Syllabus for Intro to Historical Study
History 1103. Introduction to Historical Study. Fall 2021.
CRN: 77264. Section: D01. Delivered entirely online.
Instructor Brandon Morgan (Brandon, he/him, bmorgan19@cnm.edu, text me at (385) 743–8515)
Course Description and Goals
Everything has a history.
This course introduces students to the dynamic nature of the field of history. Students will survey the various types of sources that historians rely on to reconstruct past events and will learn to apply historical thinking methodologies to interpret and write about past events.
Our course will explore the ins-and-outs of “doing” history. Yes, *doing* history. History is not a static field, comprised of dates and “facts.” Instead, it is founded on investigation, curiosity, historical evidence (which is often problematic), and interpretation (because historical evidence is problematic). We’ll develop specific Historical Thinking skills and approaches for understanding the past and evaluating the narratives about past events and issues that are presented to us in public spaces.
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Articulate a definition of the field of historical study that recognizes the centrality of including multiple perspectives on any given historical event
- Distinguish between and evaluate primary and secondary sources for historical study
- Identify the elements of the historical thinking process in the context of their application in historical accounts
- Demonstrate the ability to place historical sources in context through the creation of a project that includes both primary and secondary sources
- Identify possible career pathways for historians and describe how to prepare for such opportunities
In addition to these objectives listed in the CNM Catalog, students will:
- Have an epiphany
- Gain empathy for others through the engaged study of the past
- Deepen their understanding of people of other cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds
Teaching and Learning during a Pandemic
Although I’ve been teaching online regularly for several years, I understand that you may have been hoping to attend CNM in a physical classroom. Just as it appeared that we were coming out of what was hopefully the most difficult stage of the pandemic, the delta variant has upended our hopes of coming back together more regularly in person. Together, we’ll get through this. Here are some guiding principles for our work together in our online class this semester; I’ve adapted them from Professor Brandon Bayne at UNC-Chapel Hill and Professor Sara Goldrick-Rab at Temple University.
- The humane option is always the best option. In our class, we prioritize supporting one another as humans by finding simple solutions for learning that work for all of us.
- We can’t just do the same things online that we did face-to-face. This has always been true, but the pandemic has emphasized this reality for teaching and learning.
- We will foster intellectual nourishment, social connection, and personal accommodation through asynchronous activities that facilitate flexibility and in periodic, optional synchronous discussions.
- We will STILL remain flexible and adjust to the situation as we go. We all still need support and understanding as we (hopefully) come out of pandemic conditions.
As I mentioned, I was planning to teach this course online, but I know that many of you were not planning on taking your classes that way. I recognize that kindness, flexibility, and communication are key to everyone’s success this term. Don’t hesitate to contact me whenever you need any help.
Navigation, Communication, and Connection
Our course will take place on Brightspace, Twitter (#CNM1103), and here on Medium. We’ll also use a tool called hypothes.is to annotate some of our readings together. These tools are helpful for building community in an asynchronous, online environment — something that can be difficult to do. Tutorials and help for all of our course tools are available in Brightspace and I practice what I preach in terms of flexibility and kindness: please let me know whenever you need help, are feeling lost or overwhelmed, or have questions.
You can get in touch with me via email (bmorgan19@cnm.edu), text message (385–743–8515), and/or Twitter (@CNMBrandon).
I dedicate time for you (called Student Hours) each Tuesday morning from 9:00–11:00 am via the Zoom Student Hours module in Brightspace. If that time doesn’t work for you, let me know and we can find a different time for a meeting.
Additionally, we will have periodic OPTIONAL meetings via Zoom. One of those will be a session during Unit 5 in which we will discuss primary source analysis and archives with an archivist. In others, I’ll be available to discuss specific class-related activities or themes. You will receive plenty of notice prior to those OPTIONAL meetings and all of will be recorded for those who are unable to attend.
If you do not have one, you may be able to borrow a computer from CNM — you can find more information here. If you are having trouble with broadband access, please note that free wi-fi is available in specific parking lots at all CNM campuses. And, now you can visit campus if you’ve filled out your Daily Health Assessment in MyCNM (See more about Technology Requirements below).
