In a photo taken before the pandemic, Ashley Baggett addresses her NDSU students.
Ashley Baggett gets NDSU students engaged and excited with active-learning assignments designed to inspire the classroom to become invested in learning about history. Baggett teaches a variety of history courses, including Women in American History, American Civil War and Reconstruction, U.S. history since 1877, The Gilded Age and Progressive Era, and Social Science Classroom Practice Methods of Teaching.
“Students in my classes lead discussions on readings, research projects tailored towards their strengths, conduct oral history interviews, analyze primary sources, participate in experiential exercises and connect with the community and historical profession,” Baggett said. “I seek to engage students through my passion for teaching history and by having students ‘do history.’”
Baggett said the most successful teaching approach is to recognize that each student learns and processes information differently. Adapting the information for each student’s strength creates more excitement and investment in the material, she said.
“Frequently, I reach out to students for insight that helps me adapt the class to their needs,” Baggett said. “I also touch base with students who may be struggling to find the necessary resources. I believe teaching is more than just content transfer.
“By recognizing students as individuals with diverse interests, needs and strengths, my hope is to help them succeed both inside and outside the classroom.”
Baggett earned her doctorate in 2014, Master of Arts in 2010 and bachelor’s degree in 2003, all from Louisiana State University. She was awarded the Gunlogson Grant in 2019 and served as an expert on an episode of TLC’s “Who Do You Think You Are?” in 2018.