REPORTS ON LEARNING AND TEACHING DEVELOPMENT FUNDS
As a recipient of funding you are required to produce a summary report setting out your work
and its outcomes. With your permission the Centre for the Enhancment of Learning and
Teaching (CELT) would wish to publish this report on its web site to assist in the
dissemination of good practice in learning and teaching.
‘Oral History Project’
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
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to develop student skills in oral history and create an associated web-based archive
of recordings
WORK UNDERTAKEN AND OUTCOMES ACHIEVED
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Essential equipment purchased
Oral history training introduced at Level 2 and Level 3
New module introduced to the single honours History curriculum: ‘Oral History
Project’ (30 credits at level 3; an alternative to the standard History dissertation). To
support commitment to innovative ways of presenting work, assessment extends to
sound recordings as well as written commentary.
Student work experience in oral history: students collected oral testimony for the
Watford Palace Theatre’s centenary celebrations. A PhD student also participated.
New Research Fellow (Andrew Green) appointed to the History Group to provide
further oral history training and to initiate oral history projects (2008/9: history of the
de Havilland airfield). This will be the basis of a web-based archive of oral recordings.
Difficulties encountered: student uptake of oral history project has proved slow. Staff
will encourage students to consider this option next year.
TRANSFER TO OTHER AREAS
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Equipment purchased with BLU funds will be used to support oral history/memory
projects elsewhere in the School of Humanities. Collaboration between
history/creative writing has already generated a new project on ‘Taking Medicine’
which will create further opportunities for students to gain experience in this area.
From the outset, it was envisaged that this project would develop over 3 years and
would therefore have longer-term objectives. Research collaboration across
disciplines will expand opportunities further.
EVALUATION
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Student responses to the oral history training were very positive and contributed to
the high SFQ rating for the Level 3 module ‘Public History’.
Feedback from students who went Watford Palace Theatre was positive. An
experienced oral historian commented on the high quality of the recordings they
collected.
Please note point above about the Project’s 3-year time frame.
DISSEMINATION OF THE PROJECT OUTCOMES
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Project incorporated into the School of Humanities’ Public History initiative.
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Project linked into employability agenda, with opportunities to disseminate outcomes
via work placements.
Project will provide basis for School of Humanities’ participation in the Hertfordshire
Community Archives (local groups coordinated by the Hertfordshire Archives and
Local Services)
Linking teaching/learning in oral history to staff research projects will further
disseminate outcomes.
Your report must be: no more than two sides of A4 in length (nothing smaller than 11
pitch please), and sent by e-mail to Gina Caggiano