20 People to Know in History and Social Studies Education

Rather than recommending a specific bibliography of works worth reading, I find it easier to recommend historians and social studies educators whose works I have found useful. This is especially true in recent years, as "works" are often in the form of websites, lesson plans, MOOCs, blogs, and tweets, not just traditional books and articles. 

I have been compiling names over the last three years, and I am now finally getting around to sharing it publicly, in no particular order. While the majority teach social studies education at the university level, others are university history professors, high school teachers, or education consultants.  I should also add a disclaimer that the inclusion of a particular individual in this list does not mean I agree with or endorse every opinion they express. My list is by no means exhaustive or conclusive, and I am always open to suggestions.  Who do you follow?  

Click on the names below for academic homepages or personal websites or follow the Twitter handles indicated.

1. Sam Wineburg, Stanford University, is the nation's leading guru in the field of historical thinking. His work with the Stanford History Education Group includes the Reading Like a Historian curriculum and Beyond the Bubble assessments.  Twitter handle: @samwineburg
   
   
2. Bob Bain, University of Michigan, is also well-known in historical thinking circles. More recently, he has taken a leading role in the Big History project. Twitter handle: @bain_bob
   
   
3. Chauncey Monte-Sano, University of Michigan, earned her Ph.D. in the Stanford History Education program, and has co-authored works with Sam Wineburg.  She is an expert in historical thinking and writing.  Twitter handle: @chaunceyUM
   
   
4. Alan Singer, Hofstra University, is the author of the popular methods textbook, Social Studies for Secondary Schools. His website also includes a free world history curriculum and lessons on race, class, and gender.  
   
   
5. James Loewen, The Catholic University of America, is a sociologist who writes critiques of American history textbooks and historic sites.  Twitter handle: @JamesWLoewen
   
   
6. Kyle Ward, St. Cloud State University, brings old textbooks back to life by focusing on historiography and the changing narratives of American history throughout American history.
   
   
7. Linda Levstik, University of Kentucky, is author of Doing History and provides expertise in teaching and learning of history, especially in elementary school. 
   
   
8. Bruce Van Sledwright, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, specializes in assessment of historical thinking and elementary social studies instruction. 
   
   
9. Keith Barton, Indiana University, emphasizes the role of history and social studies in democratic decision-making. He is co-author (with Linda Levstik) of Doing History and Teaching History for the Common Good.   He also offers thoughtful insights on using primary sources effectively.  Twitter handle: @kcbarton
   
   
10. Peter Seixas, University of British Columbia, is an expert in historical thinking, collective memory, and historical consciousness.   He is the author of The Big Six Historical Thinking Concepts, the foundation of Canada's Historical Thinking Project.  
    
    
11. Bruce Lesh, Maryland Department of Education, is a former high school social studies teacher in Baltimore County, Maryland. Lesh became a folk hero among history teachers with the publication of "Why Won't You Just Tell Us the Answer?"  Twitter handle: @BruceLesh
    
    
12. Fritz Fischer, University of Northern Colorado, is Chair Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of the National Council for History Education.  He teaches U.S. History and  social studies education.  His book, The Memory  Hole, critiques efforts by "anti-historians" to insert their vision of American history into classrooms.  
    
    
13. Kathy Swan,  University of Kentucky, is one of the lead writers of the College, Career, and Civic Life Framework. She also writes about creating documentaries in the k-12 social studies classroom. 
    
    
14. Lendol Calder, Augustana College, is leading efforts to remake the undergraduate history survey class, moving from models of coverage to models of uncoverage, and creating a signature pedagogy for history. 
    
    
15. Dave Burgess, Burgess Consulting,  is the author of Teaching Like a Pirate and a dynamic speaker at conferences and workshops across the country.   Twitter handle: @burgessdave
    
    
16. Peter Pappas, University of Portland,  teaches Social Studies Methods to pre-service teachers.  His website showcases DBQs and other works that his students publish through iTunes.  Twitter handle: @edteck
    
    
17. Dan McDowell, Grossmont Union HSD, is a former history teacher turned EdTech guru.  His websites offer classroom resources for World and U.S. History, as well strategies (and examples)  for incorporating educational technology in the social studies classroom.  Twitter handle: @danmcdowell
    
    
18. Hasan Jeffries, The Ohio State University, teaches African-American History with emphasis on the civil rights movement.  He has been a longtime friend to educators in my school district, presenting numerous sessions for our Teaching American History programs. 
    
    
19. Mark Grimsley, The Ohio State University, teaches American military history with a specialization in the Civil War. I was privileged to take his Civil War and Reconstruction class as an undergraduate, and his passionate approach to the reconstructing the past greatly influenced my own style of teaching.  High school teachers may also find his work on counterfactual history to be a useful tool.  Twitter handle: @MarkGrimsley
    
    
20. John Fea, Messiah College, is a historian who specializes in the history of Christianity in America. Fea fights through the culture wars to present a balanced look at the role of Christianity in America, especially in the American founding.  Twitter handle: @John Fea1

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