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
interviews, observaJons, reflecJons, student work, campus assessment data
Our Findings
evaluaJon reports
Our Findings
in well-‐matched comparisons…
Our Findings
students who came to the archives
were more engaged
Our Findings
students who came to the archives
performed bejer
Our Findings
students who came to the archives
higher retenJon rates
Our Findings
students improved skills
needed for document analysis: observaJon and summary
Our Findings
faculty improved
pedagogical strategies
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