Archives and Special Collections Instruction for Large Classes

With increasing demand for archival instruction and growing class sizes, archivists and special collections librarians are struggling to accommodate larger classes, both logistically and pedagogically. This paper reviews the literature on approaches from both higher education and archival instruction to identify trends for teaching big classes. The author then suggests how the techniques used across higher education might be adapted for use in archival instruction. Some of these methods include working with teaching assistants who lead discussion sections, utilizing digital tools such as learning management systems and digitized primary sources, and creating a community of practice within archives and special collections for large class instruction.