Course Requirements and Activities
Because this is an asynchronous online course, there are no regularly scheduled meeting times (just the optional ones mentioned above). You are responsible for completing the assigned work by the due dates listed in the Schedule (located here and in Brightspace). If you are having difficulty with assignments or due dates, please reach out to let me know. It’s understandable to face issues that will impact your work in our class — especially right now. I’m happy to work with you and I do accept late work. Please communicate with me about what types of support you need.
To complete our written work on Historical Study, we will primarily use Twitter and Medium. We’ll also use Hypothes.is for practicing the skill of close reading. Video tutorials for all of our course platforms are available in Brightspace.
There are no textbooks to purchase for this course. All of our readings will be available via links here in Medium (see Schedule and Unit Narratives).
Medium: Please set up a Medium account and complete your profile as soon as possible. Once you’ve shared your Medium username (mine is @brandonbmorgan) in the designated Google Sheet, I’ll invite you to the course publication (this site).
Twitter: Similarly, please set up a Twitter account as soon as you can. Whenever you post a tweet for class, be sure to include the hashtag #CNM1103. That’s how we’ll be able to find, read, and respond to each other’s ideas there.
Hypothes.is: Use this link to join our class group on Hypothes.is. If you do not yet have an account, you’ll need to register for one when you join.
We’ll use Medium and Twitter right away, but won’t begin using Hypothes.is until Unit 3 when we focus on the skill of close reading. Medium and Twitter are public-facing platforms, so I encourage you to use a pseudonym if you’d like to remain anonymous in online spaces. If you don’t want to use a personal photograph, feel free to use an avatar or photo of something that interests you (a favorite sports team, landscape photograph, etc). Please think carefully about these choices and don’t hesitate to chat with me about them if you’d like. If you do choose to use a pseudonym, please let me know privately via email or text so that I can give you credit for your work.
Activities
Taking our cue from Paulo Freire, we’ll focus on creating new ideas and adding to the historical body of knowledge. In our case, that body of knowledge is how historians work to understand the past.
Each Unit will include a Twitter Assignment. You’ll be directed to post a series of tweets on a specific set of readings listed in the schedule for that Unit. Sometimes, you’ll be asked to make general comments about the readings. In other cases, you’ll be given a specific question to address. As long as you write our course hashtag, #CNM1103, in each tweet we’ll be able to find your work there.
Posting to Medium will be the other regular assignment that you’ll complete in each Unit. Medium posts are essentially blog posts in which you will respond to the readings and other activities that we complete during the unit to explore different aspects of Historical Thinking. Each Unit will contain a prompt. Your posts don’t necessarily have to be written, but can also contain videos and multimedia if you best express your ideas in non-written formats. You’ll also be expected to respond to one another’s posts on our Medium site.
Annotations on Hypothes.is. Units 3 and 4 contain specific assignments in which we’ll annotate a shared reading and others will follow, specifically as we evaluate primary and secondary sources. Using the platform Hypothes.is, we’ll be able to highlight sections of the text and add our comments, questions, and ideas in the margins. Additionally, optional “extra mile” activities will be posted in certain Units that may ask you to annotate a specified reading using Hypothes.is.
There are no exams in our class. Instead, you will complete a Final Research Project in which you apply Historical Thinking skills by choosing a specific historical topic, framing a research question, locating sources, and presenting your research in the digital format of your choice (that could be a post here on Medium).
Grading
Twitter work= 25%
Medium posts=35%
Hypothes.is annotations=15%
Final Project=25% (5%-topic and question; 5%-bibliography; 5%-peer-comments; 10% completed project)
=100% of the semester total
The lowest score in the first three categories will be dropped. I accept late work. Please communicate with me if you aren’t clear about how the grading system works.
