Technology and Media in Social Studies

Looking Ahead What is technology? What are the various types of technologies that teachers can effectively utilize to enhance social studies instruction? How will students’ prerequisite skills and knowledge about technology influence a teachers instruction?

Can You? Explain how technology benefits students learning and enhances your instruction? Describe your own skills and abilities in utilizing technology? Identify or describe specific technology skills that are important for your students to master? Think of activities in which children could have experiences in utilizing classroom technology?

Do You? Know where to find valuable resources using the Internet? Know what technologies are typically found in schools and how they should be used? Know the definition of “media” and “visual literacy”? Understand different ways of using technology to enhance classroom instruction?

Focus Activity What types of technology did your teachers use in the classroom when you were a student? Consider how technology from your experiences as a student has evolved over the years. What technology do you expect to see in contemporary classrooms? What resources and technologies do you feel comfortable working with and which technologies might you need more support utilizing? Share your experiences with classmates.

Focus Activity Rank the following technologies based on how important you think they are for classroom instruction (1- being most important, 10- being least important). Use this list as a basis for discussion.

Focus Activity Television Internet Access Document Camera Video Recorder DVD/VCR IPad’s (for student use) Computer (teacher use only) Interactive White Board (Smartboard, Promethean, etc..) Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) projector Computers (student use)

Focus Activity Why are some resources more valuable to you than others? How do you envision technology being used in your classroom? You might also like to generate additional resources not listed in this overview. Share you conclusions with classmates.

Getting Started: Technology as a Productive Tool What prerequisite skills are expected of middle/secondary teachers in the 21 st century? What can one do to seek assistance in acquiring technological skills?

Technology and Standards What kind of standards for technology do you think exist? What are the five NETS? What makes the standards for technology issued by NCSS different?

Enhancing Instruction with the Internet What are the possible benefits and pitfalls with utilizing the internet for the social studies? What ways can a teacher utilize the internet? Evaluating the Websites Promoting Media Literacy Promoting Visual Literacy Digital History Virtual Field Trips WebQuests

Teaching with Film What are the potential benefits and pitfalls for utilizing film? What steps should you take to ensure that you use film effectively? What are the five ways to use film? Spring Board Visual Textbook Depicter of Atmosphere Analogy Historiography

Social Media What are the potential benefits and pitfalls for utilizing social media in the classroom? What pitfalls are present for teachers?

Challenges to Technology Integration Does the use of technology contribute to student learning? Does the technology improve the learning opportunities of students. Do all students have the necessary skills to complete the activity? What modifications/accommodations might need to be made for students needing additional support? Is the activity or lesson dependent on the technology and how would you respond if the technology failed (power outage, Internet down, etc.)?

Challenges to Technology Integration What about… the “Digital Divide”? Cyberbullying? Copyright ? Internet Safety?

Looking Back Teachers will need to constantly evaluate and develop new teaching strategies to incorporate instructional technology into the curriculum. As technology will continue to develop and change over time, it is crucial for teachers to continually grow as life long learners and explore all of the exciting educational opportunities that come with new technological innovations.

Extension The end of your first year of teaching is quickly approaching and your excitement can hardly be contained. At a faculty meeting the principal explains that the district has allotted for some additional funding for technology for the enhancement of social studies instruction. The explains though that he has selected a committee to determine what technologies are important for enhancing the teaching and learning of social studies. He concludes by telling the faculty the selected committee members. You hear your name called. Shocked, a little embarrassed, and secretly proud, you willing accept the appointment.

Extension Imagine your group is the committee. The principal wants you create a list of technologies to enhance the teaching and learning of social studies. However, he did not share the budget, but instead requested a wish list. Your committee needs to organize how the money will be spent per grade level. As well, your committee needs to determine what technologies are important, who will use them, how will they be utilized, and how often. The committees list should be detailed and shared with peers/instructor.

Self-Test 1. What is meant by the term media literacy? 2. Why is there a need for helping students understand how to use technology? 3. What makes the Internet considered both a positive and negative resource?

Self-Test 4. What are some ways to enhance instruction-utilizing technology? 5. What areas of instructional technology are you comfortable using and what areas might you need more development? 6. When is it appropriate to use technology?

Resources Berson, M. J., Cruz, B. C., Duplass, J. A., & Johnston, J. H. (2007). Social studies on the Internet (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall. Diem, R. (Ed.) & Berson, M. (Ed.) (2010). Technology in retrospect: Social studies in the information age, Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing. Lee, J. (Ed.) & Friedman, A. (Ed.) (2009). Research on technology in social studies education. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing. Cohen, D. & Rosenzweig, R. (2005). Digital history: A guide to gathering, preserving, and presenting the past on the web. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania.