Instructional Technology Conference 2008

Title: Integrating Digital Primary Sources into the Classroom

Name: Michelle Fry & David Ensminger, Ph.D.

Audience Level: All

Audience: faculty, librarians, instructional technology specialists, lab directors, general

Length: 1 hour

Abstract:
As libraries and historic organizations begin the process of digitizing primary sources the opportunity for classroom integration of these sources increases. This presentation will discuss the research on primary sources in the classroom, provide a definition of digital-Primary Source-Based Instruction (d-PSBI), make connections between practices used in d-PSBI and higher order thinking skills, and present examples of d-PSBI practices. Additionally, participates will be provided with information and strategies for integrating primary sources, as well as, URLs of several organizations that are digitizing their primary sources.

Description:
At the end of the twentieth century the Library of Congress (LOC) started the systematic processes of creating an archival digitization of its holdings in order to share its rich collections with the public. The digitization of these holdings made available, via the internet, over ten million items, many of which are primary source items (LOC, 2006, para. 5). These digital primary sources are defined by the LOC (2006) as "actual records that have survived from the past, like letters, photographs, articles of clothing and music. They are different from secondary sources, which are accounts of events written sometime after they happened"; (para.4). As result of the digitization processes, availability and access to these primary sources is no longer limited to those physically present at the Library of Congress. Additionally other libraries and organizations have begun to digitize and make their primary sources available to the public via the internet. The availability and ease of access has contributed to the increased attention by teachers and the integration of primary sources into the classroom for instructional purposes (Wineburg & Martin, 2004; Pitcher, 2005, Eamon, 2006). Additionally the collaborative effort between, archivists, historians and educators has led to the development of lessons plans that utilize the most interesting and relevant digital primary sources in the classroom (Eamon, 2006). The access to these sources may have also resulted in the shift from memorizing historical facts to an inquiry based instructional approach that engages students in higher order thinking processes (Pitcher, 2005). Research indicates that PSBI does lead to increases in student knowledge gains, as well as, increases in critical thinking, or higher order thinking, skills. NCES (1994), reported that tools and resources, such as primary sources, can "invite students to engage more fully with the content of geography and history and can serve to increase students' ability to think analytically,";(p. 201). Additionally, primary sources provide an affective connection to the content that is often not developed when students learn through secondary sources.

This presentation will discuss the research on primary sources in the classroom, provide a definition of digital-Primary Source-Based Instruction (d- PSBI), make connections between practices used in d-PSBI and higher order thinking skills, and present examples of d-PSBI practices. Additionally, participates will be provided with information and strategies for integrating primary sources, as well as, URLs of several organizations that are digitizing their primary sources.

Session Type: Lecture/Presentation

Contact information/affiliation:
Michelle Fry
Loyola University Chicago
School of Education
820 N Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60611
312.915.6897
mfry@luc.edu

David Ensminger, Ph.D.
Loyola University Chicago
School of Education
820 N Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60611
312.915.7257
densmin@luc.edu

Equipment: LCD projector, internet access, laptop/ or PC

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