This presentation describes a wonderful project at the University of Oregon which helps students to understand the uses of primary source materials, and also to think about their own roles as creators of such materials, and as prospective contributors to the collective social record. Technology comes into play, of course, but is very much in the background in some sense. It seems to me that the ideas here can be readily adapted and used by a wide range of institutions. If you are not familiar with this project, the video of this presentation is worth watching.

Here are the details:

Web 2.0 and the Study of History Through a Living Learning Community
Andrew Bonamici, University of Oregon
Heather Briston Corrigan-Solari, University of Oregon
Kevin Hatfield, University of Oregon
Matthew Villeneuve, University of Oregon
Available from CNI’s YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/cnivideo
(direct link is , if you prefer)
also available from CNI’s Vimeo channel: http://www.vimeo.com/cni
(direct link is http://www.vimeo.com/11280442, if you prefer)

Clifford Lynch
Director, CNI