Where Historians Work: CLAC Infuses the U.S. History Classroom Dr. Suronda Gonzalez, Binghamton University Dr. Barbara Reeves Ellington, Siena College Cultures + Languages Across the Curriculum, 2008 October 15-17, 2008 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Where Historians Work Part I: Background CLAC Infuses the U.S. History Classroom

Where Historians Work A word on our title – Where Faculty Live: Internationalizing the Disciplines, ACE, American Historical Association American Political Science Association American Psychological Association Association of American Geographers

Where Historians Work 2000: La Pietra Report Project on Internationalizing the Study of American History – Comprehensive recommendations for the field – Spurred scholarship on U.S. embedded in context of global change “hour glass” phenomenon

Historians’ Work The History Teacher Series

Where Historians Work Not so much a matter of if internationalization is happening, but rather on the practicalities of how it is happening.

2004

Languages Across the Curriculum (LAC) – Georgetown University, LAC (Linked) – Binghamton University, LxC – St. Olaf, FLAC (linked, single instructor, & reading enhanced) Thomas Adams, “Beyond Language & Literature Departments” (2007)

CLAC Reinforces USE of “Foreign Language” Materials to Exercise latent language skills for meaningful academic use. Engage in historical analysis. Strengthen research skills and critical thinking abilities. Broaden conceptual frameworks of U.S. history – Interrogate inherent cultural components of U.S. history narrative (ex: the usual divide at 1877) Situate local & national in transnational context recognize the global forces shaping national history.

Where Historians Work Historians underestimate the far-reaching consequences CLAC strategies can have on their students and the field of U.S. history.

Additional Outcomes of CLAC strategies Democratizes learning by creating a collaborative learning environment for all (including the instructor). Underscores the need for revamping graduate education & professional training. – Faculty and TA exchanges Connects faculty research agenda (often international) into their undergraduate courses. – University of Iowa study Fosters continued language study & use. Emphasizes study abroad as an part of of the larger academic endeavor.

Where Historians Work How do CLAC ideas work in practice? What are students saying? How does CLAC serve the learning outcomes of the U.S. history classroom? How can CLAC strategies provide structure to student assignments to internationalize U.S. History?

Where Historians Work: CLAC Infuses the U.S. History Classroom Part II: How can CLAC strategies provide structure to student assignments to internationalize U.S. History?

CLAC Support at Siena No college-wide language requirement Globalization Studies – two semesters language – study abroad required History – two semesters language – study abroad encouraged

CLAC Builds Student Skills in History Build an incremental, multi-level program to improve student skills in awareness, research, analysis, language Focus on the C of CLAC: Few students have the skills to work with foreign-language sources Begin with international history to encourage students to gain transnational perspective

Level 1: 101 at the Movies Shaping of the Contemporary World Foreign-language films as introduction to 20 th -century History Objectives: Awareness Listen to foreign language Gain awareness of cultural connections and cultural difference Use discussions as starting point to pose research question Demonstrate awareness in semester-long assignment

Student Assessment: How Helpful Were the Movies in Stimulating Your Questions about History?

Students as Resources: Awareness I learned a lot about historical events that took place and the reasons for their happenings. One thing that I learned about that I never knew about was the Dirty War. I never knew about the military dictatorships that were in Latin America and violated the rights of so many civilians.

Level Two: American Immigration Transnational Perspectives on U.S. History Improve information literacy skills to locate non- American primary sources Incorporate non-American sources in research paper Gain confidence evaluating transnational perspectives Objective: Nuanced Consideration

Student/Faculty Assessment Highly motivated, above-average students – Appreciated multiple viewpoints – Uncomfortable using research databases – Frustrated by search failures – Failed to recognize appropriate “non-American” sources – Lacked confidence assessing located sources

CLAC Solution Develop partnership with Information Literacy Specialists to create “scenario approaches”

Level Three: U.S. Foreign Relations Multilingual Scholarship Objectives Engage with evidence from foreign-language sources Assess new interpretations of U.S. History Use foreign-language sources in research paper Challenges

Future CLAC Initiatives at Siena Interdisciplinary programs in History – Area Studies – Linked Courses Globalization Workshop – Modern languages – Information literacy

Where Historians Work: CLAC Infuses the U.S. History Classroom Dr. Suronda Gonzalez, Binghamton University Dr. Barbara Reeves Ellington, Siena College Cultures + Languages Across the Curriculum, 2008 October 15-17, 2008 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill