“History isn’t just about facts — at the college level, it’s about understanding how [historical narratives] are made,” said Dr. Katharine Gerbner, Associate Professor of History at the University of Minnesota (U of M) and a Faculty Coordinator for the University’s College in the Schools (CIS) program.
Dr. Gerbner was addressing an audience of over 300 high school students gathered in Willey Hall on the University’s Twin Cities campus in early March. The students were all participants in the CIS program, which enables academically prepared juniors and seniors to earn college credits by taking U of M courses at their own high schools.
“My hope is that this type of immersive experience will change the way students think about the past, and make history feel more alive."
The CIS students traveled from across the state of Minnesota to the U of M campus for a day of immersive learning, including presentations on the role of primary sources in historical research, followed by visits to various archives and collections at the U of M Libraries for hands-on group activities.
Fittingly, the theme for the day’s events was “History and Archives.”
“My hope is that this type of immersive experience will change the way students think about the past, and make history feel more alive,” said Dr. Gerbner. “History can help us answer questions we have about the world today, and the archives are one place we can go to investigate answers to our questions.”
Read the complete story to learn about the day's activities and how the students used and responded to the Libraries' renowned collections.
Story by Katie Miller, University of Minnesota Libraries. Photos: Carl Stover
