The school library media specialist, the social studies teacher and collaboration: Their roles in teaching primary sources in the secondary classroom

The purpose of this study was to identify the practices of three secondary social studies teachers who used primary sources in their classrooms and to identify the role of the library media specialist in the facilitation of that use. Particular emphasis was placed on primary source materials retrieved from the Internet. Teachers were selected because they included an archival unit in the classroom curriculum.; Three face-to-face interviews were conducted with each teacher. One interview was conducted with the media specialist who worked with each teacher. Each teacher provided artifacts used in the archival unit: instructional materials, student materials, and assessment tools. Data were analyzed using Tesch's eight-step organizational method to find categories and patterns associated with the classroom use of primary sources and in teacher collaboration with the media specialist.; After data analysis, themes emerged in four categories: teaching practices, student outcomes, primary source use, and media center relationships. In teaching practices, the teachers: were passionate about history and about making it real; viewed history as a way for students to connect to the past and become good decision-makers; were inhibited by the structured curriculum; were varied in teaching styles but designed methods to meet individual student needs; and tailored research methods and student assessments to their projects and their student population.; Student goals and expectations matched those of the National History Standards though the teachers did not consciously use the standards. The teachers saw themselves as change agents for students and were validated by the personal experiences students shared with them. Using primary sources made history real, provided a “shock” treatment to students and corresponded with historical literacy skills in the National History Standards.; The teachers viewed the media specialist's role as difficult and the media specialist as a resource expert. Though dependent on media center resources, regularly scheduled visits to the media center were not always possible. The Internet was seen as a valuable resource with pitfalls. Teacher collaboration with the media specialist was considered desirable but inhibited by time constraints.