On April 24th, the GLAM Center for Collaborative Teaching and Learning hosted its penultimate faculty development workshop of the spring semester at the Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library. Presented by the Archives Research Center’s Public Services Archivist, Tiffany Atwater Lee, “Incorporating Archives Into the Curriculum: Dos and Don’ts of Planning and Scheduling Archival Classroom Sessions” provided attendees with an overview of the instruction services available from the Archives Research Center and strategies to plan for best incorporating archival materials into their classrooms.
Lee began her presentation with an overview of AUC Woodruff’s Archives Research Center and its available resources before discussing how best to incorporate archives into instruction. The Archives Research Center’s instruction philosophy is built around the concept that primary source engagement builds critical thinking and information literacy skills, which can make students more engaged learners and better-informed citizens. Visiting the archives is a high impact educational practice, like first-year seminars or service learning opportunities, which research has demonstrated has a significant impact on student success. Lee then discussed how Archives and GLAM Center staff can work with professors to incorporate the use of primary source materials into assignments. The workshop culminated with faculty brainstorming ways to include archival materials in their instruction and filling out an archives instruction plan.
If you’re interested in finding out more about how you can work with the Archives Research Center, email archives@auctr.edu. Be sure not to miss our final workshop of the spring semester on using the image database ARTstor with AUC Reference Librarian Jordan Moore on Wednesday, May 8th at 11 AM in room 215 of the Woodruff Library!