The "Five German Families" project seeks scholars and teachers to contribute to its expansion and further development. The project will produce a revised, expanded, and web-based historical simulation for use with undergraduate students in courses on modern European history (1789-present).

The current Five German Families project is based on "Five German Families: A Historical Simulation of Life in a Saxon Community 1790-1912," which is a learning and teaching simulation developed by David Pace and James Diehl at Indiana University-Bloomington. It has been used successfully for thirty years. The original Five German Families simulation starts off in the German states in the era of the French Revolution and continues through to the eve of World War I. The simulation is for use in a history class in conjunction with other course materials such as lecture, discussion, and readings. Each student is assigned to one of five families representing different social classes (Aristocrats, Upper Middle Class, Lower Middle Class, Peasant Proprietors, Urban Proletariat). Students follow "their" families over time through "turns" (approximately one each generation) and make historically-based decisions for their family along the way. Students explain their thinking in brief essays turned in for each turn before receiving the results of their decision. Each set of results teaches students both the narrative of 19th Century European history and the nature of social class.

A group of co-authors at universities across the country is at work extending the original version into the 20th Century so that instructors can opt to have their students follow their families through World War I to the present. We seek contributors to join in the writing of 20th Century scenarios via a wiki based at IU-Bloomington. All contributors will be recognized as co-authors of the final product. We are particularly interested in students of pedagogy in the undergraduate history classroom and scholars of 20th Century European history, including but not limited to students of modern Germany. ABD or Ph.D. required.

If interested, please send an email explaining your interest and relevant experience along with a maximum two-page c.v. to Matthew G. Stanard at 5germanfamilies@gmail.com. Deadline is October 12, 2012.

Thank you,
Matthew G. Stanard
Associate Professor of History
National Coordinator, Five German Families historical simulation project
Berry College
Box 495010
Mount Berry, GA 30149-5010
http://berry.edu/academics/humanities/FSDetail.aspx?id=786