Archival Inquiry

Research as an inquiry can be used as an effective tool to the contentious issue of the availability of archives to the public.  Public awareness of archives is important, but at what expense?  Archives are fiercely protected by collectors and curators, but this comes with a measure of discomfort as people do not feel at ease, or even that it is their right to look through documents. 

The questions put to students should addres the issue of availing archival pieces to the public by gathering and using information that  will have a positive impact on the archivist and the user.

 

Knowledge Practices:

 

1                     Determine an appropriate scope of investigation;

2                     deal with complex research by breaking complex questions into simple ones, limiting the scope of investigations;  using various research methods (survey)

3                     organise information in meaningful ways;

 

 

Activities

 

1              Students will have a discussion on the following;

                Problems  to address:

•       Do archivists keep enough data on users / study their users informational patterns;

•       archives do not receive sufficient use to justify their expense;

•       archivists do not advertise their services, rarely engage in efforts to build a client base

 

 

2      Students must conduct research by asking simple questions, so that they can limit their focus to reach a resolution.   Students can do a survey on people who have used archive material before or who would wish to, in so doing, they will gain multiple perspectives when gathering information.  Questions that can lead to further investigation:

•       Who are the users who will make use of archival material?

•       What kinds of projects they pursue / what are their information needs?

•       How do users approach records?

•       What they do with their results?

•       Does it have an impact on a community or on a personal level?

 

Students will (in groups) then identify the gaps that exist between the user and the holders of archival material, possibly look at user education so that the user will understand the terms and conditions and the holder of archival material will be more at ease about making material accessible to the public.

Students can organise their findings on user education in a meaningful way by :

•       making holdings known -- be aware of users disciplinary/professional fields and identify intellectual gaps that could be filled by repository’s holdings;

•       organise seminars on archival work or research methods

•       and investigate the digitization of material for a wider audience

 

 

This level of inquiry should then lead to more questions being asked and to further investigation so that archives remain an integral part of the historical fabric of any institution who wishes to maintain it. 

 

 

E

Planning Organised Hysteria

The Crucible – Act Three

Grade:  12
Week 4
4 – 8 September 2017

 

Aim:

The Crucible
Act Three

 

Objectives:

McCarthynism relating to Mass Hysteria

 

Duration:
Three Days

 

Learning Outcomes:

Scholarship As A Conversation
Mass Hysteria has been grasped almost every era - from people throwing stones at Jesus, to pointing fingers at so-called witches in Salem in the 1600s to todays need for ethnic cleansing.  This outcome shows that there is no one answer to the problem, that it is ongoing and will require new interpretations  before it is ever settled - if ever.
Being familiar with the text (The Crucible) and the context in which it arose (McCarthynism) the learners should be comfortable enough to enter the realm  of conversation and share their ideas and their interpretations.

1Contribute to the conversation on an appropriate level - by way of discussion and debate.
2   Consider the contributions of others to help formulate an opinion.
3   Understand how perspectives on the topic can change over time - does not remain stagnant
4 Realise there is no one scholar who dominates the conversation, that those who are interested can also give their own interpretation on the topic.

Assessment Content (Activities):

Background:

Drawing on research on the witch trials he had conducted while an undergraduate, Miller composed The Crucible in the early 1950s.

Miller wrote the play during the term of Senator Joseph McCarthy whose anti-Communism leanings propelled the United States into a dramatic anti-Communist fervor during the first tense years of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. Led by McCarthy, special congressional committees conducted highly controversial investigations intended to root out Communist sympathisers in the United States. As with the alleged witches of Salem, suspected Communists were encouraged to confess and to identify other Red sympathizers as means of escaping punishment. The policy resulted in a whirlwind of accusations. As people began to realise that they might be condemned as Communists regardless of their innocence.  Thousands of actors were affected like Charlie Chaplin who was not allowed to enter America because he was regards as a Communist sympathiser and had to reside in Switzerland. 

 

Today, similar tactics are used.  Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) was barred from entering the USA in 2004 for two years thereafter because he was seen as sympathetic towards ‘terrorists’.

