From the Spanish Atlantic Archives to the Classroom in the Arctic: Perspectives on Linking Digital Projects and Undergraduate Research in History

Volume 43 Issue 1

Author(s): Rachael Ball, Caroline Streff, Brittney Anderson, Lauren Caraghar, and John Macy

Recommended Citation:

Ball, Rachael; Streff, Caroline; Anderson, Brittney; Caraghar, Lauren; and Macy, John (2018) “From the Spanish Atlantic Archives to the Classroom in the Arctic: Perspectives on Linking Digital Projects and Undergraduate Research in History,” Bulletin for Spanish and Portuguese Historical Studies: Vol. 43 : Iss. 1 , Article 5.

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Abstract:

This article discusses the creation, development, and use of a digital archive of early modern Spanish and colonial Cuban sources from faculty and undergraduate student perspectives. The student authors of this essay include members of a digital team, who researched specific topics and aided in the development of the ePortfolio, and students who piloted the digital archive as a resource for the classroom, including for use in research papers. We make the case for using digital tools to broaden access to materials and to help students understand historical research methodologies. We see this as a potential model for faculty, including those at under-resourced institutions, to embed undergraduate research into their courses and other projects.

Tags: archives, Cuba, digital history, digital humanities, undergraduate research