Katz, Robin M. "Designing an Effective Instruction Program." RBMS Preconference Workshop. Las Vegas, NV. June 23, 2014. Instructor.

1. Teaching with Archives
(and archivists!)
Robin M. Katz @robinmkatz
Head of Reference and User Services
Brooklyn Historical Society
NCHE Conference | St. AugusJne, FL | March 21, 2015

2. TeachArchives.org
for a global audience of librarians,
archivists, museum educators,
faculty, and teachers

3. TeachArchives.org
middle à graduate school

4. The Project
award-­‐winning grant project at
Brooklyn Historical Society

5. The Project
$750,000 FIPSE
US Dept of EducaJon

6. The Project
3 years (2011 – 2013)
4 teaching semesters (F11 -­‐ S13)

7. The Project
3 schools
St. Francis, City Tech, LIU Brooklyn

8. The Project
3 schools
no archives on campus

9. The Project
3 schools
student populaJon

10. The Project
18 faculty
all ranks

11. The Project
18 faculty
disciplines

12. The Project
18 faculty
types of courses

13. The Project
naJonal partners

14. The Project
intellectual / professional
community

15. The Project
collaboraJon between
archivists and educators

16. The Project
1,100+ students
65 courses
100 visits to BHS

17. The Project
class visits to
the archives

18. The Project
professional
development

19. The Project
summer
research fellowships

20. Our Teaching Philosophy
for students new to archives…

21. Our Teaching Philosophy
model document analysis

22. Our Teaching Philosophy
item-­‐level
less is more

23. Our Teaching Philosophy
(not new to
K-­‐12 teachers)

24. Our Teaching Philosophy
specific, measurable
learning objecJves

25. Our Teaching Philosophy
(also not new to
K-­‐12 teachers)

26. Our Teaching Philosophy
beyond “show and tell”

27. Our Teaching Philosophy
(new to archivists)

28. Our Teaching Philosophy
beyond “just get them in there”

29. Our Teaching Philosophy
(new to some archivists
and some educators)

30. Our Teaching Philosophy
small group work

31. Our Teaching Philosophy
specific prompts

32. TeachArchives.org
12
“how to” arJcles

33. TeachArchives.org
“How to Make
LogisJcal Decisions”

34. TeachArchives.org
16
success stories

35. TeachArchives.org
Models for History
Survey Courses

36. TeachArchives.org
14 exercises
60 documents

37. Exercises on TeachArchives.org
tweaked and refined
in real classrooms

38. Exercises on TeachArchives.org
can be used in
BHS archives (NYC)
or online

39. Exercises on TeachArchives.org
samples to serve
as a model

40. AdapJng Exercises
“Civil Rights in Brooklyn”
scaffolded
item > folder

41. AdapJng Exercises
“Telling Brooklyn Stories”
impromptu speeches
comparing documents

42. Our Findings
Our approach benefijed
students and faculty

43. Our Findings
independent evaluators

44. Our Findings
independent evaluators

45. Our Findings
interviews, observaJons,
reflecJons, student work,
campus assessment data

46. Our Findings
evaluaJon reports

47. Our Findings
in well-­‐matched
comparisons…

48. Our Findings
students who came
to the archives
were more engaged

49. Our Findings
students who came
to the archives
performed bejer

50. Our Findings
students who came
to the archives
higher retenJon rates

51. Our Findings
students improved skills
needed for document analysis:
observaJon and summary

52. Our Findings
faculty improved
pedagogical strategies

53. 8 Best PracJces
• Define measurable learning objecJves that align visit goals with
course goals
• Carefully select a small number of documents to use
• Cram tailored, document-­‐specific prompts
• Design document analysis acJviJes to connect to larger assignments
and course objecJves
• Carefully consider logisJcal decisions related to the archives visit
• Thoughnully facilitate archives visits, including wrap-­‐up discussions
• Provide a “Goldilocks” of context (not too much, and not too lijle, at
the right Jme)
• Work collaboraJvely to tweak and refine the learning experience