On Course – History

Back to Table of Contents for the On Course I Workshop

1.Strategy: Jigsaw, Creator/Victim, Emotional Intelligence, and Wise-Choice Process

Application: World History

Educator: Christopher Libertini, Faculty, History, Dominican College, NY

Implementation: Use this multi-step activity when teaching the rise of Nazi Germany and World War II.

1. Review the post-WWI crises in Germany
2. Have students read They Thought They Were Free by Milton Mayer.
3. Introduce three On Course concepts: A) Creator/Victim B) Emotional Intelligence and C) the Wise Choice Process.
4. Set up Jigsaw teams of three.
   1. The first expert on each team applies the Creator/Victim concept to the situation in post-WWI Germany.
   2. The second expert applies emotional intelligence to the situation in post WWI Germany.
   3. The third expert applies the Wise Choice Process to the situation in post WWI Germany, identifying and analyzing errors that were made at critical forks in the road and proposing wiser choices that could have been made.
5. Expert groups meet to discuss their topic.
6. Once back in home groups, each home group (using the concepts of Creator/Victim, Emotional Intelligence, and the Wise Choice Process) discusses how WWII could have been averted and the course of history changed.
7. Each home group presents its thesis to the whole class.

2. Strategy: Monthly Calendar

Application: This strategy can be used in any class that has homework assignments and or tests

Educator: Diane Raines, Faculty, English, Roane State Community College, TN

Implementation: Along with a syllabus, I give my students a “tentative schedule” that has all the dates the class meets. For each day the class meets, the schedule I provide lists assignments due and what we will be doing in class that day. I give students a monthly calendar for each month the class meets and have them fill in, using a certain color of ink (e.g., green), when assignments are due in my class. I have them complete this task during class so that I know they are doing it. I then recommend that they fill out their monthly calendars for the rest of their classes, using a different color ink for each additional class.

3. Strategy: Inner Qualities That Enhance Success/Affirmation/Tracking Form

Application: History

Educator: Eva Mo, Faculty, History, Modesto Junior College, CA

Implementation: Do this the first day of class so students will feel free to choose any person from any time or place.

1. Have students choose a famous person in history (alive or dead) who is successful, whom they admire, and whom they would like to emulate.
2. Have students list the inner qualities that make/made that person successful and admirable.
3. Group students, and have them share and compare qualities and analyze why certain traits are common and necessary to successful, admirable, and famous people. (Students can add to their list of qualities here.)
4. Have students create affirmations–choose 3 qualities they would like to have more of.
5. Have students create tracking list for history class work (due dates, study, reading, discussion groups…).
6. Top left have students put the name of their famous person.
7. Top right–using their own names, write affirmation to themselves.
8. By next class have students print a picture of their famous person and stick it on the top left.
9. At the beginning of every class, have students share how they are doing regarding their goals on their tracking form.
10. On the back of the sheet, the students research their famous person and demonstrate those qualities on a weekly basis.

This activity can be used for both live and online formats.

4. Strategy: Wise Choice Process & Fork in the Road

Application: History

Educator: Mary Buggie-Hunt, Faculty, History, Cayuga Community College, NY

Implementation: Identify an historical “fork in the road” (such as the decision to build the atomic bomb). Ask students to use the On Course Wise Choice Process to determine whether or not the decision made was a wise choice. Students do the following:

1. Define the initial problem (i.e. the Fork)
2. Explain what they would prefer as the desirable outcome
3. Brainstorm all the other possible choices
4. Discuss the probably outcomes for each one
5. Commit to one choice
6. Assess their choice against the historical choice actually made.

5. Strategy: Jigsaw

Application: History-Citing Sources

Educator: Kisha King, Faculty, History, Eastern Florida State College, FL

Implementation: After giving an introductory lecture on types of sources used in the field of history and how to properly cite those sources, form student home groups of three. Students choose to be the home group’s expert in defining and citing 1) primary sources, 2) secondary sources, and 3) Chicago style of citing. After completing the Jigsaw, label each student as a “peer expert” in their area and other students can seek them out for help in citing sources during the remainder of the semester.