Introduction

Learning about primary sources in an archives where students can see and examine materials is a unique opportunity. This exercise aims to provide a similar level of hands-on active learning while students attend a synchronous class online.

This text is intended to help students understand how to use primary sources and how to research at the University of Baltimore Special Collections & Archives in order to explore potential research topics regarding 20th century social history, arts history, cultural history, and more, in Baltimore, Maryland. The class activity is designed to be completed synchronously in an online learning environment using video conference tools such as Zoom in order to provide students with a collaborative group based experience.

Faculty and instructors of a variety of classes can use this exercise and adapt it as needed in order to help familiarize students with research in the archives. Those that may find it particularly useful include undergraduate interdisciplinary studies (IDIS), history, communications, and design courses. Upper division courses that include archival research projects may also find this exercise to be a useful way to introduce students to research in the archives.

If this sounds like the activity for you and your class, then read on!