Digital Archives
Instructor
Philip
Molebash,
PhD
Overview
Primary Sources.
They are out there.
But where are they and how do you find them?
And what do you do with them when you do find them?
If these questions tickle your curiosity at all, then you're in the right place.
With an avalanche of primary source documents digitized and made freely available via the World Wide Web, historical inquiry, the process of interpreting history or the "doing of history," can become the rule rather than the exception in humanities classes. This course will empower you, and ultimately your students, to powerfully use these resources. And who knows...you might also end up falling deeper in love with teaching and learning.
Approach
This course is designed to be practical, current, interesting, empowering and thought-provoking. It is built around active learning and collaborative thinking. When we're done, you'll have a clear understanding of how digital primary source archives can be incorporated into your teaching. You will also be deep into the planning process for using these archives in your classes.
Audience
This course is targeted at humanities teachers at the K-12 and college levels. Basic familiarity with computer and internet use is assumed.
Learning Outcomes
In this course you will learn how to
- identify when digital primary source archives can be incorporated into your teaching;
- make use of digital primary source archives for classroom instruction;
- explain ways in which digital primary source archives can be integrated into coursework;
- generate inquiry-based questions which in order to be answered must utilize digital primary source archives;
- discuss and design strategies (eg. lesson plan) incorporating digital primary source archives.
Assignments
Above All...
Come and participate! Every 20 minutes of class missed takes 1 point off of your final grade (total possible 100).
The Minor Assignments
Some activities are designed for you to do on your own. They're meant to be hands on and fun. Do them and be prepared to discuss them when we reconvene.
The Major Assignment
In collaboration with Dr. Molebash, you must plan and co-teach a learning activity (i.e. lesson). This activity can be applied in one or more of your classes, but Dr. Molebash can only guarantee to help out with one class. You will be given a format for planning this activity, and a rubric will be provided midway through the class to explain how it will be evaluated.
Activity Format: Web Inquiry Project
Schedule for Group 1
Date |
Activities |
February 6 |
Learning through experience: Thomas Garber, Letters of the Demus and Christy Families, Samuel North Letters How do we analyze primary sources: SCIM-C |
| February 7 |
More learning through experience: Weather Inquiry |
| February 14 | Picture Nation
Web Inquiry Projects (WIPs) |
| February 19 | Picture Nation
Web Inquiry Projects (WIPs) |
| February 20 |
Web Inquiry Projects (WIPs) |
Schedule for Group 2
Date |
Activities |
| February 9 | Learning through experience: Thomas Garber, Letters of the Demus and Christy Families, Samuel North Letters How do we analyze primary sources: SCIM-C More learning through experience: Weather Inquiry |
| February 16 | Picture Nation
Web Inquiry Projects (WIPs) |
Where are the archives? A short list of places to start looking
U.S. & World History
- American Memory - Library of Congress treasure chest of over 100 archives.
- New York Public Library Digital Library
- History Matters - Portal to many archives and lots of pedagogical support.
- World History Matters - From the makers of History Matters. The place to shart for world history.
- Virginia Center for Digital History - Home of the Valley of the Shadow and a few other gems.
- Documenting the American South - Includes Digital Slave Narratives.
- California As I Saw It: First Person Narratives
- USC Digital Archive
- The Vatican Archives
Performing Arts
- Library of Congress Performing Arts Digital Library
- American Memory - A number of archives revolve around the arts, particularly music.
- University of Washington's Links to Musical Resources
Foreign Language
- Perseus Digital Library - Classic texts
- UPenn Online Books Page
Other resources
- Picturing Modern America
- Center for History and New Media
- Digital History - From the University of Houston.
- SCIM-C - How your students can do analysis of primary sources.
- Web Inquiry Projects (WIPs) - A strategy developed by your very own Dr. Molebash. More examples of using the Web for inquiry in the classroom.
Some Rights Reserved by Philip Molebash, PhD