We are pleased to announce that the AHA will be holding an assignments charrette during the Undergraduate Teaching Workshop at the 131st annual meeting in Denver, Colorado. Please consider submitting an assignment to participate in this special workshop. We welcome assignments for undergraduate courses at all levels and in any field (specialization), especially introductory history courses. Anyone with a valued teaching assignment or a brand-new one that would benefit from in-depth review and discussion with faculty from other institutions should consider applying.

Date and Time

Friday, January 6, 2017, 9:00 a.m., Hyatt Regency Denver, Mineral Hall A

Workshop Description

The 3-hour workshop will begin with a short orientation; the bulk of the time will be reserved for participants to work in small groups with a facilitator and offer in-depth feedback on each other's assignments.  Each participant will have a few minutes to introduce his/her submitted assignment(s) and request particular help with problems or aspects of designing or implementing it and/or with assessing students' work. The expectation is that participants will use feedback to revise their assignments for the future. Participants will reconvene at the end of the period to discuss the lessons from all groups.

Eligibility

All part- or full-time faculty members, including dual-enrollment instructors, or graduate students with responsibility for teaching one or more undergraduate collegiate-level history courses are eligible.

Submission Process

If you wish to participate, identify the assignment you wish to use and fill out the attached application form (PDF). Submissions must include one assignment that you have used in an undergraduate history course. The assignment should be linked to at least one learning outcome or proficiency that is important to your general education curriculum and/or history department. Assignments covering a range of innovative and creative activities are welcomed. Assignments of research papers or other individual writing assignments within the context of introductory courses are included. To apply, email the following materials to tuning@historians.org with the subject heading "Assignments Charrette."

1. your completed application form (PDF); and
2. a copy of the assignment (in the form that you present it to students) that you propose to work on, along with any rubric or set of criteria used to evaluate it

Applications must be received by Friday, November 11, 2016.  Notifications will be made by November 21.

Participant Responsibility

Participants will be expected to read thoroughly and review around four other assignments, and to offer constructive feedback, including a written feedback form, during the workshop.

Criteria for Selection

A committee will evaluate applications based on the clarity of the assignment and instructions, the fit between the stated proficiencies and the assignment, and its appropriateness in the context of the course and its students. Selected participants will show a genuine interest in student learning. We seek participants who teach at a variety of institutions that serve different missions and student populations, especially institutions where there are likely to be other faculty members interested in ongoing, collaborative, curricular work. Applicants need not be at institutions that are participating in Tuning or the Degree Qualifications Profile (DQP) initiatives.

Accepted applicants will receive $200 to help defray meeting expenses, as well as a formal letter of invitation to present at the AHA annual meeting.

Please address all questions to Elizabeth Elliott, AHA Program Assistant, at eelliott@historians.org.