American History: Early Settlement to the Reagan Presidency - Julian Roberts

Course aim

The course offers an introduction to the main themes, political, economic and social, of the history of the United States.

Do I need any particular skills or experience?

• You will need your own personal email address so that you’re able to login to the WEA’s digital learning platform: WEA Canvas. You will need to be able to understand how to follow URL links to pages on the internet. If you want to understand more about Canvas please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline
• You will need to be able to follow links to join our WEA live video learning platform: WEA Zoom. If you’d like to understand more about our video learning platform, Zoom please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline and http://bit.ly/ZoomSpec
• This course is for a group of around 15 students studying in a live video-learning platform conference and an online digital learning environment platform from the comfort of your own home.
• This is a live lecture delivered by a subject specialist in an online webinar video learning platform. You will need to be able to access the internet on a device with speakers or earphones. There will be opportunities to take part in discussions and chats. If you’d like to know how to use Zoom please visit: http://bit.ly/ZoomSpec
• No skills or experience needed
• This course is suitable for beginners and improvers

By the end of the course I should be able to:

• Describe in outline the narrative history of the United States from the original settlements to the Reagan Presidency.
• Explain how the Constitution was created and adapted to the needs of an expanding country.
• Understand the part played by slavery in the Civil War and its continuing impact beyond abolition.
• Describe the shifts and turns in American foreign policy, with particular emphasis on the twentieth century.

How will I be taught?

• The WEA’s digital learning platform, Canvas will be used to provide resources or to support lessons, enable assessment, provide learner feedback and for other activities for individuals away from the course. If you want to understand more about our digital learning platform please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline
• The WEA tutor will use a range of different teaching and learning methods and encourage you and the group to be actively involved in your learning

What kind of feedback can I expect?

• A range of informal activities will be used by the tutor to see what you are learning which may include quizzes, question and answer, small projects and discussion
• You will be encouraged to share your work with the group and discuss your learning

What else do I need to know?

• What you need: You will need an internet connection, speakers, a microphone and a webcam so that you can use our video learning platform, Zoom. If you’d like to understand more Zoom please visit: http://bit.ly/ZoomSpec
• You will also need access to the internet outside of your sessions. You could do this using a smart phone, tablet, laptop or a desktop computer (at home or through a library etc.).
• You will need a personal email address to join the WEA’s digital learning platform, Canvas so that you can receive resources, record your progress and achievement and to work with others and share ideas. If you want to understand more about our digital learning platform please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline

Pre-course work, reading and information sources

• No pre reading is required but research on the subject on the internet or in the library may be helpful

What can I do next?

• Progress to another WEA course
• Progress to a course with another provider
• Become involved with the WEA in a range of voluntary work and other activities including campaigning as a WEA member
• Become involved as a volunteer for a WEA partner or another organisation