On this installment of Next Steps Forward, program host Dr. Chris Meek welcomes Professor Jeremy Stoddard, Professor of Curriculum & Instruction at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a leading scholar in civics, history, and media education. Stoddard's work focuses on how schools teach difficult and often divisive topics, including 9/11, the Global War on Terror, and other complex moments in American history. Drawing from years of research, curriculum development, and public scholarship, Stoddard discusses how educators can help students critically engage with contemporary issues while fostering thoughtful civic dialogue in increasingly polarized times. He also shares insights from his work on teaching "difficult history" through film and media, and why understanding multiple perspectives is essential to democratic education.

Throughout the conversation, Stoddard reflects on the evolving way 9/11 is taught to a generation with no living memory of the attacks, the challenges teachers face when navigating controversial subjects in the classroom, and the importance of media literacy in helping students separate fact from misinformation. This compelling discussion explores education not just as the teaching of history, but as preparation for informed citizenship, empathy, and meaningful civic participation.

About Jeremy Stoddard: Jeremy Stoddard is Professor of Curriculum & Instruction and a researcher in the Wisconsin Center for Education Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research includes the teaching of civics and history in partisan contexts, the integration of media education into democratic education, and a particular focus on engagement with so-called "difficult" or marginalized histories and contemporary controversial issues. In addition to numerous publications, he has also led curriculum development and evaluation projects in formal and informal education settings, including his current IES-funded project PurpleState.

He has co-authored or co-edited three books, including Teaching Difficult History Through Film (Routledge, 2017). He has served in numerous service roles, including Editor for Theory & Research in Social Education, and leadership roles in the Teaching History SIG of AERA, National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), and the College and University Faculty Assembly (CUFA) of NCSS. Prior to joining the UW faculty in 2019, Stoddard was on faculty at William & Mary, where he served as Chair of the Department of Curriculum & Instruction, founded and directed the interdisciplinary program in Educational Studies, and was an affiliated faculty of the Film and Media Studies program.