Just Add Water

Generating electricity using the extreme tides of the Bay of Fundy is a recent topic—or is it?  This example demonstrates why critical skills and analysis are important when doing any kind of research.  Students are forced to confront their own assumptions about the technological capabilities of the past and make a new connection with the campus’ ties to electrical power in the local area.

Audience: Undergraduate students, usually studying the local environment or sustainability issues.

Objectives:

·         To be guided through the research process with access to original sources.

·         To provide an opportunity to examine a source critically.

·         To introduce primary and secondary sources.

·         To participate in the “brainstorming” process of research.

·         To allow for discovery time with original sources.

·         To recognize researcher bias when thinking about historical sources.

Ingredients:

Originals only whenever possible—no digital sources.

• Reprint of article in Industrial Canada, 1918
• Corporate fonds
• Personal fonds

Method:

Prep time about 10 mins

1. Copy or scan the title of the article, depending on if you want to distribute it in paper or on an overhead.
2. Pull archival records for later distribution.

Exercise time between 30 and 40 mins

1. Set up the scenario.  The scenario given here is that of an undergraduate student doing research on tidal power in the Bay of Fundy. This is a very current topic with a great deal of secondary source material available. While working on this topic, the student finds a title that reads, “Harnessing the Tides of the Bay of Fundy.” Ask if this article seems on topic.
2. The subtitle reads, “Power Potentialities Derivable from the Installation of Current Motors at Cape Split to be Sufficient to Supply all Needs of the Maritime Provinces, While the Scheme Has Been Declared Feasible by Eminent Consulting Engineers.”  Ask if this article would be useful to their research?  Keen students will find something out-of-place with the subtitle.
3. Discuss what parts of the subtitle seem out-of-place.  To do so, circle the specific words, which in this case are: Current Motors, Cape Split, Sufficient to Supply all Needs of the Maritime Provinces.  If the students are using their critical research skills, they should ask why tidal power is being generated at Cape Split (which is not being currently discussed); how could that power supply all the needs of the Maritime Provinces; and, who is Current Motors?
4. Turn your attention to the author, Principal W.L. Archibald at Acadia University. Who is Principal Archibald? With investigation, the students find that the source is actually not a current one; the article is a reprint from Industrial Canada, August 1918.
5. Ask where would the students get more context for this article? Of course, a visit to the Archives and an examination of primary sources is an excellent place to start.  The Archives holds documents that put the article reprint into context with similar documents for the Company.
6. Distribute the records of the Company that proposed to build a power generating plant along the Bay of Fundy.  The records of the Company show that tidal power was explored and proposed for a site at Cape Split, NS, as early as 1915, and show how the scientists expected this plant to work with maps and project reports.
7. Distribute the records of key individuals who were involved with the plant’s proposal—all of whom were employed by Acadia University.  Documents show how several members of Acadia University’s faculty and administration were involved in the tidal power project – including William Archibald.
8. Distribute the patents for the turbines and motors to be used at the plant, invented by an Acadia faculty member
9. Allow time for the students to review all of these primary sources.

Results:

·         Examining original and digital primary and secondary sources for research purposes.

·         Learn that research requires asking the right questions and examining sources.

·         Understand the limitations of using sources in isolation of each other.

·         Learn about a part of the University’s history.

·         Gain skills in doing research with primary and secondary sources.

Assignment:

No assignment has been given with this example.

Notes:  

This example has been used with educators and peers to demonstrate research skills and primary sources.


A link to this example as portrayed on page 49 of the conference proceedings of the AAU Teaching Showcase for 2009 is provided here: http://www.atlanticuniversities.ca/system/files/documents/AAUTeachingShowcaseProceedings/2009Proceedings_Final.pdf, entitled "Going to the Primaries".

Counting Canadians

What does census data really tell us about the individual or the community?  This example puts real faces and places on the raw data through a process I call, “putting meat on them bones.”  As part of their research methods course, the students are asked to examine the historical census data for one community and select a person/family or an issue within that community.  Their research must include historical, primary sources and span a few decades in scope.  The example in the archives should re-create the process of doing exactly that research. 

Audience:

Sociology graduate students in a research methods course.  The students have already had an orientation to the census data by a librarian.

Objectives:

·         To analyze data.

·         To find primary and secondary sources that enhance the data.

·         To practice a research method in preparation for a thesis.

·         To participate in a guided example of the research process.

·         To discover how primary and secondary sources work together.

·         To learn about archives.

Ingredients:

Originals only whenever possible—no digital sources.

• Census data from 1881, 1891, 1901 
• Directories
• Minutes
• Phone books
• Published histories
• Maps
• Municipal records
• Family fonds
• Music can be added at some point; perhaps “Shiny Happy People” by REM

Method:

Prep time about 1 to 2 hours

1.       To prepare, do the research for the assignment.  It is important to show the students that you are interested and involved in the process so as to build rapport.

2.       While doing the research, record all of the steps taken and sources you consulted.  This will allow you to recreate the process when the class visits.

3.       Pull all of the potential sources and set them aside for the class discussion.

Exercise time between 30 and 40 minutes

4.       Talk about the census data you reviewed and defend your selected topic.  In this case, a family has been selected.

