Review of "Us" and "Them": Multimedia Explorations of Prejudice and Intolerance in American History (December, 1997)

"Us" and "Them": Multimedia Explorations of Prejudice and Intolerance in American History
by Ilana Rembelinsky

This article details a project wherein eighth graders produce a multimedia presentation addressing incidences of prejudice and intolerance in U.S. history, utilizing Us and Them, a book produced by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Students form groups of two and select on of the book's 14 stories as their topic. Then, they produce several written documents dealing with their topic: a brief summary of the facts of the case, a first-person narrative in the voice of one of the participants in the event, a summary of five or more other major events in U.S. history that occurred within 10 years before or after then chosen event. These written assignments are then augmented with three or more scanned images and one to two minutes of video footage illustrating the incident. Students are also required to maintain a learning log, in which they take notes and respond to questions about videos or other media which they view in class.

Q1: How effective is this project at leading to student learning about historical events as well as building computer skills?
A1: In my opinion, this seems like a good balance of these two components. Unlike the project described in a previously reviewed article (Making History Come Alive, November 2003), this one maintains what I consider a more appropriate emphasis on the history, with the computer use as a sizable but minority consideration. I also like that this project employs a number of different approaches to the event (i.e., both a summary as well as a creative first-person narrative).

Q2: Is this project feasible at schools with a wide variety of available tech resources?
A2: In a word, yes. The article was written in 1997, and the project was carried out at a school with only two computers per classroom. Through careful organization, all students were able to schedule time on the available computers and complete their projects. Twelve years later, even poorly-equipped schools probably have greater tech resources than the school at which this program was carried out. Also, more students have computers at home, and many libraries have computers available for public use which could be employed to work on this kind of project on their own time.

Software Review: Learning.com

Web Browsing: Research and Citing Sources Grades 6-8

http://learning.com/

Review:

Because I am already quite proficient with all of the components of this series of lessons, I did not learn anything of particular note. However, I was impressed with the quality of the presentations and feel that they would be an excellent method for teaching the subject of Web literacy. The only concern that I might have with using this in a classroom is due to the inability to skip ahead in the lessons. Some students who are more advanced than others might be bored by the basic information and tune out, missing the more complex information presented farther in. Aside from this, I did not experience any problems with the program; it ran smoothly and without any bugs or other notable errors.

Learning.com Web Browsing Unit. Retrieved March 2, 2009, from http://platform.learning.com

NETS Standards Addressed:

Browsing Basics
Standards addressed:
5. Digital Citizenship- Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.
a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.
6. Technology Operations and Concepts- Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.
a. understand and use technology systems.
b. select and use applications effectively and productively.

URLs
Standards addressed:
1. Creativity and Innovation- Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
2. Communication and Collaboration- Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
6. Technology Operations and Concepts- Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.
a. understand and use technology systems.
b. select and use applications effectively and productively.

Web Searches
Standards addressed:
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making- Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.
c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
5. Digital Citizenship- Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.
a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.
6. Technology Operations and Concepts- Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.
a. understand and use technology systems.
b. select and use applications effectively and productively.

Validity and Sourcing
Standards addressed:
2. Communication and Collaboration- Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
5. Digital Citizenship- Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.
a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.
b. exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.
6. Technology Operations and Concepts- Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.
a. understand and use technology systems.
b. select and use applications effectively and productively.

ISTE Standards, (2007) Nets for students 2007. Retrieved March 2, 2009, from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/2007Standards/NETS_for_Students_2007.htm

History Now Newsletter

Permanent Link to this page

My History

I have been enthralled by history ever since I sat upon my grandfather’s knee and hear the stories of World War I, World War II and the Wild West. Stories told by my grandfather may have been embellished for the amusement of a five-year-old but they started a flame of interest in the historical that has burned ever since. The course of my life did not lead me straight to an academic career in history. I spent 20 years traveling and working in various retail businesses in different parts of the United States and these experiences further enhanced my knowledge and desire to learn more about history. As I grew older and started raising children, I found that the flame of history still burned and now it had the added desire to past on the interest in history to others as my grandfather had done for me. After a break of 20 years in my educational career, I return to school for a degree in history and the opportunity ignite the flame of interest in history in the minds of young people. I believe that a fundamental education in the facts of the historical record is important to students' understanding of world in which they live. Creating a personal interest, like my grandfather did for me, in the events of history is just as important as the facts. The student that can feel connected to the distance past will be much more likely to understand and learn the lessons that history teaches. I feel for older students the development of the skill of historical interruption is important in order to understand the facts and causation of history. Students that have historical facts, skills and personal interest will have the ability to become full citizens of our democracy.

