For course assignments, I try to employ projects that engage students in the practice of history while also helping them understand the subject they are examining.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As this time in the semester rolls around, it’s time for everyone to present one of those deliverables, an oral history project.\u00a0 As we wrapped up this task, I was pleased with the outcome as all the participants produced engaging work, while several had developed outstanding projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Everyone had identified an appropriate individual for the task and obtained quality information from the interview.\u00a0 Those that excelled had gone beyond that to place the data collected during the lab in the larger context of what was happening in the period to provide meaningful interpretations to their work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am usually impressed with a number of the class presentations each semester and have found oral history assignments to be a worthwhile means for engaging my students in the practice of history while helping them gain better comprehension of the subject matter.\u00a0 For example, two students
focused on the Vietnam War today.\u00a0 One interviewed a relative about the draft during the war, while another focused on the war veteran’s reaction when he returned home in the late \u201960s.\u00a0 Another student interviewed a small-town police chief.\u00a0 He\u2019d been on the job for forty years, beginning when the force of two men had to share one gun.\u00a0 He talked about the professionalization that has occurred over the decades.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n
While I can lecture on these subjects, the hands-on experience students acquire in these interviews is helpful.\u00a0 I am happy with how these turned out
and how this also appeals to a young group of college students.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For course assignments, I try to employ projects that engage students in the practice of history while also helping them understand the subject they are examining.\u00a0 As this time in the semester rolls around, it’s time for everyone to present one of those deliverables, an oral history project.\u00a0 As we wrapped up this task, I…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-83","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","category-research-methods"],"yoast_head":"\n