Experiencing  History : A collaborative project to promote significant historical sites in east-central Alberta. 

A. Project Vision

The Experiencing  History  project is based on the exploration of  significant historical sites situated in east-central Alberta.  Specifically, the Bodo Aboriginal Archaeological Site situated at Bodo, Alberta, Buffalo National Park, and the WW II Prisoner Internment Camp # 135 located in Wainwright, Alberta.

The partners of this project are:

1. Bodo Archaeological Society,

2. Buffalo National Park Historical Foundation,

3. Buffalo Adventures, 

4. Learning Network Educational Services,

5. 2Learn.ca Education Society,

This project will provide  Distributed Learning professional development opportunites for teachers, archived and real time learning experiences for students, and resources for museums to promote public awareness of these significant historical sites. 

Each partner represents specific resources and expertise to contribute toward creation of a synergy that will mutually benefit and support each partner's project aims and goals and also contribute to the overall project goals.

B. Partners Goals and Responsibilities

1 & 2 Bodo Archaeological Society / Buffalo National Park Historical Foundation

Partner Role: To provide expertise on the history of and artifacts and archival materials related to Buffalo National Park and Internment Camp 135 in Wainwright and developing curriculum-based tours at the centre. To provide information and expertise for the creation of classroom materials (museum in a box or i.e. video material/video conferencing) as it relates to these stories and the museum site.  

3. Buffalo Adventures

Partner Role: Buffalo Adventures is the joint marketing initiative between the Buffalo National Park Foundation and the Bodo Archaeological Society. The mandate of these two societies is to promote historic cultural sites in east-central Alberta while making these sites self-sustaining. Buffalo Adventures’ goals are to create educational-based tours/experiences at local sites, to share important regional stories, to offer year-round round tour opportunities to increase visitors to sites, and to help sustain these regional sites.  

Buffalo Adventures Project Goals

1. Create educational tours aligned with the Alberta School Curriculum at museums and site in the east-central Alberta region,

            2.  Offer educational experiences that are available year-round,

3.  Increase numbers to historical sites, whether through actual or virtual tours to sites or use of educational based tools or programs (i.e. videos/museum in a box).

4.  Sustain historic and cultural sites in east-central Alberta through these tours through either admission through school tours or a charge for use of videos/museum in a box. 

(It would be nice to explore ways to get sponsorship programs, similar to model used in Grande Prairie, to decrease the costs for classes to tour or use materials while still helping to sustain the museum.)

4. Learning Network Educational Services

Partner Role: The Learning Network is a professional development provider for central -east Alberta teachers.  Learning Network is funded though grants from Alberta Education and is currently coordinating the New Alberta Social Studies Curriculum Implementation program.  As part of this program teachers are offered a variety of learning opportunities related to learning pedagogical skills and processes, and teaching strategies.  

Learning Network Project Goals

1.  Create Critical Challenges (Object-based inquiry lessons) focusing on developing historical, geographical, and critical thinking skills in students.

            2.  Document the collaborative lesson planning experiences of participating teachers,

3.  Develop curricular resources for classroom components of any resource kits to accompany the lessons.

            4.  Digitally archive, store, and disseminate the curricular lesson resources

Learning Network Project Support

            1.    Participate fully in the planning and completion of the project,

            2.    Provide for Alberta Curriculum support and resources as required,

3.    Fund all participating teachers:  travel and subsistence, accommodation, working materials, and substitute teacher release costs (or equivalent in-lieu payment of substitute release time costs).

4.    Jointly share other project costs that may be required as determined by agreement of the other partners.

5.  2Learn Education Society

Proposed

Provide a virtual place (groups) for teachers and stakeholders to collaborate. http://www.2learn2gether.ca/

Host video, and digital resources on http://www.2learn2gether.ca/

Help facilitate and promote video conferences with experts (ie. Archaeologist, Museum Curator..) in initial phases for student groups and teachers throughout the province.

Assist in capturing video, audio and still pictures to be posted on-line to augment content development by teachers and for use in video conferences utilizing green screen technology.