LTC Hosts Presidential Timeline Teacher Institute - June 15, 2010

Mark Lawrence, Associate Professor of History at The University of Texas at Austin, discusses primary sources from the Vietnam War era.

The use of primary sources, and their critical importance to the study of the Vietnam War, was the focus of the Learning Technology Center’s Presidential Timeline Teacher Institute, held June 10-13. Eighteen teachers from around the country attended, including several who were nominated by the education specialists at the presidential libraries.

Led by Mark Lawrence, Associate Professor of History and Distinguished Scholar at the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law at the University of Texas at Austin, the teachers looked at a variety of documents related to the Vietnam War. The documents often provided very different perspectives on the same topics, allowing the participants to put together the various aspects of an event to form their own conclusions. Dr. Lawrence also gave insight into how he, as a historian, uses primary sources in his work.

Teachers from around the country attended the institute.

Cinthia Salinas, Associate Professor in the College of Education’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction, spoke on social studies scholarship and the use of primary sources in the classroom. The teachers then formed into groups, and each group was asked to create a student assignment to examine an issue or topic related to the Vietnam War. The groups used the LTC’s Open Websites program to create a Web site describing the assignment and providing examples of relevant primary sources, including photographs and audio recordings. The groups presented their products on the last day of the Institute.

Mary Knill, Director of Digital Strategies of the National Archives’ Office of Presidential Libraries, described how to search the national archives. She also led a discussion as participants shared their favorite Web resources for primary sources and other social studies materials.

External and Special Projects Coordinator Ken Tothero led the planning of the event. LTC Graduate Research Associates Ryan Crowley and Royce Kimmons also presented during the Institute.

This is the second Presidential Timeline Teacher Institute; a third will be held July 8-11. The first, which covered Lyndon Johnson and the Voting Rights Act, was held last July. This year's institutes are funded by the Department of Education. For more information on the institutes, contact Ryan Crowley.

—Laurie Caldwell, LTC Communications Coordinator

Related Sites:

• The Presidential Timeline