“The focus was to be on early (European) exploration of the polar regions, using early narratives and maps to illustrate past concepts of the land,” Ramage said. “We had a plan for virtual instruction to accommodate students learning remotely, but just before our visit, the whole university went remote so the entire class had to be virtual on short notice.” Socially-distanced Special Collections librarians spread out each of the original works on different tables, and joined the class virtually with a document camera that could share both overview and closeup views of the maps and manuscripts, Ramage said. Students could study historical maps in fine detail, through magnified images of shorelines and other natural features drawn by early cartographers, including a book with illustrations of maps of the known world published in 1511. Ramage noted unexpected benefits to teaching with primary source collections and fragile historical materials in a virtual environment. “One of the really interesting advantages was that students could look at the digitized versions of historic maps and Google Earth modern satellite renditions of the same places. It allowed us to compare the tools and outcomes of the remarkably correct originals,” Ramage said. “Students saw fewer works, but we highlighted really special things and how to access more in the future.” 'CREATIVE USE OF NEW TECHNOLOGY' Emily Pope-Obeda, assistant professor of history, recalls her first-year seminar, Prisons and Policing in Modern U.S. “[Special Collections] brought in some amazing documents to share with the students, including police log books and maps from early 20th century Bethlehem, bringing to life many of the themes we'd been studying by using concrete examples and images of things that took place a century ago, but mere blocks from campus.” “They made excellent and creative use of new technology to share these materials remotely with my students in the Zoom session,” Pope-Obeda said. “After their visit, my students all commented on how fascinating the session had been and how much they learned—not only about early 20th century Bethlehem and policing, but also what Special Collections at Lehigh is and what it has to offer them." “The observations of faculty who brought classes to virtual Special Collections this fall are a testimonial to students’ ability to overcome many of the challenges of remote learning,” Black said. “Though lacking the sensory experience that accompanies a visit to Special Collections where students are able to hear the crackle of parchment while turning the pages of a medieval choir book, or the 'sense of of immediacy' of holding a letter written by Charles Dickens, students were able to establish a connection with historical collections.” “One of the really interesting advantages was that students could look at the digitized versions of historic maps and Google Earth modern satellite renditions of the same places. It allowed us to compare the tools and outcomes of the remarkably correct originals.” JOAN RAMAGE ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES T E A C H I N G & L E A R N I N G 2020 / 21 | ANNUA L REPORT | 9
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