Public Work
To underscore the nature of our coursework, much of our work will be created on publicly available and accessible platforms. Working publicly comes with both advantages and risks. Please think carefully about your digital identity and presence. If you would like to remain anonymous, I encourage you to use a pseudonym. If you’d rather not upload a photo, create an avatar for yourself or find an image that represents you. Think carefully about these choices and don’t hesitate to chat with me about them.
Plagiarism
In the digital realm, as well as in academia, authorship is a hotly debated topic. In literature, digital media, historical study, and even the social sciences, we are influenced by the ideas and insights of those who produced work on topics before we came to them. In this class, I encourage you to recognize the ideas (from authors, scholars, peers, internet sources, me, etc.) that have influenced your own thinking about the work you produce. You should feel confident in learning from others’ ideas and making them your own — this is the creation and recreation of knowledge that Paulo Freire was talking about. Make your learning your own by borrowing from other people’s ideas and then breaking their assumptions — question them, turn them upside down, manipulate them, and apply them. This doesn’t mean that you can copy and paste wholesale someone else’s work and try to pass it off as your own. That’s just stealing.
Full disclosure: I borrowed and remixed these ideas from Jesse Stommel. Click here for CNM’s Academic Integrity Policy.
Philosophy of Teaching and Learning
First and foremost, teaching and learning are acts of love that beg our entire attention and our best efforts. For me, the purpose of teaching and learning in higher ed is to explore the contours of our humanity to better understand our role in constructing the society we live in. History, in particular, offers us the unique opportunity to build empathy and compassion for people who hold worldviews that differ from our own. In recognizing the diversity of perspectives on the past, the study of History emphasizes how we personally connect past and present. The study of past societies and cultures generates the power to put ourselves in others’ shoes and understand their viewpoints on their own terms. Will we put in the effort to do so?
Additionally, As a Safe Zone-certified faculty member, I am available to listen and support you in a safe and confidential manner. I can also help you connect with resources on campus to address any problems you may face that interfere with your success at CNM as it relates to issues surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity. Also, if you have a name or pronouns not reflected in your official CNM records, please don’t hesitate to let me know. If you would like to correct the name that appears for you on CNM records, please visit this site. My goal is to help all students be successful and to maintain a safe and equitable campus — online and in-person.
Other important CNM information:
Technology Requirements
This course will be completed entirely online — there are NO face-to-face or scheduled meeting times. This infographic outlines the basic technology requirements for CNM courses. In short, regular access to a computer and basic computer literacy skills are required. Additionally, you will need internet access, basic word processing software (Microsoft Word, Open Office, Pages, Google Docs, etc.), and Adobe Reader (to access .pdf files). Additional resources for online learning can be accessed here.
Tutoring
Free tutoring services, in all academic disciplines and computer subjects, are available online by email, phone, chat, and more. If you need help, please visit the ACE site.
Special Accommodations
Qualified students with special learning needs are encouraged to contact me at the beginning of the class about any specific assistance that may be required to support their learning. It is my intent to assist everyone with special learning needs by making course modifications that will ensure a successful learning experience.
Please contact the Disability Resource Center in order for support staff to assist me with course modifications. The Disability Resource Center contact information is: Phone (505) 224–3259; TTD Line 224–3262; Fax 224–3261. When students are assigned to a support counselor, individual email contact information is also provided.
For more information on CNM’s ADA policy, please click here.
Veterans and active-duty military personnel with special circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill requirements, disabilities) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor. Veterans and those on active duty are also encouraged to communicate any questions or concerns to J.R. Romero, MRC, CNM Vet Success on Campus, at 224–3265.
Students may occasionally find that the stresses of life interfere with their academic performance. Please be advised that CNM offers free CONFIDENTIAL counseling to students on a variety of issues, including stress, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, domestic violence, anger management, relationship difficulties, and mental health issues. For personal counseling, students from any campus may contact the Main Campus Student Services Center at 224–3271.
Students should also be aware that the Rust Opportunity Assistance Fund provides emergency financial assistance to CNM students facing an unforeseen financial obstacle that may force them to drop out of school. Information about the Rust Fund can be obtained at 224–3090.
Note that dual enrollment and high-school-age students are eligible for all CNM student services.
