Oral Histories: Out of the Archive and Into the Classroom

Social Studies educators argue that primary sources are the preferred method of introducing material to students, as opposed to textbooks. By using this method, teachers aid students in developing critical thinking skills by studying sources to reach their own nuanced historical conclusions. Primary sources such as oral histories provide an aural, intimate, and a richly detailed way for students to engage with the past. The purpose of this research was to provide high-quality teaching materials aligned to Ohio Department of Education standards, and that utilize audio clips of interviews conducted in 2016. These materials were posted on two CSU blogs: Social Studies @ CSU and History Speaks. These blogs were designed for keyword searches, increasing their discoverability online. This project was supported by an Undergraduate Summer Research Award from the CSU Office of Research.https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/u_poster_2018/1007/thumbnail.jp