the hope is that some viable solutions might emerge so that we can break this seemingly endless cycle.

·         What does history have to do with my life?  Benjamin Franklin divided knowledge into two categories:  the useful and ornamental. Seemingly, history appears to be ornamental, but could it be that it might be useful? This course explores this possibility.