Overview and Goals

In Module 7, we will be discussing how to train our students to corroborate evidence and about the importance of discussion when completing documents-based lessons. When our students (historians in training) corroborate evidence, they are considering "details across multiple sources to determine points of agreement and disagreement." The students also need to decide which documents are most credible and reliable and whether they need to look for additional sources to answer the central historical question (aka compelling question or essential question).

Discussion is an important component Reading like a Historian lessons and helps students consider connections and evidence presented by their classmates as they form their final conclusions. We will explore several strategies and methods for conducting discussions in class, as well as online. Lastly, group and whole-class discussions will help students prepare to develop a thesis and support their claims in an essay, presentation, or project.

After completing this module, you will be able to:

Explain how the corroboration heuristic helpd students gather and evaluate sources, develop and support claims, and communicate and critique conclusions.
Reflect and determine which methods, strategies, and tools would be (or are) the most effective for coaching your students to corroborate evidence from primary and secondary source documents.
Explore several discussion methods and strategies to engage students in the deliberation and corroboration of textual (documents-based) evidence.

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