In case you do not know who I am speaking of, here is the information section on him from
ColumbiaX:
Eric Foner, DeWitt Clinton
Professor of History at Columbia University, is one of the most prominent
historians in the United States. He is one of only two persons to serve as
president of the three major professional organizations: the American Historical
Association, Organization of American Historians, and Society of American
Historians. His most recent book, Gateway To Freedom: The Hidden History of the
Underground Railroad, is available wherever books are sold.
Professor Foner is the author or
editor of over twenty books. His publications have concentrated on the
intersections of intellectual, political and social history and the history of
American race relations. His most recent book The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln
and American Slavery (2010), was awarded the Bancroft Prize, Pulitzer Prize for
History, and The Lincoln Prize. He is also the author of Give Me Liberty: An
American History, a widely-used survey textbook of U. S. history published by
W. W. Norton and Co. Additionally, he is the recipient of the Presidential
Award for Outstanding Teaching from Columbia University. As co-curator of two
award-winning historical exhibitions, and through frequent appearances in
newspapers and magazines and on radio and television discussion programs, he
has also endeavored to bring historical knowledge to a broad public outside the
university.
This series began on September 17,
2014 with Dr. Foner rolling out the first lectures and questions. The first
course was ten weeks in length and dealt with the Antebellum period of American
History. We covered the Compromise of 1850, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the
politics of the era, the economics of slavery and industrialism, popular sovereignty,
Bleeding Kansas, Dred Scott, John Brown, and many more people, events, and
groups during this journey. Discussion posts got quite lively as you can imagine.
Champions of the Lost Cause made their appearance in the first few weeks, but succumbed
to the onslaught of facts.
These
discussions also surprisingly featured active participation from Eric Foner and
the teaching assistants. These assistants were Foner’s grad students at
Columbia. Unlike other MOOCs I’ve taken, this crew was all over the boards
directing the discussion. I found this to be simply outstanding as it made the
difference between chaotic boards and factual based conversations. The
aforementioned Lost Causers were not happy that their myths were exploded in
their faces as Foner and the staff rained down facts upon them. I personally
was delighted. Only a few dedicated diehards stuck through the first course and
only one that I know of made it through all three. His attempts to insert
modern politics into the past were amusing though repetitive this last eight
months. 
The
second and third courses covered the Civil War itself and the Reconstruction
era. Reconstruction is one of the most misunderstood periods of American
History and my grasp of it was nowhere near as good as it needed to be. This
course took care of that. I really hope that as we move through the next two
decades historians will press the factual history of Reconstruction and
eradicate the fiction that has surrounded it for a century. I plan to make this
period an integral part of this fall’s American History from 1865 course
because of the way Reconstruction affected most aspects of our history.
The
second course ran eight weeks from December 1st to February 20th
and the third one nine weeks from February 25th until now. It has
been a long and rewarding eight months. The chance to study with a master
historian like Eric Foner comes along rarely. To take this particular series
with him in this, the last time he taught this course in his career was a once
in a lifetime opportunity. I am working on my doctoral study and courses at
Walden University along with developing and teaching three courses in Hannibal
for Moberly Area Community College and working a part time job. Yet, I made a commitment
to take these courses because it was literally a once-in-a-lifetime event. My
conversations with Eric Foner are cherished memories. Without these courses I
would not have had that opportunity.
At
the end of the final lecture Foner’s students stood and applauded him. It was
an emotional event for all involved including me. (Click the video and go to 8:45) I too stood and applauded
with them. As a history teacher I aspire to be a good instructor so that my
students learn from me. Not only did I learn about Reconstruction and reinforce
my knowledge of the Civil War and its cause, but I got a chance to watch a
master historian at work. While Foner used the short lecture method, his
delivery was engaging and kept the audience’s attention. These were not dry, routine
lectures, but ones where he was constantly noting how pieces of the past that
were being discussed had applications in the present.
I may not lecture much in most of
my classes as I use a flipped teaching method now, but on the occasions where I
have to lecture; Foner is a model to emulate. I do not know when my last class
will be given, but I am aspiring to be as good as Eric Foner was in this series
by then. I hope that is two and maybe even three decades from now. Time will
tell eventually. For those of you who are interested in this time period, EdX
will be offering these courses as archived materials. MOOCs are not college
equivalent learning, but for those who are self-disciplined and willing to
learn with no supervision, they are excellent modes of information
transmission. This particular series was by far the best I have taken and I
once again am grateful for the opportunity. I will now hide EdX and Coursera
course openings from my eyes until I finish the doctoral study! Unless of
course Gordon Wood teaches one…
