Date Approved
6-19-2012
Embargo Period
12-21-2015
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A. Writing
Department
Writing Arts
College
Ric Edelman College of Communication & Creative Arts
Advisor
Penrod, Diane
Committee Member 1
Harvey, Roberta
Subject(s)
Oral history; Genealogy
Disciplines
Creative Writing
Abstract
The major problem confronting educators is incorporating a simple, profitable, stimulating, and integrated learning technique in the classroom that motivates students, internalizes lessons, and produces active, enriched learners. This thesis demonstrates that the oral history genre is the viable solution. Nine planned project stages guide educators in establishing a new dimension of knowledge for students where interviews and research combine living memories with documented resources to create and preserve personalized history. The author obtained information through personal interviews with family members from the descendents of Vito Antonio Mevoli, Filomena (Onorato) Mevoli, Dominick Abate, and Catherine (Lorusso) Abate and researched data from the Gloucester County Historical Society, Camden County Historical Society, legal family documents, such as marriage certificates and naturalization papers, and websites listed on the reference page. A creative research project where the culmination of data is defined serves as a tangible means for educators to evaluate various steps in the learning process. The result of implementing this methodology in education is that learning expands beyond the classroom into the community; therefore, lessons are more relevant to students and they retain knowledge longer. Appendices include wedding photographs, personal letters, and legal documents of Vito Antonio, Filomena, Dominick, and Catherine that support this research.
Recommended Citation
Carpenter, Arlene Abate, "Oral history heirlooms: vitality and substance in learning" (2012). Theses and Dissertations. 77.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/77
