The rapid expansion of digital technologies has provided new and exciting opportunities to reshape history education in online learning environments. One such opportunity is the incorporation of Citizen Humanities into history programmes, where collective activities foster collaboration, knowledge production, a deeper understanding of how history is created and the chance for students to create communities of inquiry. At the same students will be able to develop essential ‘twenty-first century skills’ such as critical thinking, problem-solving, effective communication skills as well as playing an active part in the production of new knowledge through undertaking ‘real time’ research. Students consequently become practicing historians in training, and this gives social relevance to historical scholarship.  

For the purposes of this research project, the community of inquiry will refer to a network of learners, educators and public participants (where possible) who will collectively engage in historical investigation, interpretation and dissemination of the knowledge gathered. It will investigate what it means for students to learn collaboratively and consider how they learn in this type of environment.  

The reasoning behind this project comes from a broad British History Survey module I teach at the Open University, which uses collaborative forums for two TMAs. These assignments produce the highest average grades of the module. The only difference between these assignments and the rest of the assignments in the module is the collaborative element. For weaker students, the chance to collaborate in an environment which is not so academically rigid allows them to play a more inclusive role in the learning process. This project will, therefore, widen the scope of collaboration by using citizen science-based projects. It will explore theories related to collaborative learning with a particular focus on communities of inquiry, consider how working collaboratively improves outcomes, engagement, and gives students a deeper understanding of and familiarity with the procedures that are necessary to research and write history. 

The overarching question it will seek to answer is: How does engagement in citizen humanities projects shape collaborative learning processes and improve academic performance in online history education within the Community of Inquiry Framework? 

This research project will rely on two theoretical frameworks, firstly constructivism whereby learners are active participants in the learning process (Ally, 2008, p.30). This project will be grounded in authentic learning where students will work on case studies and problem based or inquiry learning (Open University, 2026). Secondly, the ‘community of inquiry framework’ (Garrison and Arbaugh, 2007) has three elements which will be important for this project. The first element is social presence will be assessed to determine how this affects learning outcomes. Second cognitive presence, which explores how citizen science allows students to construct and confirm meaning, and whether this leads to improved critical thinking. Finally, the framework for a community of inquiry requires a teaching presence to set parameters, provide training and build understanding. 

The ontology of this research project will focus on student engagement and improved academic outcomes, and as these are measurable, this project will use a quantitative methodology. Participation in citizen humanities from an ontological aspect will be seen as an educational intervention that produces measurable outcomes. 

Ultimately, this research project proposes that citizen humanities can play a transformative role in the future of online history education. Through fostering communities of inquiry, it will reimagine the student experience as a participatory research environment. By exploring how students collaborate and by measuring engagement, academic outcomes and achievements, this research has the potential to make a significant contribution to curriculum development. 

Reference List 

Ally, Mohamed (2008) ‘Foundations of Educational Theory for Online Learning’ in Anderson, T. (ed) The Theory and Practice of Online Learning, AU Press: Athabasca University, pp. 15-44 Available at https://www.aupress.ca/app/uploads/120146_99Z_Anderson_2008-Theory_and_Practice_of_Online_Learning.pdf Accessed 1 February 2026. 

Garrison, R. D, and Arbaugh J. B. (2007), ‘Researching the community of inquiry framework: Review, issues, and future directions’, The Internet and Higher Education, 10, pp. 157-172. 

Open University (2026a) Section:5.7 ‘Constructivism’ in ‘Drawing on Theory’, H890 Reserach and Scholarship in Digital Education.  Available at https://learn2.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=2544665&section=5.7 Accessed 16 February 2026. 

Trentin, G, (2004), ‘Networked Collaborative Learning in the Study of Modern History and Literature’, Computers and the Humanities, 38, pp.299-315.