Evaluating Online Digital Historical Resources for World Civilization Studies Virtual Presentation by L. Daniele Bradshaw, for Global Learn Asia Pacific 2010

Definition and Information Digital historical resources are collections of images, artifacts, and primary/secondary source texts. Libraries, universities, historical societies, individuals, and others have created digital resources that facilitate research and exploration (Ayers, 1999). Many are stored as Internet collections.

The World Wide Web is the primary delivery mechanism for digital historical documents. The quality and range of documents available on the Web has significantly increased (Rosenzweig, 2001; Lee & Molebash, 2004).

Benefits of Digital Historical Resources Digital historical resources can facilitate critical historical inquiry. Web-based digital resources can empower users to construct an understanding of history.

Benefits of Digital Historical Resources The narratives, accounts, or presentations in these resources can also promote historical inquiry (Berson & Balyta, 2004; Lee, 2002; Lee & Molebash, 2004; Mason et al., 2000).

Benefits of Digital Historical Resources Digital historical resources can help users understand the nature of evidence and the constructed role of historical and social interpretations (Bolick, Hicks, Lee, Molebash, & Doolittle, 2004; Waring, 2007).

Importance of Critical Historical Inquiry Critical historical inquiry benefits learners, regardless of subject domain or grade level (Brown, 2000; Tally & Goldenberg, 2005). It is important to take a critical stance towards online information, such as in digital historical resources (Alvermann, 2001; Labbo, 1999; Leu et.al., 2004; Lee, Doolittle, & Hicks, 2006).

Importance of Critical Historical Inquiry Users need to implement meaning-making strategic abilities to navigate and assemble knowledge from Internet resources (Lemke, 1998; Peters & Lankshear, 1996).

Engaging in Critical Historical Inquiry Critical historical inquiry can involve the following tasks: ◦ Examining bias and discriminating between quality information and other data (Berson & Berson, 2004). ◦ Assessing an author’s point of view (Dutt- Doner, Cook-Cotone, &Allen, 2007).

Engaging in Critical Historical Inquiry (continued) ◦ Comparing information in the online resources to prior background knowledge (Dutt-Doner, Cook-Cotone, &Allen, 2007). ◦ Reviewing written texts, visual applications, and spoken words to question the beliefs, attitudes, and values (Holum & Gahala, 2001). ◦ Analyzing and understanding historical information in the context of experience and situational influences (International Reading Association, 2002).

Engaging in Critical Historical Inquiry Critical historical inquiry can also involve discerning the meanings of multimedia, visual imagery, virtual environments, and text (Holum & Gahala, 2001; Kinzer, 2003).

Engaging in Critical Historical Inquiry Warnick discusses four characteristics of online digital discourse: ◦ Shifts in the nature of persuasive strategies used in online discourse; ◦ Individuation of content tailored to users' interests; ◦ Increased use of all forms of interactivity; ◦ Changes in conceptions of text and authorship (Warnick, 2005). These characteristics of online digital discourse have implications for critical inquiry of digital historical resources.

Engaging in Critical Historical Inquiry Internet content is dynamic and information pathways are often hypertextual and changeable (Leu, D, Kinzer, C., Coiro, J., & Cammack, D., 2004). ◦ This is important to remember when examining digital historical resources.

Discussion of World Civilization Online Digital Resources Bradshaw will facilitate this interactive participant forum.  In a collaborative learning forum, participants can review information on the same topic from different Web pages.  Then, participants can compare and contrast information.  This will lead to a discussion on viewpoints and sources (Labbo, 1999).

Discussion of World Civilization Online Digital Resources Participants will also discuss the assumptions, forms of authority, or modes of signification that are produced through this medium (Frechette, 2002). The role of hypertext is to allow digital responsiveness to the needs of a reader (Reinking, 1987). Participants will explore the role of the hypertext in the world civilization websites.

Discussion of World Civilization Online Digital Resources The Internet is a huge source of digital historical resources. Using the discussion questions as a starting point, we will explore some Internet world civilization resources. Participants, feel free to share any additional sites that we can explore.

Discussion of World Civilization Online Digital Resources Please show the highest respect for the cultures we discuss and for the other participants. This is an academic forum. Note: The discussion questions are intentionally broad. This provides latitude for a range of responses. Thank you for your respectful participation.

