Using Technology in Social Studies

1. Using Technology in Social Studies Created by Cristina Roberts 11/17/2008

2. What and why? • Social studies and history are excellent subjects to incorporate technology into. • Why? • Students learn better when they can be a part of the lesson. Technology allows students to do that. • How many of you remember the history of the United States of America and how it got started? • If you read it all in a book, you probably don’t remember much.

3. How? • There are a few ideas about how to incorporate technology into your lessons that I will discuss today • Web quest • Simulation • Power point • Research on specific topic • Digital storytelling • Videotaping reenactment or play and broadcasting

4. WebQuests • WebQuests are web-based learning projects • WebQuests present a task and have students research the project online using only the websites you as the teacher include • Focus on higher level thinking and problem solving • Teachers preview all websites so students are safe • Sample lesson plans are available on www.webquest.org

5. Simulations • Simulations imitate real-life history situations • Very helpful for past experiences that the students can’t see or feel for better comprehension • Can be created by teachers and students. • www.acypher.com/Publications/CACM?KidSimCACM.html • www.edutechwiki.unige.ch.en/SimCalc • Teachers can use already created simulations such as www.simulations.com/cont1.htm

6. PowerPoints • PowerPoints are a slide show of information • This presentation is a PowerPoint • Students can present and organize their knowledge on a PowerPoint presentation • Students have fun creating a presentation and allows for creativity • Great way to communicate knowledge • Teachers can also create them for knowledge delivery

7. Computer Research • Instead of researching in books • Teach how to recognize a credible resource • Teach how to take notes and cite references • Wide variety of ideas, perceptions, knowledge • Could hand-pick websites to view • Could teach students how to pick credible websites and have an open research forum • Knowledge learned online could be presented in PowerPoint, typed report, etc.

8. Digital Storytelling • Digital storytelling is a way to tell a story using pictures and audio • Can use audio with voices and music • Scan in pictures to tell a story in order • Use for students to communicate knowledge learned

9. Videotaping and broadcasting • Students learn information • Students create a presentation/play regarding information learned • Students video tape presentation • Students figure out how to broadcast presentation to the class • Students have experience with videotaping and broadcasting • Can be used as an assessment

10. Summing it all up…. • Technology can be incorporated in: • Teacher directed knowledge • Student directed knowledge • Communicating knowledge learned (assessment) • Fun and informative ways • Teaches important technology skills • Work together or alone.

11. Resources • Bitter, G, and Legacy, J. Using Technology in the Classroom. Pearson. Boston. 2008.