5.       Show the census findings and details to the students, noting any specifics.  Consider using a white board or a black board instead of an overhead so that “real time” discussion details can be noted.

6.       Ask the students to brainstorm and shout out potential sources of evidence.  Hints for some sources may be required.

7.       As each source is shouted out, pull the source from its hiding place and give it to the student to search for evidence while explaining who created the source and discussing what function that creator serves.

8.       Be sure to include the family fonds in this process, explaining how the finding aid assists with the research process.  Distribute original sources in the fonds.

9.       Give the group time to look through each source.  Let them discover an answer but also time to discover the source itself.  Teach the group how to use the source while sharing tid-bits of stories and ideas.  Allow students to ask questions about the sources.

10.   Bring the group’s focus back to the question by asking what the students discovered.  Ask each student (in turn) with a source to report on the findings.  Fill in the blanks left by the census data and give the family more “flesh”.

11.   Guide an open discussion about the findings in each source—especially the sources that contain no evidence.  Allow for each source to be evaluated.

Outcomes:

·         Primary and secondary sources work together to build evidence.

·         Exploration of differences between raw data and contextualized data.

·         How to use sources effectively in the research process.

·         Learning how to complete the assignment.

Assignment:

The assignment is given by the instructor.  The assignment encourages the students to return to the Archives for further assistance.

Notes:

The added benefit is that archivists know their collections and can select a bountiful topic to demonstrate how to do this assignment.  It is likely that the archivist who built the finding aid is already familiar with relevant sources.

An aside note about a book I have just reviewed

I just posted an excerpt of this note in the blog "And then the Archivist came to class..."  I am re-posting it here because the content is very relevant to building session examples.

When it comes time to build new sessions, one book will be most helpful--Hands-On Information Literacy Activities by Jane Birks and Fiona Hunt, published in 2003 by Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc. This book is accompanied by a CD-ROM of worksheets and activity supplements.

The book itself provides 20 step-by-step examples of activities in the form of games, assessments/reviews of sources, and core activities.

• The "games" section reminds me of an example I have used with grade 7 students. I printed off several types of primary and secondary sources on individual sheets, distributed them to the class, and asked the students to paste their source in either the primary or secondary column drawn on a flip chart. I didn't only use "traditional" sources; I included things like an x-box game and the programming code to build that game.
• The "assessment" section caused me to think about building exercises to demonstrate how to use a finding aid and databases of digital collections. I also need to think about building into my sessions opportunities for students to learn how to ask for records and explain how I can mediate the research process in a way that makes sense to them.
• The "core activities" section demonstrates how the examples can be layered to build a progressive learning session using games and assessment exercises. Is there a way to create a mock-up session that demonstrates the reference and research processes? I am certain that there is.

Anyone here busy?

This is an example of a short activity that I used with a Kinesiology class to build rapport.  I gave the prof a "heads up" before the session so she would not be surprised.  I knew that I would be speaking with 120 students in an amphitheatre-style room so I had to try something a little different than my usual session.  To start, I took between 5 and 10 minutes to do this little exercise.  In my opinion, it went really well.

First, I baited them by asking the class to put up their hand if they were busy.  Everyone--including me--put up one hand.  I told them they were in luck because I had with me "Exercises for Busy People", printed on a card created by the YMCA around 100 years ago.  I held up the original while the ppt slide showed the digital version.  The students laughed when the read the exercises created for a healthy liver, kidneys, bowels, and more!

They had already admitted that they were busy people, so I told everyone to stand up because we needed to exercise.  I passed the card to the prof and asked her to pick an exercise and read it out loud.  The students and I all performed the selected exercises.  Everyone laughed while they did the 100-year-old examples.  Then, I told them to sit down and I continued with the session.

This example not only built rapport with a large group of students whom I had never met before, it set the tone for the rest of the session.

The Controversial Calendar

Is this calendar controversial?  The example is a month/day calendar from 1966, published by the Student Union’s newspaper.  Each page includes an image of a female student, complete with her details on study and residence.  Most of the women are posing on a couch; one woman is posing on a fireplace mantle.  The women are all wearing suggestive clothing.  Written on the front are the words “Controversial Calendar”.

Audience:

General example that is good for novice students at the undergraduate level and can be used at the graduate level as a reminder of research skills.

Objectives:

·         To be guided through the research process with access to original sources.

·         To introduce primary and secondary sources.

·         To demonstrate how primary and secondary sources work together.

·         To participate in the “brainstorming” process of research.

·         To allow for discovery time with original sources.

·         To recognize researcher bias when thinking about historical sources.

·         To recognize bias in historical sources.

Ingredients:

Originals only whenever possible—no digital sources.

ü  Calendar

ü  “Wild Thing” by The Troggs (1960s version)

ü  Yearbook

ü  Newspapers

ü  Reports

ü  Minutes

ü  Published histories

ü  Diaries

ü  Academic calendars

ü  Oral histories

Method:

Prep time about 15 minutes
1.       Pull primary and secondary sources needed in advance of the session.  Keep the sources out of sight until needed.

