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Teaching using Special Collections

Find out about the different teaching sessions we offer and how to book a session/workshop. Also explore case study examples of how using Special Collections' rich resources can support your teaching and enhance the student experience.

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Special Collections is an exciting resource for teaching. Our team offers a range of flexible options to support your modules using our rich, unique and distinctive collections. From stage 1 undergraduate to postgraduate research, we can facilitate or deliver sessions that provide opportunities for students to acquire and practise transferrable primary source research skills. Or, we can support modules with subject-specific content where we have relevant collections. 

We also welcome enquiries for learning and teaching in ways that you don’t see listed and are happy to discuss how we might contribute.

Request a teaching session

To request a teaching session, or begin a conversation about how we can help, please complete our teaching request form below:

Teaching request form

3 girls smiling gathered around a large table with Special Collections documents on top, taking part in a Special Collections teaching session, one girl looking through a book. In front of a purple wall with 'Special Collections' in silver on the wall
Photo of people sat in a room looking at an item being projected onto screens, with items on display from Special Collections & Archives, within the Collaborative Learning Hub space

Collaborative Learning Hub

We have a flexible, digitally-enabled teaching and learning space, designed to support in person, hybrid or remote engagement with collection materials. The AHRC-funded Collaborative Learning Hub is equipped with high-definition ceiling and desktop visualisers to enhance learning experiences.

 

Click on the dropdown arrows below to find out more about the teaching options we offer:

In person workshops

Student feedback speaks to the added value that being able to see, touch and turn pages brings to their learning experiences, whilst feedback from Module Leaders provides evidence of enriched and more impactful learning. We can accommodate groups of up to 40 students (+2 members of staff) for hands-on interactions with our collections in our new, technology enhanced learning space in the Philip Robinson Library.

Remote/hybrid workshops

We can deliver online content such as interactive small group workshops or lectures via Teams or Zoom. Additionally, utilising high-definition visualisers, we are able to take our collection items beyond the traditional classroom. Teaching sessions can be hybrid.

Embedded canvas material

We can create bespoke learning materials to embed directly into your Canvas course, tailored to your module’s learning outcomes. The format and duration of self-guided study can vary, according to your needs.

Pre-recorded videos

We can provide pre-recorded presentations and video walk-throughs of collection items that you can use in the classroom or embed into Canvas.

Bespoke digitisation

We can provide high quality digital scans of content from our collections for you to use in your teaching materials. We already have over 13,000 high quality images available to search, download and use on our online image gallery CollectionsCaptured.

Career Development module placements

Each year we offer a limited number of placements within Special Collections as part of the University's Career Development Module.

If you have a student who might be interested, they can either contact us at libraryhelp@ncl.ac.uk or visit the Career Development Module pages.

A woman looking through exhibition cabinets