Introductory Activity Considering Oral History Oral history relies on the memories of people who participated in or observed events. For example, Second World War veterans talk about events they experienced more than 70 years ago, while those who served in Afghanistan recall more recent incidents. Many of Canada’s academic historians tend to be suspicious of oral history; they argue that people’s memories can be distorted by time. But oral history can also be a useful means of understanding how individuals experienced important historical events, conveying thoughts, feelings, and emotions not always easily captured by other primary and secondary sources. Oral history can provide a different lens for viewing history by drawing on memories formed during both a significant moment in history, and during the speaker’s life. As a class, discuss how the passage of time affects firsthand accounts, and how oral history can be useful in interpreting historical events. Working in small groups, discuss and make a point-form list of how oral sources are useful in historical research. In your group, develop a list of the pros and cons of oral history, and the pros and cons of archival sources. What are the benefits and what are the drawbacks of oral testimony as a source? What are the benefits and limitations of using archival or written sources? Many historians insist that a subject’s memories must be checked, whenever possible, against documentary sources. In your group, make a list of sources (other than oral testimony) that you can use to research Canada’s role in global conflicts. How would you use these sources to corroborate an oral testimony? How can students and researchers use oral history in combination with archival sources to understand history? If oral testimony cannot be verified, how might it still be useful? In addition to history, what kinds of knowledge can oral histories convey? For Teachers: Plan Your Classroom’s Podcast Before you have your students begin working on their podcast episodes, it will be your responsibility to plan the classroom’s podcast. We recommend involving your students in the decision-making process. Here are some tips to get started: • Determine a theme for your classroom’s podcast that aligns with the curriculum. Ensure that all students’ episodes will fit cohesively together. For example, the theme could be general Canadian military history told via themed episodes, like episodes on POWs, women in the military, codebreaking, etc., or all episodes could cover the same conflict, like the War in Afghanistan, while featuring episodes dedicated to different aspects of the same conflict, like deployment, active service, returning home, and PTSD. • Choose your classroom’s podcast name. Ask students to get creative and choose a name that reflects the theme while piquing interest from new listeners. • Create your podcast cover art. We recommend using Canva’s free templates. • Create a template for your students to follow on the platform they will use for their own episodes. Before your class starts preparing for their interviews, create a template that can be used across all episodes. If your school does not have access to audio editing software, students can use Audacity or GarageBand for free to edit their podcasts. Teacher Tip Be sure to determine the intended length of the episodes so students can prepare an appropriate number of questions for their interview(s). How to Make an Oral History Podcast A Memory Project Resource Kit 4
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