Comments on: Liveblogging NITLE, “Scholarly Collaboration and Small Colleges in the Digital Age”, 5th panel

By: Western Dave

Western Dave — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:19:09 +0000

As you point out, many of these objects seem supremely useful for Upper School uses because they allow students to engage directly with historical sources. They fit in with what we call “history labs” in my school. Here is a set of documents, images, web sites, etc. Go tool around and figure out what you can learn while answering a set of guided questions. Usually there is some sort of culminating question at the end. It’s the kind of basic skills work that is really basic but generally gets sacrificed for learning “stuff.” As my own school has its eyes on becoming a technological leader, I think we need to pursue this stuff for both internal and external use.

By: Sdorn

Sdorn — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 16:06:46 +0000

I’ve been having many similar thoughts about the professional and institutional issues involved and a leisurely conversation with one of the more thoughtful academic librarians I know, and I think you hit on all three of the key questions (what is the relationship of objects to pedagogy/intellectual argument, how to give/create academic credibility, and how to structure the institutional environment to support the activities appropriately).

And I think I could figure out some solutions, but I need a grant, I need to write a few grants this semester, and I haven’t figured out how it would translate into … oh. Right. 😉