230576 Teaching and Learning in American Studies (S) (SoSe 2008)

This course will explore the development of academic American studies from the perspective of teaching and learning. We will analyze key texts in the field (from early American Civilization programs to international American culture studies), paying particular attention to how approaches to American literatures and cultures inform theory and practice of learning. Does American studies have "signature pedagogies" (Lee Shulman), what impact might new media pedagogies have on teaching, and how has critical theory informed the way literary and cultural fields get reproduced in the classroom? In addition to readings and discussion, this course will also examine real world teaching and learning contexts. Students will have the opportunity to develop projects in line with their interests, including teaching in higher education, secondary education, community-based teaching, and digital and multimedia pedagogies.