Teaching students to use primary sources and develop primary source literacy can be challenging: primary sources may not be available locally or on a given topic, students may need training and support to find and use sources, and technology may make potential sources unavailable or unreliable. Faculty, who often have no formal training on how to find and incorporate primary source materials in the classroom, are often stymied as much as their students in finding and utilizing primary sources in their own research, not to mention integrating them into classroom instruction and assignments. Recognizing this challenge, librarians and archivists may choose to actively engage with faculty to provide professional development opportunities with the goal of empowering educators to make the most of primary source materials in their teaching and research. Participants in this session will learn from two distinct case examples—one from Bowling Green State University (BGSU) demonstrating the creation of a multi-session learning community for faculty and graduate students, and the other from Butler Community College demonstrating the development of standalone 50-minute workshops. Whether you’re ready to implement a learning community or looking to start with one-shot opportunities for faculty, this session will provide practical tips and advice for cultivating empowered educators who are better prepared to incorporate primary sources in their classrooms.
