This course, which satisfies the university’s foundation IT requirement and has five primary learning goals.
- You will master the skills that make up the General Education Information Technology requirement.
- Through your thoughtful written work and participation in class discussions, you will learn to communicate your ideas and opinions effectively.
- You will conduct historical scholarship using primary and secondary sources, a wide range of tools, and resources that are available on the web in an effort to publish an original, analytical research project in history.
- You will learn to evaluate information online, understand some of the ethical challenges of digital technology, and balance the trade-offs between technical efficiency and data security.
- You will become familiar with the key issues in the history of the Gilded Age and the Progressive Era, including vice, organized crime, Prohibition, labor and race riots, social and reform movements, immigration, and sensational murder trials.
To achieve these learning goals we will use a combination of reading, writing, exploring, and experimenting with digital tools and materials. You will learn some foundational material, but in most weeks you will attempt to make or do something historical using your newly-learned skills.
Persistence and a willingness to try many approaches will be key to doing well in this course. For many, this work with digital tools will be a new experience and it is important to remember that a crucial part of learning is failing. Not every exercise may go successfully, and we may make mistakes. If you are willing to reflect on those mistakes, we can all learn from them. I am always available to help should you find yourself stuck or falling behind. I’m happy to read drafts and review work in progress, but you have to reach out to me. Please feel free to email me any time.
Last updated: November 19, 2015 at 17:59 pm