Seminar+Syllabus




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WHAT IS THIS SEMINAR ABOUT? ** Benjamin Franklin created this image from a woodcut in 1754 to stress the importance of colonial union. The “Join or Die” image was one of the earliest known representations of colonial union and each segment represents a colony or region (though Georgia and Delaware are omitted) and was widely circulated throughout the colonies. As to why Franklin chose this particular image, popular folklore suggested that if you cut up a snake and reassembled it before sunset the snake would come back to life. Through the study of primary sources history can also come to life for your students. 

The use of primary sources in the classroom is a great way to stimulate curiosity and to encourage critical thinking skills in your students. Primary sources are original records that were created at the time an event occurred or shortly thereafter and include documents, letters, oral histories, photographs, maps, artifacts and other material.

By the end of this seminar, you should be able to create new activities and/or assignments based on the use of online primary sources that relate to your course outcomes and that are integrated into the course assessment. You will also have a more integrated view of how primary sources can be readily incorporated into the curriculum in ways that better engage your students in their own learning. Traditionally, researchers utilized primary sources by seeking them out in archives, special collections, or other specialized centers designated for such materials. In the last ten years, the number of quality primary sources available in digital format via the World Wide Web increased dramatically, and now makes it possible to utilize a wide range of these materials with only internet access. Thus, the digital age has ushered in a wealth of resources for educators to use in their classroom and so the focus of this seminar will be on identifying and utilizing those online resources.  ** SEMINAR OUTCOMES **  __Pamela L. Baker __, PhD., Director of the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning, and Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of History, University of Cincinnati Email/Phone: Pamela.Baker@uc.edu; 513-556-1270 __Reagan Grimsley __, Assistant Professor, Department of History, Auburn University Email/Phone: rlg0007@auburn.edu; 706-569-8889 || 
 * Develop strategies for integrating online primary sources into the teaching curriculum.
 * Create a learner-centered assignment or activity which can be implemented at your school for the 2009-2010 academic year.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">In order to accomplish the two primary outcomes of this seminar, you will also need to learn how to:
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Identify and define the difference between a primary and a secondary source.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Analyze primary sources.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Locate and learn to navigate a variety of online source materials with a particular focus on the American Memory Collection on the Library of Congress website.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Learn to evaluate a primary source website as well as a single online primary source.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Learn to determine whether the content of a website is a value primary source resource
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Create a database of online URLs for future use.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Learn to properly cite online sources.
 * **<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Instructors **

To realize the promise of this seminar, participants need to take responsibility for creatively applying what you are learning in this class and participating in the face-to-face as well as online conversations that are an integral part of this learning experience. The effectiveness of this seminar depends on the close collaboration of all participants and therefore your attendance at all seminar meetings is extremely important. ASSESSMENT ** <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">How will you demonstrate what you have learned in this seminar? The final product in this course is a collection of work that you will complete over the course of the summer. This final product will be a “teaching portfolio” documenting your work and will include the following items: <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"> Upon completion of the seminar requirements, participants will receive a certificate of completion.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">PARTICIPATION **<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">A learner-centered handout which will help students 1) identify/describe the difference between a primary and a secondary source; and 2) analyze a primary source.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">A learner-centered handout which will help students to differentiate between authentic and unauthentic online websites as well as to assess the credibility of an online document or other primary source.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">A handout of online resources.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">A learner-centered assignment/activity utilizing online primary resources.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">A piece of reflective writing that narrates the process of designing online primary source assignments and activities. If possible, information on the implementation of the activity/assignment should be included here as well.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">

COURSE SCHEDULE ** <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Lucida Sans','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">This course will meet in person from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. on the following dates:

June 23
 * Introduction to the course
 * Identifying and analyzing primary sources
 * Locating and learning to use online primary source collections, including authentication of these sources

July 21
 * Develop learner centered handouts/activities to help students identify/describe and analyze primary sources
 * Learn to evaluate primary source websites and individual documents
 * Peer-critique of classroom project activities and assignments

August 11
 * Refine handouts and classroom based activities
 * Work on final assembly of teaching portfolio including reflective narrative


 * Between our meeting dates, participants can share their progress with their seminar project via the Wiki.