Online Course Format
Our courses are asynchronous, so you can log in any time of the day or night to access the course materials, but they have a weekly Zoom meeting that all are encouraged to participate in (they will be recorded and posted). To facilitate the flow of discussion in the online course forums, each course is divided into units. You will be encouraged to progress through the course alongside the other course participants. A two-week period at the end of the course is provided for you to reflect on what you have learned, to consider how your learning can be applied to your daily life, to give feedback on your learning experience, and to complete any outstanding readings or assignments.
Writing Biographies and Histories was created to help Bahá'ís who wish to write the history of their local community, compose a memoir about their own lives, or produce a biography of someone. Units in the first half of the course will cover such subjects as selecting a topic and settling on an audience; the philosophy and ethics of writing biographies and history; collecting oral history; research in archives, libraries, and on the web; organizing notes; and outlining the topic. In the second half of the course, participants will pursue a research and writing project, advised by the faculty. If they feel unable to complete the work they want to write, or even complete a chapter or section of it, learners can turn in an outline of the project, a PowerPoint about it, or some other abbreviated form of it. The focus should be on completing something toward your final goal and sharing it.
Learning Objectives
To learn how to select a topic and an audience, to explore the ethical aspects of writing histories and biographies, to read practical information about researching and writing up the topic, and to demonstrate your understanding through postings in the course and a project of your choosing
Tuition: $150 (tuition discounts available)