Michael Poteet

Contacts: Email mp2poteet@yahoo.com Blog Michael's Word

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My Historical Interest

I believe, as a future single subject credential holder in social studies, all historical subject matter is important and I will endeavor to create the sense of context and personal experience with all aspects of history. In teaching high school students, I think the role of social studies education is the important factor creating citizens that are prepared to be involved in the political process of our democracy. The comparative study of United States history is very important in the creation of citizens. I feel one of the most important subject areas in the study of United States history is the American Civil War. The conflict of brother against brother was the defining moment in the history of the country that created a new birth of freedom and was key in forming the modern structure of the United States. One aspect and enhance students understanding of how important the conflict is to examine the speeches and writings of Abraham Lincoln. The president’s important speeches like the Gettysburg Address and the Second Inaugural can be used to show how the Civil War redefine what it meant to be a free man and citizen of the United States. Lincoln's use of language is easy to relate to by modern students and can be very effective way to connect them the historical story. The understanding of where how the idea of modern citizenship were created will help the students place themselves in the context of history. I feel it is a very important for students at the high school level to understand the context of these speeches and the history of the civil war in order to become full of active citizens of the United States of America. The following link is a great resource for finding out about online information on the Civil War.

American Civil War Sources

California Social Studies Standards

Michael Poteet

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Contributor #2: Eric Stickland

What do I want to teach, and why?

While I am enthusiastic about all historical periods and topics, I find that I am most interested in the history of the ancient world. In particular, I am fascinated by the history of Greece, Rome, Egypt, and the civilizations of the Levant. My interest in these regions is based upon a number of factors; first, there are many material remains from all of these cultures, which makes it easier to picture what it might have been like to live during those times. In addition to providing fodder for an endless parade of History Channel documentaries, these artifacts also give clues about what made some cultures grow and succeed or caused some to decline and disappear. Another factor contributing to my interest in these topics is the fact that many "firsts" in world history occurred in these civilizations. For instance, it was in Mesopotamia that humans first started living in large, permanent settlements, began to differentiate into specialized roles, and developed systems of writing and law. The Greek city-states pioneered with innovations in democracy, warfare, and art. The Egyptians left behind perhaps the most famous monumental architecture of antiquity in the form of the Pyramids, and founded one of the world's first monotheistic religions. Finally, the Romans presided over one of the most impressive empires of the ancient world and proved themselves expert at adapting the discoveries of other cultures for their own purposes.

With regard to the grades I'm interested in teaching, I feel most attracted to secondary education and particularly high school. This is due to a number of factors; first is the fact that higher grades allow the instructor to teach more "in-depth" information on given topics. Additionally, the greater intellectual development of high school students can be conducive to a greater degree of discussion and debate, an activity that I consider a crucial component for stimulating interest, understanding, and fact retention among students.

California History Standards- This link goes to the state-mandated standards for the teaching of history.

Kathy Schrock's Guide for Education: World History Sites- This link goes to a website providing resources for history educators.

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Eric Stickland? Who is this guy?


In my lifetime, I have been exposed a variety of different experiences that have helped to motivate and prepare me for a career in teaching. In this article, I will describe a few of these experiences and how they have impacted me.

While in junior high school, I began attending the Summer Camp program of the Boise (Idaho) Family YMCA. After my first summer as an attendee only, in the six subsequent summers I served in the roles of Counselor-in-Training, Counselor, Senior Counselor, and finally Unit Leader, where I supervised all male staff members. These experiences instilled in me a love of working with youth, showed me the positive impact that one caring adult can have upon children, and taught me valuable skills for interacting with teens.

