Kelly Schrum

Affiliate Faculty (Higher Education Program)

Professor

graduate education, scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL), history of higher education, digital pedagogy, digital humanities

Kelly Schrum is the Assistant Provost for Graduate Academic Affairs and a Professor in the Higher Education Program in the School of Integrative Studies (College of Humanities and Social Sciences). Her research and teaching focus on graduate education, the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL), history of higher education, and digital pedagogy, and digital humanities. She is the recipient of George Mason University's David J. King Teaching Award, Teaching Excellence Award, and Distance Education Award. She serves on the editorial boards for Teaching & Learning Inquiry (International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning), and To Improve the Academy (POD Network).

Schrum has directed more than 50 digital humanities projects with funding from federal and state agencies, foundations, and schools. Recent examples include Unpacking the History of Higher Education, History of Higher Education, and World History Commons. Schrum publishes regularly, including recent articles on SoTL leadership and teaching historical thinking in hybrid and online settings, and presents her work nationally and internationally.

Current Research

Expanding college success through augmented reality (AR)

Expanding library self-efficacy among first generation college students through gamification

Selected Publications

Schrum, K., Watson, K., & Lemmons, D. (2026, in press). Dipping your toe in the water: Building SoTL Capacity. In Meijerman, I., & Webb, A. (Eds). SoTL Leadership.

Schrum, K. (2026, in press). “Why should I know history?”: Finding meaning in the history of higher education. Perspectives on History. American Historical Association.

Schrum, K. & Sleeter, N. (Eds.) (2025, in press). Unpacking the history of higher education in the United States. American Historical Review. Digital History Lab. 1-32.

Schrum, K., Fleming, L., Grunder, S., Harris, N., Knight, K., Kreitzer, C., Lemmons, D., & McKenna, D. (2025, in press). Cultivating curiosity and community: Teaching and learning SoTL. SoTL Africa.

Rizzo, J., McCarron, G. P., Harris, T. N., Visser, V., Schrum, K., Khan M., & Corso, A. R. (2025). Employing augmented reality to foster sense of belonging for first-generation college transfer students transitioning to a four-year university. Journal of First-Generation Student Success. https://doi.org/10.1080/26906015.2025.2516191

Schrum, K., Mills, E., *Fong, W. L., & Chick, N. (2025, in press). Navigating poster design in the sea of SoTL. Teaching & Learning Inquiry.

Schrum, K. (2025). Learning to be “fearlessly creative”: SoTL research on scholarly digital storytelling. In McCollum, B., Hays, L., & Miller-Young, J. (Eds). Educational Technology and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: Asking Questions about our Practices. Thompson Rivers University Pressbooks.

Schrum, K, *Abbot, S., *Loughry, A. & *Fay, E. (2024). A roadmap for the future: Teaching humanities in unexpected places. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education.

Schrum, K. (2024). “Things are always changing”: Making history relevant for student affairs professionals. New Directions for Student Services: Special Issue SOTLP in Student Affairs. Eds. A. Gansemer-Topf, L. McCloud, & J. Braxton. Wiley Periodicals, LLC.

Schrum, K., Abbot, S., Loughry, A., & Catalano, D. (2024). “I wanted to know!”: Engaging learners in the history of higher education through an authentic digital assessment. The History Teacher 57(2).

Expanded Publication List

Articles

Catalano, D., Schrum, K., Fay, E., & Abbot, S. (2023). ‘I can learn from the past’: Making the history of higher education relevant through social justice education pedagogy. The History Teacher. 56(3): 367-386.

Loughry, A., Abbot, S., & Schrum, K. (2023). Developing digital skills through a student-facilitated asynchronous learning activity. The Journal of Interactive Technology and Pedagogy, 22.

Schrum, K. (2023). “Expanding our pedagogical imagination”: Faculty experiences with technology-enhanced assessment across disciplines. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 17(1): 1-9.

Schrum, K., Majury, N., Simonelli, A. L., & Bogdewiecz, S. (2022). Audience matters: Multimodal projects across three international case studies. Teaching & Learning Inquiry, 10, 1-17.

Schrum, K., & Bogdewiecz, S. (2021 Online First). Cultivating research skills through scholarly digital storytelling. Higher Education Research & Development.

Schrum, K. (2022). Developing student capacity to produce scholarly digital work. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education.

Schrum, K., Majury, N., & Simonelli, A. L. (2021). Authentic and transformative learning through scholarly digital storytelling across disciplines and borders. Teaching & Learning Inquiry, 9(2), 1-16.

Book Chapters

Schrum, K. (2021). Scholarly digital storytelling: Enhancing academic research and digital literacy. In Hays, L. & Kammer, J. (eds). Integrating digital literacy in the disciplines (pp. 42-55). Sterling, VA, Stylus Publishing.

