Practicum Log #11: Primary Source Instruction Planning

I’m back on campus at Southwestern University. This is one of their book displays, currently showcases authors of color and books that celebrate diversity. I spent time in planning meetings today!

Monday, June 17, 2024 from 1:00-5:00 PM

Today, Katherine Hooker, Emily Thorpe, Megan Firestone, and I met in order to brainstorm about a primary source instruction module they are asking me to create for information literacy instruction. The history department is needing some instruction for students to research primary sources via the general web, not only sources and databases available behind a paywall or subscription. We talked through current student weaknesses and information learning gaps in this area. There’s a need for explaining basic primary sources, finding primary sources, evaluating primary sources, and using them effectively in research. Megan runs the distinctive collections department at the library, so we also looked through objectives that students need in understanding how to use the collections as a resource. Megan is wanting some sort of asynchronous instruction that professors can upload to Moodle as well as direct instruction presentations that the instruction librarians can teach. We talked about implementing examples from specific courses taught at Southwestern and making a discipline neutral presentation overall.

After this discussion, Megan walked through an upcoming Upward Bound week on campus, where the library will have the students for an hour to two hours every day, Monday through Thursday, and they will present their research on Friday. Megan planned out a short research project on cuneiform, researching and studying the cuneiform available in the distinctive collections area. She also developed some fun activities using Maker Space equipment. The students will make a junk journal using the binding machines and Little Golden Books about Pirates (the school mascot), cricket and button-making stations, and a model cuneiform tablet using the 3D printer. We walked through the activities, making sure there would be enough to do without overwhelming the students and making sure that the requirements wouldn’t be too strenuous on the staff.

After this meeting, Emily, Katherine, and I started looking for already developed instruction on primary sources to see what could be adapted. We sent each other links to good digital collections of primary sources, and Emily and I weeded through a cart of donated books to see if there would be anything useful to add to the collection. Katherine also finished up much of the escape game for information literacy instruction, and she showed us her progress.

Full Schedule: l will be working 10:00-2:00 from May 28th to June 7th, M-F online. (The campus is undergoing some construction and all of the librarians are working from home.)

Then, from June 10 - July 19th, I will be working 1:00-5:00 on campus at Southwestern University. I will more than likely finish by July 12th, but I'm adding a week for wiggle room. This should lead to 128 hours.