Teaching History Survey Findings
Fantastic response to survey on Teaching History in Higher Education
Over 10% of historians in UK history departments completed the survey, more than 40 Professors, 50 Lecturers, 50 Senior Lecturers and a mixture of Readers, Deans and Heads of Department. Responses came from 72 institutions, smaller and larger universities, new and old, the Open University, post-1992 and Russell Group institutions, and from all over the UK (including Dr. Billy Kenefick, the Dundee University winner of the prize draw, who donated his £100 to Farm-Africa www.farmafrica.org.uk). Historians everywhere wrote about what they like about teaching history, what motivates and inspires them, what they think students get from history teaching at its best. They also offered lots of great advice about teaching the subject.
The survey forms part of the History Passion Project led by Alan Booth at the University of Nottingham and Jeanne Booth, education and business consultant. They also took the opportunity to ask a number of international historians similar questions to those in the survey. They are now working their way through all the survey & interview material but here’s a taster:
What do you like most about teaching history?
"It's the most fascinating subject in the curriculum and the way to make sense of ourselves and where we come from. It gives a person perspective and humility about human potential and allows us to escape the curse of presentism and narcissitic self-regard". Watch what David Pace, Professor of History at Indiana University, said in answer to the same question.
What do students get from history teaching at its best?
"Students of history learn how to ask questions. We live in a world of information overload, but the student trained in historical analysis can engage critically with that information - whilst also bringing invaluable historical context to many issues." Watch David answer. http://www.vimeo.com/17606594
What do you think? If you haven’t done so already, you can still join in and complete the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/teachinghistory2010
The project will be following up contributors in the New Year and will be presenting findings at the History Subject Centre Conference. Another reason to attend ... http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/heahistory/events/annualconference2011/