Comments on: Would You Rather http://www.robmacdougall.org/blog/2010/03/would-you-rather/ Rob MacDougall Dot Org Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:00:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Rob MacDougall http://www.robmacdougall.org/blog/2010/03/would-you-rather/#comment-6026 Rob MacDougall Fri, 10 Dec 2010 18:43:13 +0000 http://www.robmacdougall.org/?p=650#comment-6026 Hi Derek, Thanks for your comment, and for your link back in March! (Wow - time flies.) I have not ever used clickers myself, but I am curious about them. I have not, in the last few years, had a lecture class that seemed big enough to warrant the effort/expense of taking up the new technology. But I am always interested in ways of making large classes more interactive, so if I ever do get back into a really big class, clickers are something I will think about. I know that some people feel they are not well suited to humanities / social science classes where there is often no single "right answer." But I also imagine you would dispute that argument, and that you have talked about other ways to use the technology - as discussion prompts and so forth. I'm always curious about ways people use newer technology to teach history and other humanities subjects. Hi Derek,

Thanks for your comment, and for your link back in March! (Wow – time flies.)

I have not ever used clickers myself, but I am curious about them. I have not, in the last few years, had a lecture class that seemed big enough to warrant the effort/expense of taking up the new technology. But I am always interested in ways of making large classes more interactive, so if I ever do get back into a really big class, clickers are something I will think about. I know that some people feel they are not well suited to humanities / social science classes where there is often no single “right answer.” But I also imagine you would dispute that argument, and that you have talked about other ways to use the technology – as discussion prompts and so forth. I’m always curious about ways people use newer technology to teach history and other humanities subjects.

]]> By: Derek Bruff http://www.robmacdougall.org/blog/2010/03/would-you-rather/#comment-5723 Derek Bruff Sun, 05 Dec 2010 05:37:56 +0000 http://www.robmacdougall.org/?p=650#comment-5723 Have you ever used a classroom response system ("clickers"), Rob? These counterfactual questions would make fantastic clicker questions. <a href="http://derekbruff.com/teachingwithcrs/?p=548" rel="nofollow">I blogged about this</a> a while ago, but I'd be eager to hear your take on the idea. Have you ever used a classroom response system (“clickers”), Rob? These counterfactual questions would make fantastic clicker questions. I blogged about this a while ago, but I’d be eager to hear your take on the idea.

]]> By: “Best of…” Lists and Historical Thinking « The History Channel This Is Not… http://www.robmacdougall.org/blog/2010/03/would-you-rather/#comment-2600 “Best of…” Lists and Historical Thinking « The History Channel This Is Not… Sat, 04 Sep 2010 21:28:40 +0000 http://www.robmacdougall.org/?p=650#comment-2600 [...] of ranking reminded me of a post that Rob MacDougall wrote about engaging students in debates about “would you rather” and how these types of prompts can encourage very sophisticated, multi-faceted historical thinking [...] [...] of ranking reminded me of a post that Rob MacDougall wrote about engaging students in debates about “would you rather” and how these types of prompts can encourage very sophisticated, multi-faceted historical thinking [...]

]]> By: The Action Figure Curriculum http://www.robmacdougall.org/blog/2010/03/would-you-rather/#comment-1380 The Action Figure Curriculum Fri, 28 May 2010 13:12:28 +0000 http://www.robmacdougall.org/?p=650#comment-1380 [...] I talked about playing “Would You Rather” I touched on the tricky place of self-identification in history. For most professional [...] [...] I talked about playing “Would You Rather” I touched on the tricky place of self-identification in history. For most professional [...]

]]> By: Pastplay http://www.robmacdougall.org/blog/2010/03/would-you-rather/#comment-1379 Pastplay Wed, 05 May 2010 12:42:29 +0000 http://www.robmacdougall.org/?p=650#comment-1379 [...] played a little “Who Would Win“, a little “Would You Rather,” and a terrific round of “The Old New Liar’s Club,” all described in [...] [...] played a little “Who Would Win“, a little “Would You Rather,” and a terrific round of “The Old New Liar’s Club,” all described in [...]

]]> By: Rob http://www.robmacdougall.org/blog/2010/03/would-you-rather/#comment-1378 Rob Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:06:44 +0000 http://www.robmacdougall.org/?p=650#comment-1378 Lots of great comments here. Thanks, everyone. Bill: You said a mouthful. And fraught is right. The Forge was all atwitter a year or two ago for an RPG about escaped slaves. I understand it was done with good intentions and good taste, but I'm still not certain it would be my cup of tea. Then again, some of the things we DO choose to be historically playful about are a little squicky: aren't the #1 and #2 most popular alternate histories Confederacy-wins and Nazis-win? Jo: Yes. If doing any of this stuff in a classroom, set up and debriefing / discussion are the crucial steps, not to be overlooked. Lots of great comments here. Thanks, everyone.

Bill: You said a mouthful. And fraught is right. The Forge was all atwitter a year or two ago for an RPG about escaped slaves. I understand it was done with good intentions and good taste, but I’m still not certain it would be my cup of tea. Then again, some of the things we DO choose to be historically playful about are a little squicky: aren’t the #1 and #2 most popular alternate histories Confederacy-wins and Nazis-win?

Jo: Yes. If doing any of this stuff in a classroom, set up and debriefing / discussion are the crucial steps, not to be overlooked.

]]> By: Ho’od Win? Vikings vs. Samurai - Clickers and Counterfactual Thinking http://www.robmacdougall.org/blog/2010/03/would-you-rather/#comment-1377 Ho’od Win? Vikings vs. Samurai - Clickers and Counterfactual Thinking Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:41:58 +0000 http://www.robmacdougall.org/?p=650#comment-1377 [...] Rob MacDougall follow-up post, “Would You Rather,” features more counterfactual questions, ones that point students toward social history and [...] [...] Rob MacDougall follow-up post, “Would You Rather,” features more counterfactual questions, ones that point students toward social history and [...]

