Upcoming Events:

January 4-7, 2024 - AHA Annual Meeting in San Francisco

• What K-12 Teachers Want Us to Know about Our Entering Students: A Report from the AHA "History Gateways" Project. Thursday, January 4, 3:30-5 p.m. Program info
• Gateway History Courses in Cross-Disciplinary and Institutional Contexts. Saturday, January 6, 8:30-10 a.m. Program info
• See also the many sessions, workshops, and events in this year's Teaching and Learning Guide.

Recent Events:

January 5-8, 2023 - AHA Annual Meeting in Philadelphia

During the annual meeting in Philadelphia, the AHA will be hosting several sessions on introductory history and two charrettes: an Assignment Charrette and a Grading Writing Charrette. For more information, view the AHA's guide to Teaching and Learning at AHA23.
September 16-17, 2022 - 2022 Texas Conference on Introductory History Courses

The 2022 Texas Conference on Introductory History Courses was held Friday, September 16 and Saturday, September 17, at Texas A&M University-San Antonio. This two-day, statewide conference was for anyone who teaches college-level introductory history courses whether in high schools, community colleges, or four-year universities, and others with an interest in the courses.

April 8, 2022 - Virtual Assignment Charrette

The AHA hosted a virtual assignment charrette in the spring of 2022 via Zoom.

January 6-9, 2022 - AHA Annual Meeting in New Orleans

The AHA hosted several sessions on introductory history courses and an Assignment Charrette at our 2022 annual meeting in New Orleans. For more information, view the AHA's guide to Teaching and Learning at AHA22.

October 18-23, 2021 - 2021 Texas Conference on Introductory History Courses

The 2021 Texas Conference on Introductory History Courses met online in the fall of 2021. We held two plenary webinars and six facilitated discussions by course topic, for anyone who teaches college-level introductory history courses whether in high schools, community colleges, or four-year universities, and others with an interest in the courses.

February 18, 2021 - History Gateways: What I'm Doing Differently in My History Introductory Course

"History Gateways" challenges historians to redesign introductory courses to better serve student success, persistence, retention, and completion. Panelists will briefly discuss new strategies they have developed to address Gateway's goals of equity and social justice--and learn from audience members of the changes they have made in foundational classes.

April 23, 2020 - History Gateways Webinar: "The Unwritten Rules of College: Creating Transparent Assignments that Increase History Students' Success Equitably"

The new incoming majority student population in US higher education is increasingly diverse, multi-generational and non-traditional, and faculty must provide equitable educational opportunities for a broad variety of learners in each college course. An AAC&U study of students' learning at seven Minority-Serving Institutions identifies transparent instruction as a replicable teaching intervention that significantly enhances students' success, with greater gains for historically underserved students (Winkelmes et al., 2016). Transparent instruction shows great promise for increasing the confidence, sense of belonging, persistence and success of first-generation, low-income and ethnically underrepresented students (Winkelmes et al., 2019; Gianoutsos et al., 2016). In this webinar, we will review the findings as well as educational research behind the concept of transparent teaching/learning. Then we will analyze sample history assignments together. Participants will leave with a concise set of strategies for designing transparent assignments and class activities in history courses that promote students' success equitably. This webinar will be hosted by Dr. Mary-Ann Winkelmes (Brandeis Univ.) and is scheduled for April 23, 2020 at 11:00 AM ET. AHA members can view a recording of the webinar here. 

April 21, 2020 - History Gateways Webinar: Uncoverage

When history is "covered," what gets covered up? Often it is disciplinary thinking, the signature concepts and competencies used by historians to create and assess knowledge. This webinar explores what happens when a professor replaces coverage in the introductory course with activities and assignments that uncover crucial heuristics of historical thinking. Lendol Calder will describe the signature pedagogy he uses in introductory history courses to prepare all students to think and act in the world. This webinar is scheduled for April 21, 2020 at 2:00 PM ET. AHA members can view a recording of the webinar here. 

March 20, 2020 - Gardner Institute Gateways to Completion Community of Practice Meeting

History Gateways faculty and AHA staff will attend the Gateways to Completion Community of Practice Meeting before the Gardner Institute's Gateway Course Experience Conference in Chicago.

March 21-22, 2020 - Gardner Institute Teaching and Learning Academy / Evidence in Pedagogy and Curriculum Launch Meetings

History Gateways faculty and AHA staff will attend the Teaching and Learning Academy and Evidence in Pedagogy and Curriculum Launch Meetings before the Gardner Institute's Gateway Course Experience Conference in Chicago.

