22 Pivoting from Teaching an Introduction to Archives Class In-Person to Online: Teaching Primary Sources in Both Environments to Undergraduates

introduction

Educating undergraduate students about primary sources has been a very popular topic in the archives literature of the past decade. Publications on virtual teaching were especially useful with the 2020 onset of the COVID-19 pandemic that prompted archivists to transition from in-person to online teaching. This chapter explores teaching primary sources in an in-person “Introduction to Archives” course, then pivoting to online in 2020. Educating undergraduates about primary sources in both modalities is described. The courses were taught by the University Archivist (author) in person during 2018 and asynchronously online in 2021 and 2023. From teaching in both modalities, the author learned that pivoting from teaching an archives course in person to virtually and still providing the needed primary source resources can successfully be accomplished.

Background of Central Washington University, its Library and Information Science Program, and its Archives and Special Collections

Central Washington University (CWU) is a public, regional, comprehensive university with an enrollment of over 10,000 students.[1] The main campus is located in the rural setting of Ellensburg, Washington, a small town with a population of 18,666 according to the 2020 census.[2] The university was founded in 1891 as the Washington State Normal School, and its academic calendar follows a quarter system.

The James E. Brooks Library is the main university library. Given the central yet rural location of the university, the closest American Library Association accredited program in the state is located over 100 miles away at the University of Washington in Seattle.[3] With many students in central Washington wanting to learn more about the library profession, a Library and Information Science (LIS) program was established at CWU in 2014 with the option of a minor or certificate.[4] The program provides undergraduate students with library coursework and internship opportunities. Courses are taught by library faculty with the terminal MLIS degree. The curriculum includes a LIS 411 “Introduction to Archives” course, initially taught in person to show students primary and secondary sources in the CWU Archives and provide hands-on experience with archival materials. The course description and outcomes provided in the university catalog were created with this intent.[5]

The Central Washington University Archives and Special Collections (CWUASC) was established in 2005 with collecting areas focused on university and regional history. Its professional staff includes two faculty members and an archives technician. The department provides in-person instruction sessions to undergraduate-level classes each quarter and displays primary sources from CWUASC collections. Instruction sessions transitioned to fully remote starting in March 2020 and continuing through May 2021, then returned to in-person instruction sessions.

Introduction to Archives In-Person Course, Spring 2018

The first CWU Introduction to Archives class was taught in the spring of 2018 with an enrollment of fifteen students. With each CWU quarter comprising ten weeks, it was a challenge to determine what to include in the syllabus for an introductory archives class that was also an upper-level undergraduate course. This was the author’s first experience teaching a credit-bearing course. Talking with archivists from Ogden State University and Utah State University about their experiences teaching an archives course was a great help in preparing the syllabus. They graciously shared their syllabi and assignments.

There is much literature on teaching archives courses and primary source literacy. A resource that was very helpful was the 2018 ACRL/RBMS SAA Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy[6] and the Case Studies for Teaching with Primary Sources.[7] Two case studies in the latter that were particularly useful for planning the course were “The Archives as Classroom: A Primary Source Mini-Course”[8]  and “Teaching with Primary Sources Remotely.”[9]  “The Archives as Classroom” study explores the evaluation of primary sources and their use in research projects. The author used this in planning the final research project and other class assignments. The study “Teaching with Primary Sources Remotely” describes communicating the information found in primary sources to students and analyzing resources for research projects. These skills were used throughout the online Introduction to Archives courses.

The book selected for the course was Gregory S. Hunter’s Developing and Maintaining Practical Archives: A How-to-do-it Manual (How-to-do-it Manuals for Libraries)[10]. The volume was selected for its practical rather than theoretical approach as well as tools and tips for the job duties as an archivist. Additional readings specific to each week’s topic were also included.

