Dan Snow to judge students’ novel approach to public history
Posted on 7 May 2010
Would you enjoy a guided tour around the city accompanied by a 17th Century witch?
Do you fancy a game of cards that reveals the likes, dislikes, achievements and nasty habits of history’s ‘Bonkers Brits’?
These innovative approaches to history are the finalists in a new competition which challenged University of York history undergraduates to come up with new ways to enhance public understanding of the past.
Dan Snow and the judges will face an enormously difficult task of choosing a winning team
Dr Hannah Greig
The finals will be judged by a panel chaired by broadcaster Dan Snow on 11 May at the University of York. Earlier, he will give a keynote presentation as part of the Media Speaker series hosted by the University’s Institute of Public Understanding of the Past (IPUP) and participate in a ‘Heritage and Culture’ student event organised by the University Careers Service.
The student competition is the centrepiece of a new programme, devised by York’s Department of History and the University Careers Service, to give undergraduates the opportunity for independent and entrepreneurial activity to help them to develop workplace skills.
The competition, which was launched in October 2009, involved students designing historically-informed activities or products to bring history to the public’s attention in new ways. The Careers Service provided specialist skills sessions to help students to turn their ideas into professional business plans and the finalists were given £300 from the University’s White Rose CETLE (White Rose Centre for Excellence in the Teaching and Learning of Enterprise). The three finalists have developed real budget and project management skills.
‘Projecting the Past’ are a team committed to designing short films, using historical images, oral history and other materials, which can be projected onto historical buildings. The ‘Witchcraft Walking Tour’ team hope to bring a new edge to York’s walking tour industry with a historically-informed walk (led by student actors) not only introducing visitors to a 17th Century woman accused of witchcraft but also bringing them face-to-face with her accusers. The team behind ‘Bonkers Brits’ are designing a light-hearted card game for children, involving historical characters from Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn to Newton and Churchill and packed full of entertaining facts.
Dr Hannah Greig, of the Department of History, said: “The competition brief was broad and the results have been inspiring. Dan Snow and the judges will face an enormously difficult task of choosing a winning team."
Professor Helen Weinstein, Director of IPUP, said: “IPUP is very supportive of this venture because learning how to translate research skills into the public realm with this creative competition is a way that students can explore how to use their degree knowledge to make a difference outside academia.”
Kate Copland, of the University Careers Service, added: “We are thrilled that this competition has provided an opportunity for our students to showcase their creative and independent talents. Very best of luck to the finalists!”
Notes to editors:
- Projecting the Past: David Jones, Alice Longhurst, Steven Perring, Julia Reis, Elle George.
- Witchcraft Walking Tour: Kathryn Dennis-Smither, Tom Ellis, Huw Halstead, Laura Hynds, Caroline Byrd.
- Bonkers Brits: James Masters and David Murray-Gates.
- More Information about the University Careers Service at http:// www.york.ac.uk/services/careers.
- The Institute for the Public Understanding of the Past was founded to promote partnerships and consultancies between museums, galleries, heritage, and the media. Find out more at http://www.york.ac.uk/ipup/.
- More information about the Department of History at http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/hist/.
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