March 22-24, 2020 - 2020 Gateway Course Experience Conference in Chicago, IL

AHA staff and History Gateways faculty will join the Gardner Institute at their Gateway Course Experience Conference to connect with other educators and further their understanding of curriculum redesign.

February 27, 2020 - History Gateways Webinar on Helping Students Learn from Feedback in History Courses

In this webinar, hosts Dr. Mary Jo Festle and Dr. Peter Felten will discuss practical and evidence-informed approaches to providing feedback in ways that will help students learn in history courses. The webinar will talk about designing assignments and exams that will challenge and engage students but won't overwhelm instructors with grading. The discussion will address the ways that feedback can cultivate - or undercut - student motivation and belonging. This webinar is scheduled for February 27, 2020 at 3:00 PM ET. AHA members can view a recording of the webinar here. 

January 22-25, 2020 - AAC&U Annual Meeting Roundtable "Introductory Courses as Hurdles: Jumping or Removing?"

AHA and Gardner Institute staff and History Gateways faculty will host a roundtable conversation that will explore the current landscape of introductory courses in history, including recent innovations in teaching and learning in history, and give an overview of the AHA's and Gardner Institute's work with eleven institutions in the New York, Chicago, and Houston metro areas.

January 8, 2020 - History Gateways Webinar on Course Redesign and the Tricky Work of Questioning Assumptions 

This webinar will challenge participants to begin the process of questioning their underlying assumptions of what constitutes college level teaching of history. Examining the difference between the notion of gate keeping versus teaching this session will initiate conversations about how our personal histories in higher education may hinder our ability to think through innovative or tested methods of teaching students to be successful. The webinar will be hosted by Dr. Trinidad Gonzalez (South Texas College) on Wednesday, January 8, 2020 at 2:00PM ET and is open to all who are interested. AHA members can view a recording of the webinar here. 

January 3-6, 2020 - AHA 2020 Annual Meeting in New York City

The AHA will host several sessions on introductory history courses and a K-16 Teaching Workshop: Assignments Charrette. Click here to view the AHA's guide to Teaching and Learning at AHA20.

November 19, 2019 - History Gateways Webinar on Assessment and Evaluation

The AHA's History Gateways initiative is excited to offer a webinar on assessment and evaluation in introductory history courses, hosted by veteran Tuner Dr. Nancy Quam-Wickham (CSU Long Beach). This webinar is open to all who are interested and is scheduled for Tuesday, November 19 at 3:00 PM Eastern Time. AHA members can view a recording of the webinar here. 

September 24, 2019 - History Gateways Webinar: Strategies and Advice for Engaging Colleagues

Dr. Jayme Feagin and Dr. Dan McInerney will host the first in a series of webinars related to introductory history courses. The webinar will be open to history faculty involved at one of the eleven History Gateways institutions or at one of the other current G2C institutions. The presenters will discuss strategies and advice for constructively engaging colleagues.

September 20-21, 2019 - 2019 Texas Conference on Introductory History Courses

The American Historical Association is happy to announce that the 2019 Texas Conference on Introductory History Courses will be held on Friday and Saturday, September 20-21 at the University of Texas at Dallas.  This two-day, statewide conference was for anyone who teaches college-level introductory history courses whether in high schools, community colleges, or four-year universities, and others with an interest in the courses.

April 30, 2019 - History Gateways Regional Launch Meeting in Houston, TX

Julia Brookins, special projects coordinator, Emily Swafford, director of academic and professional affairs, and staff from the Gardner Institute met with faculty and staff at four institutions in the Houston area to launch the History Gateways initiative.

April 12, 2019 - History Gateways Regional Launch Meeting in the New York Metro Area

Jim Grossman, executive director, Emily Swafford, director of academic and professional affairs, and staff from the Gardner Institute met with faculty and staff from three institutions in the NY Metro area to launch the History Gateways initiative.

April 10, 2019 - History Gateways Regional Launch Meeting in Chicago, IL

Jim Grossman, executive director, Julia Brookins, special projects coordinator, and staff from the Gardner Institute met with faculty and staff from four institutions in the Chicago area to launch the History Gateways initiative.

March 16-19, 2019 - 2019 Gateway Course Experience Conference in Atlanta, GA

History Gateways faculty and AHA staff participated in the Gateway Course Experience Conference in Atlanta hosted by the Gardner Institute.

January 3-6, 2019 - Informal Faculty Meet-Up at AHA 2019 Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL

AHA and Gardner staff met with faculty and staff at the 11 institutions involved in History Gateways to discuss the next stages of the project.