Students who took LIS 411 were mostly LIS minor and certificate students from different disciplines. There was no pre-requisite for the course so any student interested in learning about archives could take the class. The class met for 50 minutes twice weekly, and the classroom was arranged as a large table to encourage active participation and discussion. Most students were unfamiliar with primary sources at the start of the course. Providing an overview of primary sources that included readings and class discussion as well as examples was an integral component. Physical examples shared in class included correspondence (handwritten and typed), diaries, student newspapers, photographs, and audio and video recordings of oral histories. Students learned the correct way to handle materials without damaging them. The class also took a field trip to the Central Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives to learn about another archive and its primary sources. Student feedback and course evaluations indicated the tour was very helpful in learning more about archives and seeing primary sources.

The midterm assignment involved each student contacting and interviewing an archivist in the region and touring their repository. Interview questions included asking the archivist to show examples of primary sources housed in their archives. Students shared that they enjoyed interviewing an archivist and visiting an archive, learning how it operated, and viewing primary sources.

The final assignment was to write a research paper on a topic of the student’s choosing (with instructor approval) and use at least two primary sources in addition to secondary sources. By the time they began their final assignment, students had become comfortable identifying primary sources. Nearly all students successfully used and cited at least two primary sources in their final research paper. The assignment is shown in Document 1.

As an incentive for students to engage and do well in the course, the author told the class at the beginning of the quarter that if they came to class, completed the readings, and submitted assignments on time, they would earn an A in the course. If they received an A, the author was happy to serve as a reference for them for future jobs and write letters of recommendation for graduate school. Several students receiving A’s took the author up on her offer and received letters of recommendation for graduate school applications.

Introduction to Archives Online Course, Spring 2021 and Winter 2023

Future course offerings were intended to continue in person. However, the course moved to an asynchronous online modality as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The author had not previously taught online nor met with students virtually. The learning curve to accomplish these tasks was steep and frustrating.

The online course was offered in Spring 2021 with an enrollment of seven students. Most classes at CWU remained online for that academic year. An asynchronous format was selected so that more students could take the course and not be confined to scheduled class meetings. In pivoting the course, the author consulted other librarians and archivists who taught online and reviewed syllabi of archives classes taught virtually. The primary source resources provided by the Library of Congress, “Getting Started with Primary Sources,”[11] and the National Archives and Records Administration, “Getting Started with Primary Source Research for Teachers and Students,”[12] were also a great help in preparing the online course. The author also became familiar with the university’s online teaching tools, Canvas LMS and Panopto for recording lectures.

Teaching online for the first time was challenging and often felt isolating. Recording a weekly lecture was less dynamic and exciting without the in-person interaction of students in class discussion regarding that week’s readings and assignment. Revising and creating assignments to allow students to engage with online primary sources rather than physical ones was also challenging.

One assignment involved evaluating primary sources using the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA)[13]. The author chose DPLA as it was open access, user friendly, could be searched by topic, and contained primary sources of numerous formats. Students searched for an online collection in DPLA that was of interest. The assignment is shown in Document 2.

Most of the class noted they had never heard of DPLA and found it a useful resource. Students accurately selected and described a primary source and a secondary source they found in the collection they reviewed. Student feedback indicated they found the assignment interesting, had a better understanding of what primary sources were as a result of completing it, and planned to use DPLA in the future. Given the students’ positive feedback, the author included it the next time the course was offered.

Another assignment that used online resources was reviewing a finding aid in ArchivesWest[14], an online consortium of finding aids from archives in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain West. After the author covered finding aids in the recorded lecture for the week and students completed related readings, each student selected a collection they were interested in learning more about across the consortium, generally by typing a term in the Search box. They answered questions similar to those in the DPLA assignment. The questions included: “Were materials from the physical collection available online through the institution’s digital repository? If so, identify a primary source.” The student provided a brief description of their selected collection and its contents based on the finding aid. They indicated next steps they would take to see the collection in person or ask for scanned materials from the institution.

As with the 2018 in-person class, the midterm project was for each student to interview an archivist and tour their repository. However, the interviews were now conducted virtually via Zoom or phone. If there was a repository tour recording available, the interviewee shared that with the student. For the question regarding examples of primary sources in their collection, interviewees shared online examples from their digital collections.

