Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History Project

Like a fine wine with a full-bodied history, the UVic-based online Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History Project just keeps getting better. While poised to launch the final additions to its website, the project was named the winner of the 2008 MERLOT Classics award as an “exemplary” online learning resource. It’s the second time the California-based Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching (MERLOT) has honoured the project. The project invites students to “solve” mysteries plucked from Canada’s rich history while developing their research skills. The website also includes 21 shorter “Mysteryquest” websites aimed specifically at middle and high school students. The mysteries and teaching support material originate from all regions of Canada and involve a span of nearly 1,000 years. “Winning a MERLOT award for the second time is a testimony to the enduring and constantly improving quality of the project and the hard work of our cross-Canada team. It is like a Pulitzer Prize in this field,” says UVic historian John Lutz.