Discussion of World Civilization Online Digital Resources Compare and contrast the information on the websites. You may choose to stay within a particular region, or you may explore them all. Let’s discuss these questions: ◦ What are your viewpoints on these resources? ◦ How is the world civilization information presented on these websites? ◦ If you have prior knowledge, how does the information compare to what you already know? ◦ What are some of the assumptions, forms of authority, or modes of signification that are produced in these websites? ◦ Hypertext (linking to additional information) facilitates digital responsiveness to a reader. However, the reader has to be able to make sense of that particular information pathway (Reinking, 1987). What is the role of the hypertext in the world civilization websites?

Accessing the Website Links Just press the “Control” button as you “right click” on the link. ◦ OR Please highlight the entire URL link that you want to see. Then, “right click” on it. Then, scroll to “open hyperlink.” This will also open the websites for you.

Websites for Discussion Middle East PBS Global Connections /mideast/themes/geography/index.html Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago SO/mesohome.html

Websites for Discussion Africa BBC-The Story of Africa atures/storyofafrica/index.shtml Smithsonian Natural History Web: African Voices

Websites for Discussion India The British Museum BBC-Ancient India

Websites for Discussion China Asia for Educators CNN-Visions of China 50/imperial.icon/

Websites for Discussion Persia National Geographic-Persia iran-archaeology/del-giudice-text The British Museum enempire/ enempire/

Websites for Discussion Greece Emory University-Odyssey Online-Greece EECE/home.html BBC Ancient History-Greeks s/

Websites for Discussion Roman Empire The Roman Empire tml Emory University-Rome omepg.html

Websites for Discussion American History National Museum of American History Teaching American History

Additional References Alvermann, D.E. (2001). Effective literacy instruction for adolescents. Executive Summary and Paper Commissioned by the National Reading Conference. Chicago, IL: National Reading Conference. Ayers, Edward L. (1999). The past, present and future of digital history. Virginia Center for Digital History. Retrieved from Berson, M. & Balyta, P. (2004). Technological thinking and practice in the social studies: transcending the tumultuous adolescence of reform. Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 20 (4), Bolick, C. M., Hicks, D., Lee, J. K., Molebash, P., & Doolittle, P. (2004). Digital libraries: The catalyst to transform teacher education. AACE Journal, 12 (2), Retrieved from Dutt-Doner, K. M., Cook-Cottone, C., & Allen, S. (2007). Improving classroom instruction: understanding the developmental nature of analyzing primary sources. RMLE, 30(6). Retrieved from

Additional References Frechette, J. (2002). Developing media literacy in cyberspace: Pedagogy and critical learning for the twenty-first century classroom. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers. Holum, A. & Gahala, J. (2001). Critical issue: Using technology to enhance literacy instruction. North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. Retrieved from International Reading Association. (2002). Integrating Literacy and Technology in the Curriculum. Retrieved from Kinzer, C.K. (2003). The importance of recognizing the expanding boundaries of literacy. Reading Online, 6 (10). Retrieved from ml Labbo, L. (1999). Toward a vision of the future role of technology in literacy education. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology. Retrieved from

Additional References Lee, J.K. (2002). Digital history in the history/social studies classroom. The History Teacher, 35 (4), Lee, J. K., Doolittle, P., & Hicks, D. (2006). Social studies and history teachers’ uses of non- digital and digital historical resources. Social Studies Research and Practice, 1(2), Retrieved August 13, 2008 from PDF/1.3.2.pdf Lee, J.K. & Molebash, P. (2004). Outcomes of various scaffolding strategies on student teacher’s digital historical inquiries. Journal of Social Studies Research, 28 (2), Leu, D, Kinzer, C., Coiro, J., & Cammack, D. (2004). Toward a theory of new literacies emerging from the internet and other information and communication technologies. In R. Ruddell, & N, Unrau, (Eds.), Theoretical Models and Processes of Reading. International Reading Association. Retrieved from Mason, C., Berson. M., Diem, R., Hicks, D., Lee, J., & Dralle, T. (2000). Guidelines for using technology to prepare social studies teachers. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education [Online serial], 1 (1), Retrieved from

Additional References Peters, M. & Lankshear, C. (1996). Critical literacy and digital texts. Educational Theory. Winter, 46 (1), Reinking, D. (1987). Computers, reading, and a new technology of print. In D. Reinking (Ed.), Reading and computers: Issues for theory and practice (pp. 3-23). New York: Teachers College Press. Tally, B. & Goldenberg, L. (2005). Fostering historical thinking with digitized primary sources. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 38 (1),1-21. Waring, S. M. (2007). Informing preservice teachers about multiple representations of historical events through the utilization of digital resources. Social Studies Research and Practice, 2(1), Warnick, B. (2005). Looking to the future: Electronic texts and the deepening interface. Technical Communication Quarterly, 14 (3) (Summer),