Bringing history to life
For Dr. Matt Schownir, history is more than a subject. It’s a living, breathing experience. As a history professor at ͷapp, Dr. Schownir transforms traditional classroom learning into immersive, interactive journeys through time. His passion for history was sparked in an unexpected place — junior high study hall.
“I’d grab any book I could find,” Schownir recalls. “One day, I picked up a book about great battles in history. Suddenly, these weren’t just stories. They were real events that happened to real people with loved ones, hopes and aspirations. That moment of empathy changed everything for me.”
That early spark evolved into a career rooted in innovation and engagement. While finishing graduate school, Schownir returned to teach at his alma mater in Indiana, where he discovered a new approach to teaching history — through gamification and role playing. “I caught the bug pretty quickly,” he says. “Students were excited to come to class. It was fascinating to engage with historical problems in new and exciting ways.”
One of Schownir’s most beloved classroom simulations is a one-session game set during the Peloponnesian War. Students take on the roles of Athenians under siege by Spartans. Every 10 minutes in real time equals one month in the game. Food is scarce, represented by Starburst candies, each color determining a student’s fate. Some are reincarnated as Spartans, shifting the balance of power. “It’s a race against time for a satisfactory peace treaty,” he explains. “Every time I do this session it’s just magic.”
Another favorite is a two-week simulation on the French Revolution. The game begins in 1791, and students debate, vote and shape the course of history as members of a deliberative body, struggling between rapid change and maintaining some level of tradition. “It builds awareness of how real-world processes unfold,” Schownir says. “Students see how choices lead to outcomes — sometimes very different from what actually happened in history.”
Schownir’s classroom is a hub of energy and engagement. “Games create a personal connection with historical moments,” he says. “They help students understand the ‘why’ behind events and retain the lessons of history.”
And the impact goes beyond content knowledge. “Once students experience one game, they approach the next with a deeper understanding of negotiation, collaboration and strategy,” he notes. “I see them becoming bolder, more decisive and more analytical.”
For Schownir, teaching history is about more than dates and facts. It’s about empowering students to see themselves as active participants in the world. “We’re not just passengers in life or history. We make choices that matter.”
Students who study history at ͷapp are going on to work in careers in government, law, non-profits and the private sector, or continuing on to graduate studies. “We focus on building skills in the classroom, and it’s rewarding to see our graduates take those skills into the real world,” Schownir says.
“It’s an immense privilege to grow with people. I’m excited to show up to work every day because what if today is the day a student discovers they’re a master negotiator or persuader? ͷapp faculty are great at helping students find their potential. This is my way of doing that.”