Exercise time between 30 and 45 minutes

2.       Start the music with the first page; stop with the last page.
3.       Walk through the classroom, showing the calendar page-by-page and up close, letting the students absorb the images and form an opinion.
4.       While showing the example, talk about the time period and history for context.
5.       Ask if the students think this calendar is controversial.
6.       Ask students how they would prove/disprove that this caused a controversy.
7.       Ask the students to brainstorm and shout out potential sources of evidence.  Hints for some sources may be required.
8.       As each source is shouted out, pull the source from its hiding place and give it to the student to search for evidence while explaining who created the source and discussing what function that creator serves.
9.       Give the group time to look through each source.  Let them discover an answer but also time to discover the source itself.  Teach the group how to use the source while sharing tid-bits of stories and ideas.  Allow students to ask questions about the sources.
10.   Bring the group’s focus back to the question by asking what the students discovered.  Ask each student (in turn) with a source to report on the findings; save the best source of information to the last.
11.   Guide an open discussion about the findings in each source—especially the sources that contain no evidence.  Allow for each source to be evaluated.
12.   Ask if this calendar caused on controversy.

Results:

·         This example generates a great deal of discussion and interest in university history.  Some students want to know more about the calendar and continue to ask questions after the formal session is complete.
·         Relate this guided example to other assignments that students may face.  Part of the process is to make the students think widely about sources for their own research.
·         Using audio and visual sources is an excellent way to enhance the message.

Assignment:
·         No assignment results from this general example.  Students have produced their own assignment incorporating ideas from this exercise.
·         There is potential for an assignment about the university during times of change and about campus attitudes.

Notes:

The best part about this example is that it “hooks” students immediately.  Allowing students to see the original calendar, up close and page-by-page draws the students into the process as a vested partner.  It seems that no one can resist a good controversy.

Somebody Call 9-1-1

Do you have all the facts?  Conducting an investigation with partial information is difficult.  Using the backdrop of a tragedy, this example pieces together parts of an event to show how misinformation or lack of information changes our perception of an event.  The tragedy is the 1920 fire that burned the University’s signature building to the ground, incidentally for the second time.

Audience:

General example that is used for undergraduate students and can be used for graduate students to remind them about research skills.

Has been done for a group of Grade 7 students.

Objectives:

• To be guided through the research process with access to original sources.
• To introduce primary and secondary sources.
• To demonstrate how primary and secondary sources work together.
• To allow for discovery time with original sources.
• To recognize bias in historical sources.

Ingredients:

ü  Prints (2 sets of 6, some with information and some without)

ü  Negatives of the prints

ü  Photocopies of the prints, very poor quality

ü  Digital copies of some prints, without any information

ü  Published histories

ü  Music can be used at some point, perhaps “Somebody Call 9-1-1” by Sean Kingston

ü  Activity questions

Examine the documents provided and answer the following questions:

1.     What type of source is it?

2.     What is the date of the document?

3.     Who created the document?

4.     Why was the document created?

5.     Any distinguishing marks or features on the document?

Consider the following:

                What does the existence of this document tell you about its creator?

                What does this document tell you about this part of local history?

                Is this an accurate representation of what is happening?

                Why do you believe that this is or is not an accurate representation?

                What questions are left unanswered by the document?

Consider if there are there differences between the physical and digital versions of a document?  If so, in what way are they different?

Method:

Prep time about 10 minutes

1.       Pull all of the sources.

2.       Distribute the sources, one each to a table.  So, one table has the published histories, one has a set of prints, etc.

3.       Print off and distribute a copy of the questions to be completed.

Exercise time between 15 and 20 minutes

1.       Divide the students in four or five groups, one group at each table with a source and questions.

2.       Ask each group to examine the source and answer the questions as best as possible.  You know that many of the groups have insufficient information to answer most of the questions.  Only one group has all of the answers.

3.       Allow 10 minutes for the groups to answer the questions.

OPTIONAL, allow the groups to switch sources part way through the exercise so that they can continue examining sources.

4.       Bring the students’ attention back to a larger discussion about the challenges of answering the questions.  Explain that each group was given some facts but not all.

5.       Ask each group to talk about the source they were given and whether or not they could answer all of the questions.  Start with the worst source (the poor photocopies); save the best source for last (the published history).

6.       Explain the limitations, challenges, and rewards of doing research.

7.       Discuss how primary and secondary sources help with the process of research.

Outcomes:

·         Examining original and digital primary and secondary sources for research purposes.

·         Learn about a part of the University’s history.

·         Gain skills in doing research with primary and secondary sources.

·         Learn that research requires asking the right questions and examining sources.

·         Understand the limitations of using sources in isolation of each other, especially digital sources.

Assignment:

There is no assignment attached to this exercise.  This is done as a quick introduction only and not meant to have much depth.

Notes:

A tragedy gets students talking and thinking about their common past.  Students often want to see all of the sources related to this event, especially the pictures, and talk about how the campus changed after the fire.  They are also interested in the building itself and the contents that were lost.

Another modification that could be brought into this example is to include a print of and artefact from another fire, which burned that same building about 40 years earlier.  This would be a deliberate inclusion to present misinformation and generate a discussion about verification of sources.