Another significant experience that has contributed to my aptitude and interest in teaching has been my ongoing, seven year long association with White Dragon Martial Arts schools. Upon moving to the San Diego area, my wife and I enrolled at the school and began studying Choy Li Fut Kung Fu. We benefited from twice-weekly private lessons and advanced quickly, and were both invited to enter the instructor's training program. During this nine month long program, our limits of physical and mental endurance were tested, exceeded, and increased, and we were also trained in working with students in a one-on-one format, using positive feedback to motivate them to do their best. At the completion of the program in April of 2004, both my wife and I graduated as new instructors. In this role, I taught at the Encinitas school for over three years; during this time, I spent over 10 hours each week teaching up to 20 students in a private lesson environment, as well as planning and executing group classes. My students ranged in age from 6 to 60, and ran the gamut of physical abilities and innate aptitudes. I particularly enjoyed getting to know each student in a fashion that allowed me to learn how best to motivate them; I learned that younger children responded particularly well to "fun", whereas older students were interested in self-defense applications, the aesthetics of truly graceful movement, or the historical background of Chinese martial arts. I feel that my experience as a martial arts instructor has prepared me to be a teacher by teaching me some tools to motivate students, making me comfortable in group or one-on-one settings, and giving me experience in positive-reinforcement techniques.

White Dragon Martial Arts Schools
Eric's Blog
Email me

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http://www.alleba.com/blog/wp-content/photos/abraham_lincoln.jpg

http://students.umf.maine.edu/~pendlecv/Civil%20War%20Webquest/Civil%20War%20Battle.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/DoricParthenon.jpg

February 13, 2009

Review of Making History Come Alive (November 2003)

Making History Come Alive, by Howard Levin

This article describes a project in a San Francisco high school in which students interviewed Holocaust survivors, produced videos of these interviews, and published them online.

Q1: How applicable is this approach to a wide variety of different schools?
A1: In short, not very. This project took place at an independent high school that had access to funds that are simply not present at most schools. For instance, every student receives an Apple iBook laptop, whereas in some school districts even providing a computer lab with reasonable access for students is a struggle. Additionally, they received several grants and donations which allowed the purchase of a professional-quality camera, tripod, lighting equipment, and digital video tape. However, the trend in technology is always towards greater availability and lower prices- as time passes, perhaps this type of project would become more easily applied to a greater diversity of school settings.

Q2: How effective is this project at teaching students about history?
A2: I think that the project would certainly teach students about their chosen subject's experiences in World War II. It would give them an understanding of the emotional and personal impact of the Holocaust. However, I'm uncertain as to how much this project contributes to the overall history education of the students. The amount of time this project would require necessitates a certain focus on a specific event that occurred in a very limited period of history. If the course were intended to teach specifically about the Holocaust, this would seem like a worthwhile project. However, in a course about World history or Western Hemisphere history 1900-present, I feel that it would pull too much time away from other important topics that are equally deserving of attention.

Review of Digital Images in the History Classroom (May 2004)

Digital Images in the History Classroom , by Stephanie van Hover, Kathy Swan, and Michael J. Berson

Q1: What can the use of digital images contribute to the teaching of history?
A1: The article points out the importance of teaching students to "thoughtfully interpret images", because they are so prevalent in our understandings of events of the past, present, and future. It also notes that the availability of large databases of images through sites such as the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian has expanded students' possible exposure to images far beyond what was possible with textbooks as the primary source. Finally, the article suggests that images are a more accessible route to stimulate interest among students that may not be initially intrigued by history or social sciences.

Q2: How can digital images be incorporated into history curricula?
A2: The article gave one interesting suggestion for using images, wherein the instructor selected a number of images (in this case five) from significantly different time periods and which gave a number of significant chronological clues. Students were then assigned to place the images in chronological order and to hypothesize a date when it was taken. They were then asked how they knew where images should be placed in the time line, and how they determined their hypothetical dates.

In summary, I thought that this article was well-written and put forth some useful ideas for teachers. I particularly liked the way that the sample exercise could help to turn students from passive observers of visual images into active investigators into the meaning and circumstances reflected in digital images.