SCUA regularly uses backward design as a method to create instruction sessions. We start by discussing with faculty what we want the students to gain from the sessions and what the learning goals are. Working back from that, we then consider what content or skill-building would enable us to reach those goals.

Whether the session is synchronous or asynchronous is an important consideration.

• Synchronous sessions would allow for live discussion and participation. We could utilize breakout rooms to facilitate small group discussions and examination of materials.
• In an asynchronous session, the active learning could take the form of written or recorded commentary on materials. This could be useful for classes where a portion of the students is not returning to campus and is in different time zones.

In a remote environment, being deliberate is key. Creating a lesson plan of some sort is always part of our planning, but reliance on technology and surrogates, and not being in the same space as it all, suggests a more detailed and deliberate approach. This could entail creating a storyboard for the class to map out what materials are being used and when, what screen will be up, etc.

What is the primary focus for the materials used in the session? Content? Object?

• If content is the primary focus, then using a digital surrogate may be sufficient. The focus is not so much on experiencing the thing, but what the thing conveys informationally.
• If the object is the primary focus, then a digital surrogate may be insufficient. It can be difficult to get a sense of size, texture, composition, weight, etc. when presented as a 2D image. We would opt for using a document camera to provide an active view of an item.

If the course will utilize digital primary sources, teaching students to find and evaluate these sources on their own would be a separate skill set and could benefit from its own instruction session.

The students may have a different experience of the materials and the session on their side of the screen that we will need to consider. Will the colors of a digitized image render accurately? Will they have distractions in their environment? Will they be able to see or hear the other students in the class?

SCUA often uses the questions below to facilitate critical analysis of items.

Questions to Consider When Evaluating Primary Sources

• What is it?
• Who created it?
• When was it created?
• Who owned it?
• Who is the intended audience? Is it public or private?
• What surprises you? And why?
• What’s missing if anything?
• What questions does it lead you to ask?
• What other sources might you need to interpret your materials?

Questions for Evaluating Non-Written Primary Sources
from Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History, 6th ed. (Boston: Bedford, 2010)

For Photographs

• Who is the photographer? Why did he or she take this photograph?
• Where was the photograph first published or displayed? Did that publication or venue have a particular mission or point of view?
• Are there any obvious details such as angle, contrast, or cropping that suggest bias?

For Cartoons

• What is the message of the cartoon? How do words and images combine to convey that message?
• In what kind of publication did it originally appear (newspaper, magazine, etc.)? Did that publication have a particular agenda or mission?
• When did the cartoon appear? How might its historical context be significant?

For Artifacts

• When and where was the artifact made?
• Who might have used it, and what might it have been used for?
• What does the artifact tell us about the people who made and used it and the period in which it was made?