As a way to connect more with students in the course, the author required two virtual check-ins with each student via Zoom during weeks four and ten of the quarter. These were held in addition to the optional virtual office hours offered twice weekly. Students made an appointment via an online calendar for 20-minute increments. The check-in went longer if the student wanted to talk more. If a student attended the check-in, they received the full grade for the assignment. The check-ins were an opportunity for the author to learn more about why each student was taking the course and what they were hoping to learn. Possible topics for the final project were discussed in the first check-in, and the author reviewed primary sources and how to find them for the research paper. The second check-in was to ensure students were on track for finding sources for their research topic and to answer any questions the students might have. The check-ins began with the author asking if the student had questions or concerns about the class they wanted to discuss. There was no set agenda for the check-ins other than to learn how students were progressing in the course. The check-ins provided the author with a better sense of the communication style and interests of each student in the class. The check-ins enabled the author to connect with each student directly and ensure students were learning and succeeding in the class. For students, the check-ins were an opportunity to ask questions not just about the course, but also about the library and archives professions, as several students were considering them as careers.

The final assignment remained a research paper on an archives topic of interest to the student. The final paper required that students use two primary sources, and nearly all the students successfully did this. Class evaluations indicated students enjoyed the assignments far more than the weekly quiz based on that week’s readings. They enjoyed reviewing online collections, interviewing an archivist, and writing a research paper on a topic that interested them.

The Winter 2023 online course had an enrollment of fourteen students. The assignments used in the first online class were repeated due to their previous success. An added assignment involved each student answering a research question from a patron using online archives collections. Perhaps because the author had the experience of teaching an online course, this class went more smoothly than the previous online course and students were more responsive and enthusiastic about it. The two check-ins with each student via Zoom continued. Student feedback on the course was positive, and nearly all the students successfully used and cited primary sources in their papers.

As with the in-person course, the author offered to serve as a reference for students receiving an A in the course. Students earned an A by turning in assignments on time and deadlines were provided in the syllabus at the start of the quarter. The absence of a class attendance component of the grade and the addition of attendance grades for check-ins with the author were the key differences in earning an A in the modalities. Most students in both classes received an A. Going forward, the LIS 411 class will continue to be offered annually, asynchronously, due to most of the LIS students being physically located outside of Ellensburg and completing their other LIS courses online.

Outcomes and Lessons Learned

            There were beneficial outcomes in pivoting from an in-person to online class environment. Gaining experience in online teaching and virtual meetings with students enabled the author to become comfortable meeting virtually with general library patrons and providing virtual archives instruction sessions. Students who took the Introduction to Archives course went on to attend graduate school, pursue careers in teaching, and volunteer or work at libraries, museums, or archives. Several attended online graduate programs and shared that they were comfortable taking a graduate-level library or archives course online because they took the LIS 411 online course. Students who completed virtual internships or other online projects related to archives also expressed this.

What did the author learn from teaching online about primary sources? Transitioning from teaching about primary sources in person and showing physical examples to moving online and showing digital objects is a challenge. It is difficult to convey to students the importance of a centuries-old diary by showing scans of its pages rather than having the physical item for them to view. However, the abundance of online archives collections provides access to many primary sources with the growing abundance of born-digital ones. Another lesson learned was the importance of students continuing to have the autonomy to delve into archives collections and topics that interested them in both modalities. Scheduled direct communication with students in an online course is also crucial to student success. From teaching about primary sources in both modalities, this author realized it is possible to successfully educate undergraduate students about primary sources in both in-person and online classes.

Bibliography

ACRL/RBMS. Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy. 2018. Accessed November 8, 2023. https://www2.archivists.org/sites/all/files/GuidelinesForPrimarySourceLiteracy-June2018.pdf, archived December 7, 2023, at https://web.archive.org/web/20231207051120/https://www2.archivists.org/sites/all/files/GuidelinesForPrimarySourceLiteracy-June2018.pdf.

