By: Sophie Orlando, posted 10 March 2016
For my final project, I decided to create an online, interactive timeline to showcase my research on the development of softball for women in Mississauga from 1930 to 1974. As someone who is not a tech whiz, I knew this was going to be a challenge and a learning process. I spent some time debating between two timeline applications, and decided to go with Tiki-Toki due to its layout and visual appeal.
By: Lea Alilovic, posted 10 March 2016
I sure didn’t… Well, not at first. Approaching my last few weeks as an intern at Heritage Toronto I can say that one of the areas I learned a lot about during my time was the importance of heritage conservation and preservation.
I grew up in a small town where I had a few friends that lived in century homes and was constantly surrounded by plaques and markers at local parks and sites. I guess within this context I had become ignorant and unmoved by local stories and histories. Working at Heritage Toronto over the past few months changed this state of mind, and has opened up my interest to explore these existing narratives and look at the role of governmental and local agencies.
By: Joy Saade, posted 10 March 2016
After spending six months as an intern at the Canadian Arab Institute, I am proud to say that I have learned many lessons that I will take with me after this experience ends. Here are the Top Three Lessons that I've Learned at the CAI -
By: Lynda Yao, posted 10 March 2016
If you are a history student or are thinking of entering the world of academic history, you are probably under the belief that the only possible futures are to either pursue a PhD or become a teacher. First of all, I don’t even want to spend the effort to tell you how wrong you are, and probably at some point during your undergraduate years you will realize this too. Second, I want to shed some light on one of the many opportunities that history students may be interested in –public history.
By: Lea Alilovic, posted 16 February 2016
From taking history classes in high school and university we have all learned what a primary source is (an original source or firsthand perspective for those of you who can't remember), and the benefits of using them in historical studies. More specifically, when we study recent history, conducting an interview can provide one of the best sources of information. While you have memorized and repeated the definition of a "primary source" for years now, actually developing and accomplishing an interview is something foreign and intimidating to us. Luckily, in order for me to successfully complete a walking tour of the Chilean community for Heritage Toronto, I took the bullet for all students and now live to tell my story and give some advice on the interview process.
By: Lynda Yao, posted 16 February 2016
The city has recently proposed a plan to modernize and develop the current run-down area of Cooksville into luxury residential areas, consisting of high-rise condos, offices, and other urban hot spots. While this plan is good and promising, there is a serious lack of historic preservation in this endeavor, and if the development continues without that in mind, then the history of Cooksville will truly be buried forever. I propose that along with the development of a modern urban center, the plan should also include a revival of Cooksville’s historic past.
By: Sophie Orlando, posted 16 February 2016
I realize that the winter term has just started, and you’re probably not thinking about course selections for next year just yet. However, the winter term tends to go by incredibly quickly and before you know it, it will be time to select your courses for next year!
By: Morgan Sutherland, posted 16 February 2016
One fact of life that we often have trouble dealing with is conflict. It’s all around us and takes on many forms. Luckily you’re an intern learning how to deal with people in an environment you’re not used to, so this is a perfect chance to thicken your skin and practice conflict resolution. See this in a positive light and you will get value from this frame of thinking which can make dealing with difficult people much easier down the road.
By: Nicholas Oswald, posted 16 February 2016
Finding primary sources is one of the joys of historical research. It is always rewarding when you come across a long-forgotten document that sheds new light on a topic or person that you are interested in. Unfortunately, finding these texts can be challenging. If travelling across the globe to multiple libraries and archives isn’t an option, and the texts you are looking for are too obscure to be readily available, it is easy to become discouraged. In this scenario, online text archives are your best friend. Here I’ve listed my three favourite online archives that give you access to immense numbers of documents - and all you need is an internet connection.
By: Rachel Wedekind, posted 16 February 2016
In my previous posts, I have discussed various opportunities at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) available to interns and volunteers. While I’m a strong advocate for these positions and getting more students involved, I realize many might be hesitant to dive into unpaid work. A common concern is being taken advantage of, which can be a problem. Therefore, while I aim to showcase the benefits of working within an internship or volunteer position, I will also highlight resources for U of T students so they can learn the difference between fair work for equal compensation, to being exploited for inadequate experience.