Schrum, K., Sleeter, N., & Tường Vy Sharpe, C. (2014, 2015). How we learned to drop the quiz: Writing in online asynchronous courses. In J. Dougherty & T. O’Donnell (Eds.). WebWriting: Why and how for liberal arts teaching and learning. Ann Arbor, MI, University of Michigan Press/Trinity College ePress.

Books

Schrum, K., Gevinson, A., & Rosenzweig, R. (Eds.) (2004, 2008 2nd ed.). History matters: A student guide to U.S. history online. New York, NY, Bedford/St. Martin’s Press.

Lehner, K., Schrum, K., & Kelly, T. M. (Eds.) (2008) World history matters: A student guide to history online. New York, NY, Bedford/St. Martin’s Press.

Schrum, K. (2004, 2006). Some wore bobby sox: The emergence of teenage girls’ culture, 1920-1950. New York, NY, Palgrave-Macmillan.

Professional Articles | Reports

Schrum, K., Sleeter, N., *Tường Vy Sharpe, C., & Pellegrino, A. (2015). What the teacup said to the tartan: Students reveal the historical narratives hidden in everyday objects. The American Historian.

Schrum, K., Kortecamp, K., Rosenfeld, J., Briscoe, K., & Steeves, K. (2014). The power of historical site visits to transform history teaching and learning. What are history teachers learning at historic sites? American Educational Research Association Report.

*Tường Vy Sharpe, C., Schrum, K., & *Sleeter, N. (2014, June 30). Beyond flipping classrooms. Inside Higher Ed: Higher Ed Beta.

Grants and Fellowships

RECENT

Principal Investigator. (2023-2025). Expanding pathways to higher education for underserved populations through an augmented reality (AR) campus tour. 4-VA and ADVANCE.

Principal Investigator. (2023-2024). Unpacking the history of higher education in the United States. National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Institutes for Higher Education Faculty

Principal Investigator. (2020-2022). Reimagining the history of higher education in the digital age. 4VA grant extension in collaboration with Virginia Tech, College of William and Mary, University of Virginia, and James Madison University. https://higheredhistory.gmu.edu

Principal Investigator. (2020-2023). Expanding the commons: Supporting emerging world history scholars and community colleges through the World History Commons OER. American Council of Learned Societies Digital Extension Grant.

Courses Taught

HE 703: Higher education in the digital age
HE 704: Scholarship of teaching and learning
HE 721: Higher education in the United States
HE 707 | HIST 688: Scholarly digital storytelling
HE 797: Capstone

Education

M.A., Ph.D., History, Johns Hopkins University.

B.A., History and Anthropology, UC Berkeley.

Recent Presentations

Watson, K., Mills, E., Arendt, B., & Schrum, K. (forthcoming, November 2025). Collaborative peer review of journal program: Weaving community with capability building. International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. [Christchurch, New Zealand]

Kuntz, A., Byron, L. Houlemarde, M., Contreras, L. R., & Schrum, K. (chair & discussant). (2025, April 24). Open educational resources for teaching history of higher education. American Association for Educational Research. [Denver, CO].

Bolitzer, L., Pedraza, C., Watts, A., Wells, J., Bazner, K., & Schrum, K. (chair & discussant). (2025, April 25). We did not “fall out of a coconut tree”: Fostering historical thinking within higher education graduate programs. American Association for Educational Research. [Denver, CO].

Schrum, K. (2025, April 4). SoTL: Embracing the power and possibilities. [Keynote] SoTL Symposium. New York University. [Online].

Schrum, K. (March 24, 2025). Digital pedagogy. Illinois State University. [Normal, IL].

Schrum, K. (2025, February 28). I don’t know: Embracing “delicious uncertainty” through SoTL. [Keynote]. SoTL Commons. [Savannah, GA].

Schrum, K. (2025, January 4). Facilitator. Artificial intelligence in history education. American Historical Association. [New York City, NY].

Schrum, K., Eckert, E., Mendee, A., Morris, M. & Giblin, J. (2024, November 20). Enhancing the student experience through the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). Council for the Advancement of Higher Education Programs (CAHEP) – Association for the Study of Higher Education. [Minneapolis, MN].

Schrum, K., Clubbs, B., Houlemarde, M., Kortegast, C., Lorenzo, M., & Steinbeck, M.K. (2024, November 8). Engaging students in the history of higher education through primary sources. History of Education Society. [Chicago, IL]

Schrum, K., Mills, E., Chick, N., & Fong, WL. (2024, October 31). What makes a good SoTL Poster? Visually communicating SoTL research. Poster. International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. [French Lick, IN].

Watson, K., Mills, E., & Schrum, K. (2024, October 28). Peer mentoring model. Pre-conference workshop. International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. [French Lick, IN].

Gansemer-Topf, A., Dean, S.R., Schrum, K., Morris, M., Giblin, J., & Mckenzie, B.L. (2024, March 12). Enhancing the scholarship of teaching and learning for graduate preparation faculty. NASPA. [Seattle, WA].