American Library Association. “Directory of ALA-Accredited and Candidate Programs in Library and Information Studies.” Accessed June 9, 2023. https://www.ala.org/educationcareers/accreditedprograms/directory, archived December 31, 2023, 2023, at https://web.archive.org/web/20231231065441/https://www.ala.org/educationcareers/accreditedprograms/directory.

Archives West. Orbis Cascade Alliance. Accessed October 30, 2023. https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/, archived January 1, 2024, at https://web.archive.org/web/20240105035704/https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/.

Central Washington University. “Academic Calendar and Catalogs.” Accessed June 2, 2023. https://www.cwu.edu/registrar/academic-calendar, archived June 5, 2023 at https://web.archive.org/web/20230605125137/https://www.cwu.edu/registrar/academic-calendar.

Central Washington University Archives and Special Collections. “Central Washington University Archives and Special Collections.” Accessed June 2, 2023.  http://www.lib.cwu.edu/archives-special-collections, archived October 1, 2023, at https://web.archive.org/web/20231001122215/https://www.lib.cwu.edu/find-materials/archives-special-collections.php.

Central Washington University Libraries. “Library and Information Science Programs.” Accessed June 2, 2023. http://www.lib.cwu.edu/LIS-programs, archived June 11, 2023, a https://web.archive.org/web/20230611003845/http://www.lib.cwu.edu/LIS-programs.

Digital Public Library of America (DPLA). Accessed October 30, 2023.  https://dp.la/, archived November 1, 2023, at https://web.archive.org/web/20231101092406/https://dp.la/.

Hunter, Gregory S. Developing and Maintaining Practical Archives: A How-to-Do-It Manual. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Neal-Schuman Publishers, 2003.

———. Developing and Maintaining Practical Archives: A How-to-Do-It Manual. 3^rd ed. Chicago: ALA Neal-Schuman, 2020.

Library of Congress. Getting Started with Primary Sources. Accessed October 30, 2023. https://www.loc.gov/programs/teachers/getting-started-with-primary-sources/, archived October 28, 2023, at https://web.archive.org/web/20231028174910/https://www.loc.gov/programs/teachers/getting-started-with-primary-sources/.

National Archives and Records Administration. Getting Started with Primary Source Research for Teachers and Students. Accessed June 2, 2023.  https://www.archives.gov/education/research, archived September 22, 2023, at https://web.archive.org/web/20230922020705/https://www.archives.gov/education/research.

SAA-ACRL/RBMS Joint Task Force on the Development of Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy. “Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy.” 2018. Accessed June 16, 2023.  https://www2.archivists.org/sites/all/files/GuidelinesForPrimarySourceLiteracy-June2018.pdf, archived December 7, 2023, at https://web.archive.org/web/20231207051120/https://www2.archivists.org/sites/all/files/GuidelinesForPrimarySourceLiteracy-June2018.pdf.

Spitz, Blake, and Feeney, Mary. “Case Studies for Teaching with Primary Sources,” Society of American Archivists. 2023. Accessed June 16, 2023.   https://www2.archivists.org/publications/epubs/Case-Studies-Teaching-With-Primary-Sources, archived July 12, 2023, at https://web.archive.org/web/20230712172609/https://www2.archivists.org/publications/epubs/Case-Studies-Teaching-With-Primary-Sources.

United States Census Bureau. “2020 Census.” Accessed June 2, 2023. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/ellensburgcitywashington, archived January 10, 2024, at https://web.archive.org/web/20240110213250/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/ellensburgcitywashington.

U.S. News and World Report. “Central Washington University: Profile, Rankings, and Data.” Accessed June 9, 2023. https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/central-washington-university-3771, archived January 11, 2024, at https://web.archive.org/web/20240111002824/https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/central-washington-university-3771.

Endnotes

[1] “Central Washington University: Profile, Rankings, and Data,” U.S. News and World Report, accessed June 9, 2023, https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/central-washington-university-3771, archived January 11, 2024, at https://web.archive.org/web/20240111002824/https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/central-washington-university-3771.

[2] “2020 Census,” United States Census, accessed June 2, 2023, https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/ellensburgcitywashington, archived January 10, 2024, at https://web.archive.org/web/20240110213250/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/ellensburgcitywashington.

