Blogs > Cliopatria > How is History Doing at Teaching with Technology?

Nov 11, 2008

How is History Doing at Teaching with Technology?


by Cliopatria


Are history faculty stuck in the pedagogy of the past or have they embraced new technologies in their teaching?

The upcoming generation of historians is probably more tech savvy than their predecessors. However, among tenured faculty, history professors are really behind the curve. Data from the 2004 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty demonstrates that, in comparison to their colleagues in other disciplines, tenured history faculty are comparatively unlikely to use technology in their classrooms and teaching. The following figures list the proportion of tenured faculty in each discipline who use both web sites and e-mail in their classes:


  • Computer sciences: 73.75%

  • Business: 63.12%

  • Engineering: 57.68%

  • Economics: 56.87%

  • Political science: 56.43%

  • Teacher education: 54.88%

  • Physical sciences: 52%

  • Mathematics: 50.59%

  • Foreign languages: 48.71%

  • Philosophy and religion: 47.41%

  • Communications: 47.24%

  • Nursing: 46.29%

  • Other social sciences: 45.75%

  • Agriculture and home economics: 45.46%

  • Psychology: 44.6%

  • Biological sciences: 44.58%

  • Other education: 44.4%

  • Law: 44.37%

  • All other programs: 43.03%

  • English and literature: 42.86%

  • Sociology: 42.66%

  • Occupationally specific programs: 41.03%

  • Other health sciences: 40.67%

  • History: 39.13%

  • Fine arts: 33.4%

  • First-professional health sciences: 26.03%



Why is history almost at the bottom of this list? Are tenured history faculty that resistant to new technologies? Or do they primarily envision technology as a tool for their research and writing, and not as something that will transform their teaching?

If you are a tenured history faculty who feels technologically challenged or illiterate, please do not despair. I have a web site that can help you. It is the Center for History and New Media. Best wishes with your foray into new technologies. You will likely find your teaching and research enriched by the experience.

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More Comments:

mary lili jory - 8/17/2009

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Sterling Fluharty - 11/11/2008

Tanya, thanks for the note. I am glad to hear of your involvement. I like your idea for future posts. I will pull some together also.

Tanya L. Roth - 11/11/2008

Sterling, this is a great topic. I'm currently one of the instructors for my school's annual *grad student* workshop on teaching with technology, which is a fantastic offering. Our faculty, however, seem to fall in the stats you provided.

Maybe some blog posts on *how* people have applied technology in the classroom would be interesting. I've got some examples I could pull.