Primary Source to Offer Online China Course

Primary Source will soon take its programming to a new location - online. Primary Source's first online course for educators, The Enduring Legacy of Ancient China, is modeled after its sourcebook of the same name and will debut nationwide in fall 2009.

By introducing online programs, the organization hopes to provide more flexible learning opportunities for teachers in Massachusetts and open its doors to a national audience. Thanks to support from private foundations, K-12 educators from across the country will be eligible to participate in one of three Enduring Legacy courses over the course of the 2009-2010 school year. Each seminar will present an interdisciplinary introduction to ancient China through the lenses of geography, belief systems, the roles of women and family, the arts, and a variety of other topics.

Primary Source's Enduring Legacy will allow teachers to explore these aspects of Chinese history and culture in a deep and meaningful way through the use of primary sources and interactive web resources. Teachers will learn through audio recordings, live chats with scholars, and video content, in addition to traditional texts. These resources will enhance the course and provide exposure to technologies available for teachers to use in their own classrooms.

Enduring Legacy's new format will offer opportunities throughout the course for participants to exchange classroom ideas and join a growing online network of teachers dedicated to teaching about China. Primary Source looks forward to opening registration for Enduring Legacy in September 2009, and plans are in place for a similar online course on modern China in the fall of 2010.