[3] “Directory of ALA-Accredited and Candidate Programs in Library and Information Studies,” American Library Association, accessed June 9, 2023, https://www.ala.org/educationcareers/accreditedprograms/directory, archived December 31, 2023, at https://web.archive.org/web/20231231065441/https://www.ala.org/educationcareers/accreditedprograms/directory.

[4] Central Washington University Libraries, “Library and Information Science Programs,” Accessed June 2, 2023, http://www.lib.cwu.edu/LIS-programs, archived June 11, 2023, at https://web.archive.org/web/20230611003845/http://www.lib.cwu.edu/LIS-programs.

[5] Central Washington University Catalog, “Library and Information Science Certificate,” Accessed November 8, 2023, https://catalog.acalog.cwu.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=76&poid=17196, archived October 12, 2023, at https://web.archive.org/web/20231012190247/https://catalog.acalog.cwu.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=76&poid=17196.

[6] ACRL/RBMS, SAA Release Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy, accessed November 8, 2023, https://www2.archivists.org/sites/all/files/GuidelinesForPrimarySourceLiteracy-June2018.pdf, archived December 7, 2023, at https://web.archive.org/web/20231207051120/https://www2.archivists.org/sites/all/files/GuidelinesForPrimarySourceLiteracy-June2018.pdf.

[7] Blake Spitz and Mary Feeney, “Case Studies for Teaching with Primary Sources,” accessed June 16, 2023,  https://www2.archivists.org/publications/epubs/Case-Studies-Teaching-With-Primary-Sources, archived July 12, 2023, at https://web.archive.org/web/20230712172609/https://www2.archivists.org/publications/epubs/Case-Studies-Teaching-With-Primary-Sources.

[8] Kayla Harris, Stephanie Shreffler, and Heidi Guader, “The Archives as Classroom: A Primary Source Mini-Course,” accessed October 30, 2023, https://www2.archivists.org/sites/all/files/TWPSCase_6_Archives_As_Classroom.pdf, archived August 25, 2023, at https://web.archive.org/web/20230825213348/https://www2.archivists.org/sites/all/files/TWPSCase_6_Archives_As_Classroom.pdf.

[9] Kaitlin Springmier, “Teaching with Primary Sources Remotely,” accessed October 30, 2023, https://www2.archivists.org/sites/all/files/TWPSCase_15_Teaching_With_Primary_Sources_Remotely.pdf, archived December 31, 2023, at https://web.archive.org/web/20230621094412/https://www2.archivists.org/sites/all/files/TWPSCase_15_Teaching_With_Primary_Sources_Remotely.pdf.

[10] Gregory S. Hunter, Developing and Maintaining Practical Archives: A How-to-Do-It Manual, 3^rd ed., (Chicago: ALA Neal-Schuman, 2020); Gregory S. Hunter, Developing and Maintaining Practical Archives: A How-to-Do-It Manual, 2^nd ed., (New York, NY: Neal-Schuman Publishers, 2003).

[11] “Getting Started with Primary Sources,” Library of Congress, accessed October 30, 2023, https://www.loc.gov/programs/teachers/getting-started-with-primary-sources/, archived October 28, 2023, at https://web.archive.org/web/20231028174910/https://www.loc.gov/programs/teachers/getting-started-with-primary-sources/.

[12] “Getting Started with Primary Source Research for Teachers and Students,” National Archives and Records Administration, August 21, 2016, https://www.archives.gov/education/research, archived September 22, 2023, at https://web.archive.org/web/20230922020705/https://www.archives.gov/education/research.

[13] “Digital Public Library of America,” Digital Public Library of America, accessed October 30, 2023, https://dp.la/, archived November 1, 2023, at https://web.archive.org/web/20231101092406/https://dp.la/.

[14] Orbis Cascade Alliance, “Archives West,” accessed October 30, 2023, https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/, archived January 5, 2024, at https://web.archive.org/web/20240105035704/https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/.