Dr. Marc Brasof, assistant professor of Education and director of Secondary Social Studies and English Education, presented at the Pennsylvania Council for the Social Studies’ (PCSS) 64th annual statewide conference in Harrisburg on Oct. 20.

Dr. Brasof, along with Education certificate students Erica Bruner, Allison Lewis-Fleming, Maria Lobron, Carolann Ortiz, LaQueta Sturns-Brew, and Megan Valenson, conducted the session, “Using Technology to Engage Students in Primary Source Analysis,” which demonstrated how to use National Archives and Records Administration’s DocsTeach.org to engage young people in the study of primary sources. Dr. Brasof also discussed different approaches to primary sources analysis and illustrated with hands-on examples developed for K-12 classrooms.  

Students of the ED412/562 Social Studies Methods class collaborated with National Archives and Records Administration education specialists Andre Reidell and Jenny Sweeney to build public primary source modules on Docsteach.org. Pieces of their work were selected to be presented at the PCSS conference. This is the fourth year the Social Studies Methods class has participated in this project.

PCSS assists local social studies councils in organizing professional development and cooperates with schools, school districts, intermediate units, and other interested parties on social studies projects. This year, Dr. Brasof is rotating off of the Board of PCSS after six years of service.