Upcoming Events | Agendas | Program Incentives
Professional Development
Graduate Courses| Level One | Level Two | Level Three
 
Graduate Courses:
 
1. EDU 595: (Link to Syllabus)
 
Level One:  Discovering the Library of Congress
Goal: Participants are familiar with the breadth and organization of the Library of Congress’ digital primary sources, understand their value in instruction and create basic inquiry-based learning experiences.

Objectives: 

  1. Describe primary source documents and their value in teaching.
  2. Locate and navigate the Library of Congress Web site.
  3. Access, save and present primary sources from the Library of Congress’ Web site.
  4. Gain a foundational understanding of best instructional practices for teaching with primary sources.
  5. Create instructionally sound learning experiences that integrate primary sources from the Library of Congress.
Descriptions
1. Discovering Primary Sources Online: (Link to Session I - Introduction)
This is an online version of six professional development workshops sponsored by the Waynesburg University Teaching with Primary Sources program staff. Participants work independently and receive feedback from peers and the instructor via internal class email and discussion board postings. Participants meet weekly. Participants will become familiar with the breadth and organization of the digital primary source archives at the Library of Congress, understand their value in instruction and create an inquiry-based learning experience. (Click here to view sample projects developed by participants for classroom use.)
 
2. Introduction: View the Workshop PDF file Primary source documents will be defined in general and examples of specific Library of Congress primary source documents will be presented. After a demonstration of the resources for families, students and teachers at the Library of Congress Web Site, participants will have time to explore loc.gov on their own computer desktop.  During a final reflection activity, participants will determine the value of integrating primary source documents into their own teaching and learning environment.
 
3. Mining Memories: View the Workshop PDF file Just as the Western Pennsylvania Miner in the 1890’s located and retrieved valuable coal nuggets, this workshop will focus on search strategies and technology skills to enable teachers to “mine” the archives at loc.gov for primary source documents that match their curriculum and standards.  Model learning activities will be used to establish a connection between the document and the teacher/learner. Participants will work in small groups to evaluate these model activities in terms of Best Instructional Practices found in the theory of Differentiated Instruction.
 
4. Digging Deeper: View the Workshop PDF file Participants in this workshop will dig deeper for more creative and critical thinking about primary source documents at the Library of Congress.  Graphic organizers to facilitate the analysis of audio, visual and text primary documents both objectively and subjectively will be used for small group examination and interpretation. Participants will experience model learning activities based on Best Instructional Practices found in the theory of Teaching for Understanding.
 
5. Mapping Memories: View the Workshop PDF file. The focus of this workshop is the effective exploration and analysis of maps as a means of understanding culture, interpreting local history, and making connections between the social perspectives of the past and those of the present. The Library of Congress’ Panoramic Maps Collection, 1847-1929 is used, as well as a collection of local maps to demonstrate another way to use primary source documents in Teaching for Understanding. Participants will collaborate with a partner to design an original lesson using one of the maps found in the Library of Congress digital archives.
 
6. My Day in History: View the Workshop PDF file. This workshop, based on the model developed by the Barat University TPS program, takes teacher participants through a model lesson they can use with their students in grades 3-6. My Day in History incorporates the “Today in History” feature of the Library of Congress, connecting teachers with an online resource that will enable students to explore historical events. Students are naturally looking for connections between themselves and what they are learning. This project connects students to historical events that happened on their birthdays, helping them to recognize that each person is part of and contributes to the ongoing American memory. This model lesson is an exceptional example of Differentiated Instruction meeting the needs of diverse learners by providing a variety of options in content, process and product.
 
7. Sights and Sounds of the Civil War: View the Workshop PDF file This workshop is a model lesson for students in grades 6-12 that integrates a timeline of major events of the Civil War with period song sheets. The teacher participants will complete sample sorting and analysis activities with these historical documents to understand the various opinions and points of view held by people at that time. This visual and auditory lesson is a good example of Teaching for Understanding. Activities are included that both develop and demonstrate students' understanding of the understanding goals by requiring them to use what they know in new ways.
 
8. The Illustrated Gettysburg Address: View the Workshop PDF file. This workshop is a model lesson, based on the professional development module by the same name at California University of Pennsylvania’s TPS program, is designed for use with students in grades 4-8 and uses historic photographs from the Library of Congress to illustrate the ideals spoken of in the Gettysburg Address. This technology-based lesson is a good example of Differentiated Instruction. Activities are included that modify the content normally taught. In this lesson, content becomes abstract and shifts from facts to concepts and inter-relationships between factors.
 
Level Two: Designing Learning Experiences
Goal: Evaluate, create and teach subject-specific, standards-based learning experiences that integrate primary sources from the Library of Congress and exemplify best instructional practices.

