In our first unit 'Paths of Innovation' we will be exploring the history of manned flight from early pioneers in the nineteenth century through the end of World War I in 1918.
For each unit in the course we will approach events and developments through the biographical experiences of various individuals, and occasionally through the 'biography' or development of a technology. Doing so helps remind us of historical contingency--the sense that there are many paths forward and outcomes or pathways only seem evident when we look back with the benefit of hindsight.
Learning history through individual lived experiences also personalizes the historical narrative, reminding us that human agency and action by just one person can significantly impact the world around us. We must be resilient, creative, and curious to achieve goals and overcome problems.
By the end of unit 1, students will:
demonstrate familiarity with the course themes of resiliency, innovation, and historical memory while introducing themselves to our learning community.
research the development of one technology, or the process of innovation for one person, that was instrumental to aviation's progression to successful manned flight or growth between 1800 and 1940.
create a presentation for the class based on their individual research, historical context from course materials, appropriate research methodologies for the field of history.
The syllabus breaks down the readings and assignments due each week of the unit. You will find that mirrored below, along with the specific links for the "course modules" listed in the syllabus. I encourage you to review these modules first, as they provide some context and structure to help you understand the specifics addressed in the readings.
Wings prologue and pp. 35-70
The Science Behind Flight module
Technology: The Wing module
Wings pp. 80-90, 95-113
Early Pioneers module
The Wright Brothers module
Wings pp. 124-45, 151-194
World War I and Aviation module
Remember to go to our course in Blackboard to submit all of your assignments for this course.
The assignment instructions are included here to facilitate your ability to work on them outside of the Blackboard environment. Hopefully this Google site makes it easier for you to review course materials on any device you choose, and to complete lessons or tasks individually throughout the week.
Discussion and replies (due 8/26) - instructions are available in Blackboard.
Research Proposal (due 9/9)