THE FUTURE: Big History is an unfinished story, and the study of history inevitably leads to the future. So what’s next? Students join some of the world’s great thinkers to try and predict the next threshold. Even experts don’t have all the answers. Sometimes they don’t even know which questions to ask. What do you think the most important unanswered question might be?
Big History and Global H2O are evidence of an educational shift. Warsaw describes it as a “transition from thinking of ourselves as purveyors of context to developers of essential skills.” In this new model, “having the right answer is not as important as asking good questions.” Elements), for example, covers how new points of view pave the way for progress. The previous unit, The Big Bang, set the stage for the notion that theory is a product of conjecture, exploration, experimentation, and constant revision. During class, students explored the differences between alchemy and chemistry and how Mendeleev’s Periodic Table came to be embraced by the scientific community. Each student was then assigned an element from the table, and asked to write an essay—or “little big history”— on his or her element, exploring its origins, historical context, and uses over time. The assignment criteria were demanding and specific, but directive and compelling as well: Students were asked to tell a story about their element rather than just regurgitate a list of facts and known quantities. Each student needed to consider where his or her element originated, what its properties were, how and when it was discovered, how its uses have evolved, and what its human significance has been. They were called on to analyze perspectives, draw conclusions, make comparisons, evaluate impact, and consider ethical, environmental, and/or moral implications surrounding the uses of their elements. Nina, for example, was assigned aluminum, once considered more valuable than gold. Her paper explored, in part, the advent of an economically viable way of unbinding aluminum and how this impacted its value and industrial uses.
Along with encouraging each student to develop an inquisitive and creative mind, sound body, and strong moral character, Deerfield’s goal is to prepare them for leadership in a world that requires global understanding; to this end, there is no doubt that understanding that tradition, heritage, and history are dynamic forces not confined to the past is crucial. Everything about Big History seems serendipitously designed around these goals—helping students consider how the miniscule fits into the grandeur of creation, and how we, as humans, factor into the larger universe, as well as how we want to fit into our own societies. For Lucas, this means he has learned that “things are not as simple as they appear to be. Species have an opportunity to change; I have an opportunity to change. . .” For Heidi Valk, teaching this course is an opportunity to be part of a class that is “leading us into the future,” and Conrad Pitcher would leave his students with this thought: “Good, sound, critical thinking knows no disciplinary bounds, but highlights our commonality. Big History gives students who are young in their Deerfield careers a wonderful introduction to becoming independent learners.” ••
Sarah Connor is a burgeoning freelance writer and blogger who lives in Amherst, MA. Her idols are Tom Robbins and anyone who can keep a plant alive. timeline & icons: bighistoryproject.com
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