Objectives:

  1. Gain a thorough understanding of instructional best practices using primary sources and can identify exemplary learning experiences.
  2. Evaluate primary source-based learning experiences.
  3. Create standards-based learning experiences integrating primary sources from the Library of Congress that exemplify best practice.
  4. Teach, assess and reflect on their experiences using primary sources in instruction.
Descriptions
1. Developing Best Practices: Participants will learn techniques appropriate for incorporating primary source activities into classroom curriculum through the development and evaluation of subject-specific lessons. This course enables graduates of Level 1 TPS* courses to examine various pedagogies effective for incorporating primary source documents into the classroom and evaluate, create and teach subject-specific, standards-based learning experiences that integrate primary sources from the Library of Congress’ online collections. Participant observations and research will add to the ongoing discussion regarding best practices for teaching with primary sources. This course will run for seven weeks and exemplify instructional best practices.
 
2. WebQuesting At The Library of Congress: (View the Workshop HTML file)
WebQuests have become a popular form of guided inquiry using web resources.  The goal of a WebQuest is to provide students with authentic problem solving activities using web-based resources. This “WebQuest About WebQuests” was designed for the teacher who wants to learn how to use the WebQuest Model  and Library of Congress documents to teach higher order thinking skills in their own classroom.  After completing the activities in this WebQuest, the participant will design their own WebQuest using templates provided. Participants will also be able to explain what a WebQuest is and how to apply this additional best instructional practices model to their own classroom. (View sample WebQuests for student use made with Library of Congress primary source documents.) 
 
3. Oral History: (View the Workshop PDF file)
Documenting history by capturing the spoken word is the focus of this workshop. Participants will examine oral history projects archived at the Library of Congress to discover ways to apply the historian’s tools to local issues and traditions. Participants will learn questioning techniques and become familiar with ways to locate primary source documents to authenticate the oral history. Teachers will collaborate to complete a local oral history project to be used as a classroom example in introducing students to the process of documenting local cultural traditions. Developed in keeping with the best instructional practices used in Teaching for Understanding, this workshop requires participants to identify a theme or generative topic for their oral history project. A generative topic is central or universal and will have multiple connecting points to students’ interests and experiences. For example, an oral history project may focus on childhood games, family traditions, or War. (View a sample Oral History Project designed by a Waynesburg teacher.)
 
4. Visual Literacy: (View the Workshop PDF file)
The Visual Literacy workshop gives participants the tools to analyze period photographs and other documents in order to explore both the historical significance of the document and to glean information about the context in which it was produced. Participants will compare subjective notions about the documents with the opinions of others. Teachers will develop a visual literacy experience to take the students in their classrooms beyond the surface of historical artifacts. This workshop follows the guidelines of Differentiated Instruction by requiring higher levels of thinking such as the study of methods of inquiry and procedures used by expert historians.
 
5. It's No Laughing Matter: (View the Workshop PDF file)
It's No Laughing Matter provides participants the opportunity to explore and analyze political cartoons within historical contexts and identify elements which make the medium useful and informative. They will evaluate the effectiveness of a given cartoon and propose alternative ways of communicating the artist’s idea. Participants will design learning experiences to lead students in the creation of thought provoking cartoons that communicate the students’ political views. This workshop is an example of Differentiated Instruction. The process for learning was modified to promote creativity and higher level cognitive skills, and to encourage productive use and management of the knowledge the students have mastered.
 
6. Digital Storytelling: (View the Workshop PDF file)
This is a project-based workshop in which participants use Library of Congress resources to connect community stories to the national and world scene. Participants learn digital photography skills as they complete the project and learn ways to support students in actively synthesizing information from primary source documents. Digital Storytelling is another example of Teaching for Understanding.  It enables students to find value in their own backyard and gives them a voice in the digital age.  (View sample Digital Stories that focus on the memories of World War II.)
 
Level Three:  Disseminating Ideas, Methods and Products
Goal: Develop a network of experienced teachers who advocate teaching with primary sources.

Objectives:

  1. Mentor colleagues on the best instructional uses of primary sources
  2. Evaluate learning experiences for widespread dissemination and use
  3. Interact and collaborate with fellow LOC Ambassadors
  4. Contribute to local, state and national use of best practices for using primary sources in instruction by publishing in print or in online journals, speaking at gatherings of educators and/or leading professional development activities.
Descriptions
1. Ambassadors in the Field (view the workshop pdf file)
This professional development course will equip you to lead other education professionals to the online primary sources available through the Library of Congress. Check out lessons created by fellow AAM/TPS participants. Develop ways to spread the word about how primary source documents can be used to develop critical thinking skills. Learn how you can earn bonuses by leading others to the Library.
 
2. WebQuesting at the Library of Congress Online Version
The online version of this workshop was originally intended for advanced participants. As it evolved it was obvious that the synchronous and asynchronous formats for chat room and discussion board provided many more opportunities for mentoring, self and peer evaluation, and collaborative project building. Both advanced and beginning participants can benefit from this workshop because of the mentoring components. At the end of the six week online course, participants meet face to face with each other and share their projects and reflect on the learning experience. Three months after the workshop ends, a seminar is conducted to collaboratively write an article for publication in an educational journal describing WebQuests as one of the effective practices for using primary sources in instruction. This workshop uses the WebQuesting model originally developed by Bernie Dodge and refined by Tom March. (View sample WebQuests for student use made with Library of Congress primary source documents.)