Cal for Papers:
SECAC (Southeastern College Art Conference) 2019
Chattanooga, Tennessee, October 16-19

Session: Using (or Losing) the Art History Textbook
Session Chairs: Jenevieve DeLosSantos, Rutgers University & Kathleen Pierce, Rutgers University

Educators have increasingly debated the value of using (or losing) the art history survey textbook. Scholars have pointed to several issues with most of the textbooks on offer, including their cost, singular authorial voice, lack of inclusivity, and the need to trade in-depth visual analysis for global breadth. Alongside these criticisms, the growing number of publicly available educational materials have facilitated transitions to a textbook-free classroom. Yet others have raised concerns. Textbook-free classrooms often rely on web-based materials, and not all students have reliable access to required tools. Furthermore, as we increasingly understand the diversity of student learning styles, we must evaluate how delivering text and/or web-based content affects comprehension.

This panel invites submissions for 15-minute long presentations of both big-picture pedagogical reflections and individual assignments, syllabi or reflections of classroom experience that engage with this debate. What have been your successes—or failures—in eliminating the textbook from your classroom? What strategies have you employed to restructure the course content around these resources? How have these efforts helped--or hindered--efforts to make the art history classroom more inclusive and accessible? This session hopes to generate constructive debate and provide practical solutions that can be implemented in the survey.

Please submit abstracts of no more than 200 words through the submissions portal at:
https://secac.secure-platform.com/a/solicitations/login/5?returnUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fsecac.secure-platform.com%2Fa%2Fsolicitations%2Fhome%2F5

Direct all questions to: jdelossantossas.rutgers.edu and kathleen.piercerutgers.edu