Session Abstract

How do temporal constraints, specifically in curricular terms, of a six-week, semester or yearlong course shape world history courses? Spatially, how do teachers craft a viable pedagogical experience in online, hybrid and in-person classes on world history? How do variations in place and audience affect world history instruction; specifically when working with students in different countries, regions, cultures or grade levels?

This roundtable will explore the questions above. The panel is addressed to scholars, teachers and publishers of world history who share the pedagogical and philosophical concerns which arise in the teaching of the subject, especially in today’s context of diverse temporal and spatial learning and teaching environments. A diverse set of panelists with widely varying personal and professional experiences will discuss these issues.

As chair of Secondary Teacher Education at University of Michigan and director of the ongoing grant “Nesting World History Instruction” Dr. Bob Bain is highly involved with the ongoing efforts to equip educators at every level with the tools to negotiate the complexities of a world history course.  Dr. Bain will chair the panel and provide brief concluding comments on the panelists’ themes.

During her time teaching world history Dr. Kathy Callahan has taught at R1, tech-focused and small public universities. She now teaches world history at Murray State University in traditional, online, hybrid and study abroad courses. Her presentation will focus on the ways that space and time shape world history instruction.

Dr. Rajeshwari Dutt currently teaches world history at the Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi, one of the premier universities in India. She also led world history courses for several years at Carnegie Mellon University where she completed her PhD prior to moving to India. Her experiences teaching world history in two vastly different cultures—India and USA—will inform the panel’s discussion of time and place.

Erik Vincent, co-chair of the College Board’s curriculum and test development committee for Advanced Placement World History, teaches the course to sophomores at Dunwoody High School in Dunwoody, Georgia. His presentation will discuss the ways that he has negotiated time constraints, scope and sequencing of the curriculum during his teaching career.

Finally, Dr. John Rosinbum has led in-person and six-week online courses in world history at the collegiate and middle school level. Currently, he is teaching a two year course in AP World history at BASIS North in Tucson, Arizona to 7^th and 8^thgraders. The drastic variations in space, place and time will shape his presentation.

One month prior to the AHA the organizers of this panel will elicit comment on the three questions from the world history community through online list-serves and social media to build an informed audience prior to the panel. Beyond the AHA the panelists will engage publishers for a further discussion of how temporal and spatial constraints shape world history pedagogy. What might be the multiple, critical, practical and theoretical engagements that come from starting a long-term conversation with the shared notion of “the world history course” at the center?