I'm borrowing my title for this blog entry from the latest edition of the History Channel Club magazine. Given this past weekend was full of thinking about events in history, specifically the 9/11 terrorist attacks of 2001, reading about the changes in how history teachers are teaching was very timely. Even though some of this entry will target history teachers, there's quite a bit that applies to all teachers.
Michael P. Lavelle is quoted as saying, "The real key to connecting learners with history in the digital age in a meaningful and lasting way is combing the scholarly authority of the textbook with virtuoso digital storytelling and visualizations." Again, this could also apply to many of our other subjects, like literature, science, and even math. The methods of teaching have changed just as history has changed throughout the years. First was a class where an adult paced at the front of the classroom, using a piece of chalk and blackboard or greenboard to emphasize points. Then came the projector and teachers could show some film strips to enhance the learning. Next the overhead projector came into the classroom and this was especially a great tool for math teachers (and still is). Then came the televisions, the video cassette recorders (VCRs)s, and then the DVD players. Now we have computers, both desktop and laptop, and teachers can utilize software like PowerPoint(r) and Keynote(r) to give spectacular presentations that catch the student's eye and hopefully, their brain!
In today's classes, digital is much more than a new delivery method. Energizing and engaging students, it creates new learning opportunities. Students and teachers can co-create, collaborate, and use primary sources like never before. These digital tools can help students with critical-thinking skills and help them form great questions, which are at the core of inquiry-based learning. The best thing about digital tools, though, is that many of them are available for free!
Back to history and social studies classes, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) and History have banded together to offer free materials and links to teachers, regardless of which textbook and curriculum programs they use. Go to their site and look at the Resources and Current Events sections. Naturally, if you use the HMH textbook/curriculum programs, you can also get a private URL to gain access to additional materials at no additional cost.
One last caution about the use of digital tools in teaching . . . To be effective, digital materials must be presented in an orderly way targeted to learning outcomes, rather than simply arriving on the computer screen as a cool data dump of possibility. Well said!
Resource: Brataas, A. (September/October 2011). Launch History 2.0. The History Channel Magazine.
