Engaging Students through Reacting to the Past: Active Learning in the College Classroom

Document Type

Lecture

Publication Date

11-6-2025

Abstract

Are you looking for powerful ways to engage students, deepen critical thinking, and foster communication skills? In this workshop, Dr. DiBiasie-Sammons will introduce participants to Reacting to the Past (RTTP), an immersive, role-playing pedagogy that pushes students out of their comfort zones and into the shoes (or sandals!) of historical figures. Students debate, scheme, strategize, and lead their way through pivotal moments in history. This interactive session will cover the fundamentals of Reacting to the Past including its pedagogical goals, classroom structure, and implementation strategies. Dr. DiBiasie-Sammons will also share survey data on its self-reported effectiveness in her own classes. But we won’t just talk about RTTP — participants will experience a short gameplay session and explore how Reacting can be adapted across a wide range of disciplines. Whether your field is science, math, history, or the arts, there’s a game for you. Come ready to play, reflect, and reimagine what learning can look like.

Relational Format

presentation

Comments

This event was held in Library 103. Jackie Dibiasie-Sammons is an Associate Professor of Classics.

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