Loughry, A. & Schrum, K. (2024, March 6). Developing Digital Skills through a Student-Facilitated Open Educational Resource. Open Education Talks 2024. University of Calgary, Thompson Rivers University, University of Alberta. https://oetalks.opened.ca. [Virtual]

In the Media

Rimbawa, C. (2024, July 24). Unpacking the history of higher education in the United States. College of Humanities and Social Sciences News. George Mason University.

Brown, S. (2024, July 18). George Mason team creates augmented reality campus tour for transfer students. The George. George Mason University.

Gillooly, E. (2023, December 18). 4-VA@Mason Funding Smartphone App to Support Transfer Students. 4-VA.

CHSS News. (2023, December 1). Higher Ed grad students turn to the MIX to communicate institutional values. CHSS. George Mason University.

EurekAlert. (2023, November 27). Schrum and Sleeter unpacking the history of higher education in the United States. American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1009181

Crone, V.C. (2023, November). The ISSOTL Teaching and Learning Inquiry Journal. ISSOTL 2023 Podcast Series.

O’Brien, M. (2023, August 21). Mason faculty awarded three NEH grants. Mason News. https://www.gmu.edu/news/2023-08/mason-faculty-awarded-three-neh-grants

Higher Education Program. (2023, August 16). Dr. Schrum and Dr. Sleeter awarded NEH grant. https://highered.gmu.edu/articles/19434

Koehler, K. (2023, August 11). Unpacking the history of higher education: A journey into the past for future leaders.

Gillooly, E. (2023, March 29). Five 4-VA Schools Collaborate to Better Understand the History of Higher Education. 4-VA at Mason.

Garner, B., Snyder T., & Jones, M. (Hosts) (2022, April). Scholarly digital storytelling. [Audio podcast]. Digital2Learn. Indiana Wesleyan University. Part 1. Part 2.

Gillooly, E. (2021, March 31). Putting the history of higher education under a microscope. 4-VA at Mason.

Hollis, J. (2020, June 18). Mason team receives grant to expand the World History Commons project.

Clark, M.L. & Rich, C.K. (2019). Humanities’ heavy hitters. Mason Spirit.

Clark, M.L. & Rich, C.K. (2019). World history Commons. Mason Spirit.

Gillooly, E. (2019, July 30). Three different universities. Three distinctive, informed approaches. One cohesive, robust, and resource-filled final product. 4-VA at Mason.

Clark, M.L. (2018, October 18). ReSounding the Archives gives new life to old tunes. News at Mason.

Krueger, N. (2018, September 20). Teach students to manage primary source overload. ISTE blog.

Rogers, Jamie. (2017, May). Overcoming obstacles: Visually impaired student works with professor to turn digital storytelling assignment into podcast. News at Mason.

Rogers, Jamie. (2016, December). State department grant offers instruction in diplomacy. News at Mason.

Kelsey Kirland. (2015, August). Course Sharing + Collaborative Research: Teaching Hidden History — A Collaboration Case Study Series. 4-VA.

Dissertations Supervised

Allison Omohundro, Teacher Perceptions of Language Learning and Social Presence in a Blended Learning Community College ESL Course (2019)

William Schutz, Affective Pedagogy: A Case Study Describing the Impact of Affective Instructional Interventions in a Community College Composition Course (2017)

Lyda Kiser, Instruction and Assessment Technique Choices of Adjunct Humanities and Social Science Instructors in Virginia Community Colleges (2017)

Sarah Sweetman, Forging Family: Creating and Perpetuating Collective Memory in Families with Children Adopted from China (2013)

Dissertations Supervised Outside of CHSS

Doug McKenna. Ungrading Pedagogies and Student Motivation. (in progress).

Will Hatheway. Assessing Quality in Online Learning: What, Who, and How. (in progress).

Wai Ling Fong. Short- and Long-term Impact of the Online Course Design Primer on Faculty’s Online Teaching Practices. (2025)

Omar Aziz. Afghan American Racial and Ethnic Identity Development in Higher Education. (2025)

Sophia Abbot. Learning and Teaching Through Co-Creation in Feminist Classrooms. (2024)

Kelly DeSenti. Investigating Dual Enrollment Policy to Enhance Student Access and Success: An Instrumental Multiple Case Study. (2023).

Saleha Bholat. Are we socializing them for success? An analysis of new full-time community college faculty needs. (2023)

Leticia Guzman. The impact of a STEM summer bridge program on underrepresented minorities. (2021).

Meghan Arias. Disability Divide in Higher Education. (2019).

Jonathan Hsu. Investigating the Professional Practices of Adjunct Faculty. (2019).

Seth Hudson. Approaching a Pedagogy of Game Writing. (2018).

Joshua Yavelberg. Discovering the Pedagogical Paradigm Inherent in Introductory Art History Survey Courses, A Delphi Study. (2016).

Jeff Freels. Exploring the Utility of Microblogging as a Tool for Formal Content-Based Learning in the Community College History Classroom. (2015).