Teaching with Primary Sources at Eastern Illinois University and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville are pleased to present the Learning with Lincoln Institute. An opportunity for educators to collaborate with colleagues to create, share and incorporate learning activities and tools to increase student understanding through digitized primary sources of the Library of Congress and a focus on the life and times of Abraham Lincoln.
Certified K-12 educators are invited to apply and take part in a unique professional development opportunity for Central Illinois educators in preparation for the celebration of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial.
Goals of Institute
Enhance content knowledge
- Guest speaker on surrounding themes/topics pertaining to Abraham Lincoln.
- Research the Library of Congress website for primary sources pertaining to Abraham Lincoln.
- Collaboration and sharing among colleagues on findings.
- Tour Abraham Lincoln's Presidential Museum and Library in Springfield, Illinois.
Identification and use of best instructional practices for teaching with primary sources
- Guest speaker on best instructional practices for teaching with primary sources.
- Identification of strategies and methods used when integrating primary sources.
Design, present, implement, and assess a standards-based learning experience integrating primary sources from the Library of Congress pertaining to Abraham Lincoln that exemplifies best practice in teaching with primary sources
- Designing a learning experience in relation to best practices in using primary sources.
- Peer review learning experiences.
- Presenting a learning experience to colleagues.
- Implement and assess designed learning experience.
PLEASE NOTE:
Prior participation in An Adventure of the American Mind or Teaching with Primary Sources professional development or a high comfort level with the Library of Congress website is strongly recommended for attendees. The Learning with Lincoln Institute is an advanced (Level Two) training program through the Library of Congress TPS program, which features:
- Interdisciplinary and/or subject-specific applications of digitized primary sources
- Development of evaluation strategies and instruments
- Seminars (reflecting on experiences)
Registration is limited to no more than 10 participants at the Eastern Illinois University site and 15 participants at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville site. Applications with a strong alignment between proposed learning experience topics and primary sources will receive higher priority.
Participants selected for the Learning with Lincoln Institute will:
- Attend a symposium on June 12, 2008 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library with participants from both SIUE and EIU Learning with Lincoln Institutes. The symposium includes lunch, guest speaker and/or tour, and opportunities to network with colleagues. Educator passes to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum provided.
- Attend ALL SESSIONS: totaling 22 hours of contact time. There are no exceptions, so please check the schedule and your calendar.
- Collaborate with Teaching with Primary Sources staff to design and submit an exemplary learning experience pertaining to President Lincoln and incorporating Library of Congress digitized primary sources. Learning experiences will be shared with colleagues, the Library of Congress Education Outreach division and ALPLM Education Division.
- Participate in the presentation of learning experiences and constructive peer reviews.
- Implement learning experience with students, complete assessment tools, and collect and analyze student work samples using a collaborative assessment tool.
- Participate in a focus group meeting in June 2009. Date TBD.
Participants of the institute will gain:
- Increased content knowledge pertaining to topics / themes surrounding Abraham Lincoln
- An understanding of best practices in using primary sources in the classroom
- Support and guidance
- A personalized learning experience to implement in the following school year.
Participants who fulfill all institute requirements staff will receive:
- Continuing Professional Development Units
- A published volume of learning experiences created by participants involved in the Learning with Lincoln Institute
- An opportunity for publication
- A projector as a technology incentive to assist educators in the use of Library of Congress digital primary sources with students. The item will be purchased through Teaching with Primary Sources grant, will be stored in the participant's work area and belong to the participant with the intent that the individual who earns the projector will use the projector in a K-12 classroom.