From “Outside the Box” to “Out the Window”: Teaching with Primary Sources through the Pandemic

Abstract

This study draws upon faculty interviews conducted in 2019 and 2021 to document dramatic shifts in primary source instruction of undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Synthesizing these data, it analyzes how faculty cultivated pedagogical practice, developed practical approaches to teaching with primary sources, and adjusted goals for student learning outcomes. The study also identifies lessons that may be learned from the pivot to remote and hybrid instruction, including ways to support new and emerging instruction practices; developing instructor training programs; better showcasing collections of digital primary sources; and adopting a trauma-informed approach to outreach in the years to come.