]]> By: Adam http://www.robmacdougall.org/blog/2010/03/would-you-rather/#comment-1376 Adam Sun, 14 Mar 2010 16:50:54 +0000 http://www.robmacdougall.org/?p=650#comment-1376 One should also ask themselves, "would I know where I originally came from, or would I have been born and grown up in one of these hypothetical places and times?" Ignorance is bliss. Living in any of your suggested hypotheticals with knowledge of the future would be frustrating, like even in 18th-century France there still weren't antiseptics and doctors weren't yet washing their hands. Maslow's hierarchy of needs [even though it wouldn't have been postulated until 1943] would still exist, it just wouldn't be on paper yet. Sure, it's not the be-all end-all of a measure of happiness but it's still food for thought. I can't help but think of the elders in Shyamalan's The Village [not the best movie ever made, but an excellent premise]; they knew where they came from but try as they might they weren't any happier going back in time. It goes in another direction as well, on one hand I can't help but think that if we had today's internet [Google 'n' Wikipedia] 20 years ago then I would have understood what I was studying in university much easier, though on the other hand I would have been easily distracted into wasting time on downloading music and porn. Kids these days, how do they possibly decide what they want to do with their lives, seeing as there's so many options and a global competition to deal with? If I _had_ to choose, I'd go with 18th century France. The music was pretty good, and french is the only other language I know. One should also ask themselves, “would I know where I originally came from, or would I have been born and grown up in one of these hypothetical places and times?” Ignorance is bliss. Living in any of your suggested hypotheticals with knowledge of the future would be frustrating, like even in 18th-century France there still weren’t antiseptics and doctors weren’t yet washing their hands. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs [even though it wouldn't have been postulated until 1943] would still exist, it just wouldn’t be on paper yet. Sure, it’s not the be-all end-all of a measure of happiness but it’s still food for thought. I can’t help but think of the elders in Shyamalan’s The Village [not the best movie ever made, but an excellent premise]; they knew where they came from but try as they might they weren’t any happier going back in time. It goes in another direction as well, on one hand I can’t help but think that if we had today’s internet [Google 'n' Wikipedia] 20 years ago then I would have understood what I was studying in university much easier, though on the other hand I would have been easily distracted into wasting time on downloading music and porn. Kids these days, how do they possibly decide what they want to do with their lives, seeing as there’s so many options and a global competition to deal with?

If I _had_ to choose, I’d go with 18th century France. The music was pretty good, and french is the only other language I know.

]]> By: Cory Gross http://www.robmacdougall.org/blog/2010/03/would-you-rather/#comment-1375 Cory Gross Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:04:49 +0000 http://www.robmacdougall.org/?p=650#comment-1375 I really like the idea of getting away from Boy's Own history... I finally just finished watching "Canada: A People's History", aka: French Canadians and the People Who Shot at Them. I'm also a little disturbed/disappointed, going into alt-history, about how much of Steampunk and how many Steampunk personas seem fixated on violence and weaponry. It's always air pirates and painted Nerf guns. Going with the "which would you rather..." nicely undermines it. Who would rather live in a warzone? One even gets a chance to discuss how generally awful war is, so that it can be properly factored in... "You want action? Where would you rather live: Nazi Germany, Civil War America, Roman-occupied Palestine or Warring States Japan?" I really like the idea of getting away from Boy’s Own history… I finally just finished watching “Canada: A People’s History”, aka: French Canadians and the People Who Shot at Them. I’m also a little disturbed/disappointed, going into alt-history, about how much of Steampunk and how many Steampunk personas seem fixated on violence and weaponry. It’s always air pirates and painted Nerf guns.

Going with the “which would you rather…” nicely undermines it. Who would rather live in a warzone? One even gets a chance to discuss how generally awful war is, so that it can be properly factored in… “You want action? Where would you rather live: Nazi Germany, Civil War America, Roman-occupied Palestine or Warring States Japan?”

]]> By: Monica http://www.robmacdougall.org/blog/2010/03/would-you-rather/#comment-1374 Monica Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:00:49 +0000 http://www.robmacdougall.org/?p=650#comment-1374 This is a fantastic idea! As JoVE said above, questions like this get students to think about the details of history in ways that they don't usually, blending the cultural, material, demographic, religious, and political dimensions of history in unexpected ways, so that they can see the whole "world" of a place and time. They also can learn all the skills I (and probably many of us) are committed to teaching in history courses: things like using primary sources analytically and crafting compelling, *debatable* arguments supported by creative use of those primary sources. Sometimes at the intro level it seems like we must make a choice between prompts that teach big-picture historical thinking and those that teach interpretive, analytical understanding; counterfactuals like this might give us a way to teach both. I'm already thinking about how I could play with a question like this in my World Civ classes! This is a fantastic idea! As JoVE said above, questions like this get students to think about the details of history in ways that they don’t usually, blending the cultural, material, demographic, religious, and political dimensions of history in unexpected ways, so that they can see the whole “world” of a place and time. They also can learn all the skills I (and probably many of us) are committed to teaching in history courses: things like using primary sources analytically and crafting compelling, *debatable* arguments supported by creative use of those primary sources. Sometimes at the intro level it seems like we must make a choice between prompts that teach big-picture historical thinking and those that teach interpretive, analytical understanding; counterfactuals like this might give us a way to teach both. I’m already thinking about how I could play with a question like this in my World Civ classes!

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