Here in the digital age information can be disseminated instantaneously across the planet. The internet has allowed us to blog, vlog, tumbl, and tweet anything we want, and devices have enabled us to do it from wherever we want. And while information is more accessible than ever, the origins of much of the information spread online remain dubious. Plagiarism runs rampant in online communities where content can easily be saved or copied and pasted, with services like Tumblr even allowing customizable HTML that can be used to omit source credit for reblogged material entirely. Some users that have been singled out for plagiarism even go so far as to create dummy accounts that they can "credit" as a source (NSFW comment section).
Teaching students about identifying and accessing primary documents is of utmost importance. Students will not only be provided with the traditional benefits of primary resources (e.g. engagement, critical thinking, understanding of context and bias) but they will now have the ability and means to search for them on their own. Students will learn to think critically about information they encounter, and develop ways in which to confirm its veracity, a skill particularly important with regard to information encountered on social media. Platforms such as Twitter and Facebook allow anyone to create an account and share information freely, and as such are flooded with bias. How will students know what to believe? By teaching students how to seek out sources and dig further into information by using primary documents, they will have the skills to do their own fact checking so that they remain (properly) informed citizens.
When studying early societies we rely almost entirely on primary resources to develop an understanding of history, and we analyze art, architecture, sculpture, and engravings to explore the societies as they were in the archaeological record. Unfortunately, due to abilities of some materials to weather better than others (e.g. stone), many primary resources simply no longer exist for early societies.
To incorporate primary resources, I am having students examine photographs of Egyptian and Mayan architecture and measure and describe their function and form. From this activity students will be able to develop their own understanding of how building practices in the two societies were similar and different. In addition to this exercise, students will have the opportunity to look through an online database of Mayan engravings and sketches to experience authentic Mayan art. Through analysis of the art students will identify some of the symbols used by the Mayan people (e.g. corn) and reflect on its importance in their society. By using primary art resources content becomes integrated by drawing connections from our interpretations.