 

 

 

Learners should have completed their first reading on Act Three and be ready for discussion.

In class, the learners should use their phones, or other mobile devices, to read about McCarthynism and what it is all about. 

1  They will then be placed in groups of 4 - 6 .  

    They have to relay their findings.  In addition the learners must touch on how people today      are victimised because of fear and intolerance.  Learners must come up with ways in which this can be combatted in our neighbourhoods.  They can create posters in their groups and it will form part of their presentation where they will summarise their findings and highlight how ordinary people can make positive changes in their community.

 

2  As a class, we will then highlight the contrasts and comparisons between the play and the actual events in the 1950’s that led to the vengeful seeking of guilt, realising the discrepancies, depending who voice was contributing to the conversation.

3  Finally a worksheet will be handed to the learners to complete in class.  The worksheet will require them to summarise what they have learnt and show how the argument has changed over time.  When they have completed the task, the learners will mark each other’s answers while the memo is on the board.

 

4 To touch on the lighter side of this task, learners will be allowed to create a skit of 2 minutes based on their interpretation of the play, The Crucible, or an imagined work, relating it to modern day politics based on McCarthynism, exemplifying what mass hysteria entails.

 (Each activity is linked by number to its learning outcome)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

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Deep Conversations

Hi all

Shehaamah was dead with flu but because she wants the conversation to carry on, I will do so.

So scholarship conversation is your contribution to a field or discipline.  To do this means that you cannot only read what is easy or what is you already know; it is about delving into different conversations and using it all to make/use your own 'voice'.  This can be difficult at times when there are voices of the established speakers that can overpower those who are entering the conversation, the debate.  Novices should not however be perturbed or allayed as their voice will bring a new dimension to the conversation.

To be a constant in a conversation, learners who want to develop their information literate abilities should look to their peers and cite their work to strengthen their own argument.  They must contribute conversations, identify barriers and critically evaluate their own as well as their peer's work so that a new avenue can be negotiated in that field.  They must remain active in developing their abilities, always questioning concepts and ideas to reach an enhanced professional understanding.

In any given workplace there are conversations going on.  It is important that people listen to each other so that new ideas can be had. 

Learners need to contribute to class conversations, read books that will challenge them and debate about topics that are unfamiliar but will lead to their intellectual growth.

All in all, no one should fear contributing to conversations.  All voices lead to conquering new dimensions and old barriers.

Later...

A Leap of Faith

Hi all

I was dead with flu, so skipped this lesson on the threshold concepts.

From the powerpoint I think I have the gist of it.  So her goes.

I think it is going from the unknown to the known, about stepping boldly into a space that will lead to new experiences and a new understanding of things.

In addition, this concept can relay to people who seek a mastery in particular field - acquiring a professional identity.  This means one goes from knowing the easy to the difficult and attaining a sense of accomplishment.  This accomplishment is key as this means that it is a skill that can be related to other disciplines, probably not as is, but maybe the thinking or knowing how to overcome the problem, can be used to aid in other professional identities.  For example, reading is  a literary skill but the skill of reading can lead to being a good cook as the skill of reading would mean that recipes can be followed.  The good thing is that once something is learned at that level, it is difficult to unlearn - it is irreversible.  Particular skills are particular to certain disciplines though, it's like jargon, no-one will really understand what it meant unless you are part of a field that uses that lingo.  I mean, do you know what bolo, wilco and 20 means?  Of course, be a police-man and found out.
However, with anything there are roadblocks, troublesome spots that need to be overcome.  for example, it is of no use to recognise words and not understand the meaning of words.  If you think this is ludicrous, try teaching teenagers who are visually-rich, but are actually for all intents and purposes, are mentally-poor.

But if one can transform, make that mental shift, there is a new way of thinking, of seeing the world.  Sure the familiar is comfortable and normal but it is so so so boring.  Rather look for that liminal space where you jump from the known (read: your boring life) to the unknown where great adventures await you.

Go on, be fabulous!

E