Teaching with Primary Sources and Geographic Information Systems

A 21st Century Teaching Workshop

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Fairfield Museum & History Center
370 Beach Road, Fairfield, CT

Workshop I: 8am - 12pm

Workshop II: 12pm - 3:30pm *CLOSED

About the Workshop:
The Fairfield Museum & History Center, CASL, and Fairfield University's Graduate School of Education & Allied Professions will offer a workshop on primary sources and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), sponsored by Document It! a grant from the Library of Congress. GIS allows for the creation and analysis of information in the form of 2D and 3D digital maps and satellite images. GIS provides a way for educators and students to understand the interconnectedness of past and present processes and issues, including natural hazards, watersheds, population, crime, invasive species, history, urbanization, biodiversity, and more, fostering spatial and historical thinking using real-world data in real-world contexts. For K-12 teachers in Social Studies, Science, Language Arts, History, Library/Media, and any teachers interested in working with primary sources and GIS.

Session A: GIS with Joseph Kerski – (Education Manager at Environmental Systems Research Institute, a GIS company, and Instructor at the University of Denver.) Explore local-to-global issues, literally ranging from A to Z—from Agriculture to Zebra mussels, and lots in between! Joseph will model why and how to use GIS in the classroom and connect you with other GIS-using educators worldwide.

Session B: Jefferson’s Travels with Bill Ferster – (University of Virginia Center for Technology & Teacher Education and the Virginia Center for Digital History. Bill directs the PrimaryAccess Project which enables students to create digital documentaries using primary source documents online.) Take an interactive look at Thomas Jefferson’s life by examining primary source documents and information. These visualizations facilitate a new form of historical narrative -- the story can be told not just through words, but by interactive visualizations showing relationships using historically vetted primary source documents and data.

Session C: Activities for your Classroom with Local Primary Sources – (Dr. Marsha Alibrandi and Dr. Elizabeth Langran of Fairfield University and Christine Jewell, Education Director of the Fairfield Museum, have been working with their graduate students to develop digital media for the Fairfield Museum & History Center, based on primary sources.) They will share activities that have been specially developed for the Fairfield Museum and local schools' use, based on primary sources from the museum's archives.

Optional afternoon session (includes lunch and is limited to first 20 signups - *CLOSED - ALL 20 SLOTS HAVE BEEN FILLED):
Join Joseph Kerski for a hands-on session in Fairfield University’s Educational Technology lab where we will explore a century of population change in Connecticut, historical hurricanes in New England, patterns of global earthquakes and volcanoes, and more, using powerful 2D and 3D GIS software.