As recognized ad nauseum in think-pieces and university emails, these are unprecedented times. As the dust settles on the strangest semester in recent memory, history instructors around the world are reflecting on the emergency transition to online learning, and looking with trepidation towards Summer and Fall terms that will be similarly disrupted by the COVID crisis. Having worked with so many of our colleagues in the UNC History Department over the past two months, the Digital History Lab hopes to pool our collective wisdom and resources in support of the ongoing adjustment to distance education.
To that end, welcome to The Digital History Lab’s new blog, Teaching History Online (THO)! This blog will share reflections on and resources for teaching history in a world where digital technologies and pedagogies are becoming ever more necessary. Here, professors, graduate students, and undergraduates will post about their experiences in the classroom, share ideas that worked well (or notably didn’t), and provide recommendations for effective online teaching as we move forward. Our goal is to create a useful and accessible resource for instructors, both at UNC and other institutions.
THO hopes to start a necessary conversation about digital pedagogy. We hope you enjoy reading these posts and looking at the sample activities, lessons, and assignments that your colleagues and students have shared. If, after reading, you are inspired to share your own experience, please get in touch!
Thanks for reading,
Emma, Craig, Garrett, and Gabe
Editorial Board, Teaching History Online