Teaching History

Instructor of Record

H206 “Medieval Civilizations” (Summer, 2010)

    An introductory non-major survey of the Mediterranean world from 500 C.E. – 1500 C.E., for 18 students

  • This course, which provides a “Culture Studies” credit for Indiana University’s general-education requirements, introduces students to critical reading, historical context and historical argumentation through an examination of the trends in medieval Europe, North Africa, Arabia and Persia between 500 C.E. and 1500 C.E.
  • My students write short daily reading responses, complete 6 assignments designed to help them understand historical close-reading skills, the importance of context, and the organizational structure of historical argumentation. They also participate in in-class discussions, group activities, and in-class exercises that explicitly examine methods of evaluating and validating online sources. These projects range from mostly traditional (ranking online sources in order of their usefulness and dependability in constructing a traditional research paper) to a blend of traditional and new media (presenting a historical argument in poster or blog form) to very unconventional (creating an online Crusader trading card in order to explore historical arguments in infographic form). Course readings were selected from journal articles, primary sources and the textbook Medieval Worlds(Jo Ann Hoeppner Moran Cruz and Richard Gerberding, Medieval Worlds: An Introduction to European History, 300-1492,1st ed., Wadsworth Publishing: 2003.)
  • During the course of this class, I conducted a pedagogical experiment on the 6-step assignment process aimed at students’ synthesis of primary sources and historical arguments for Teaching and Learning of History Project.

Assistant Lecturer

B351 “Early Medieval History” (Fall, 2009)

    A topical survey of medieval Europe from 500 C.E. – 1000 C.E., for 75 students

  • This course refines students’ understanding of critical reading, historical context and historical argumentation through an examination of the trends in medieval Europe between 500 C.E. and 1000 C.E.
  • I was responsible for co-planning the course & syllabus with my supervising professor, Deborah Deliyannis. I delivered 5 lectures, graded all papers, managed in-class debates and discussion, and provided instructor support.

Teaching Assistant

B204 “Medieval Heroes” (Spring, 2010)

    A topical survey of medieval Europe from 500 C.E. – 1000 C.E., for 120 students

  • This course, which provides a “Culture Studies” credit for Indiana University’s general-education requirements, introduces students to critical reading, historical context and historical argumentation through an examination of the trends in medieval Europe between 500 C.E. and 1500 C.E.
  • My major responsibility was to independently plan and lead weekly 4 discussion sections of 15-20 students as students worked in groups to create and present historical arguments in poster form. In addition, I worked with my supervising professor, Leah Shopkow, to design weekly in-class quizzes, rubrics for grading individual and group-produced student homework, and in-class activities. Finally, I helped manage activities and discussion when the group met twice a week in the large joint-discussion-group lecture hall.

H105 “Early American History” (Spring, 2009)

    A topical survey of early American History from 1500 C.E. – 1865 C.E., for 300 students

  • This course, which provides a “Culture Studies” credit for Indiana University’s general-education requirements, introduces students to critical reading, historical context and historical argumentation through an examination of the trends in American history between 1500 C.E. and 1865 C.E.
  • My major responsibility was to independently plan and lead 4 weekly discussion sections of 15-20 students. In addition, I worked with my supervising professor, Wendy Gamber, to design weekly in-section writing assignments, rubrics for grading student papers and exams, and in-class activities. Finally, I helped manage exams, activities and discussion when the group met twice a week in the large joint-discussion-group lecture hall.

H213 “Early American History” (Fall, 2008)

    A topical survey of cultural responses to the bubonic plague from 1300 C.E. – 1900 C.E., for 150 students

  • This course, which provides a “Culture Studies” credit for Indiana University’s general-education requirements, introduces students to critical reading, historical context and historical argumentation through an examination of cultural responses to outbreaks of the bubonic plague, from medieval Europe in 1300 C.E. to modern-day Hawaii in 1900 C.E.
  • My major responsibility was to independently plan and lead 4 weekly discussion sections of 15-20 students. In addition, I worked with my supervising professor, Ann Carmichael, to design weekly in-section writing assignments, rubrics for grading student papers and exams, and in-class activities. Finally, I helped manage exams, activities and discussion when the group met twice a week in the large joint-discussion-group lecture hall.