ECI 525 Contemporary Approaches in the Teaching of Social Studies
During Dr. Lee’s class I completed 9 different class projects focused on using technology and digital resources, in order to engage students in contemporary approaches to learning and doing history.
A contemporary approach I learned about early on involved using sensory memory in the teaching of history topics. It is a well known fact that anything personally experienced will increase the likelihood that a memory will be stored. Add to that sensory experiences and the likelihood again further increases. When a student can experience the touch, smell, taste, sound, or visual of what they are learning, they are more likely to create meaning to their learning of the past. Teachers can use sensory memory to engage students with the past. The sensory approach provides teachers with an alternative instructional method not commonly utilized in the teaching of social studies. Viewing the past through the use of senses gives students a whole new perspective of the past. This contemporary approach to teaching history is more engaging for students.
Social Studies teachers can also use visual content to grab students’ interests or deepen students’ historical understanding of a topic. There is much to learn from visual content that can not be portrayed through writing. The emotion that an image can evoke can be a powerful learning tool. Images can answer questions or help students ask new questions about a historical topic. Visual content can sometimes provide an eye witness account of history and therefore offer direct evidence to support our understanding of history.
A contemporary approach I learned about early on involved using sensory memory in the teaching of history topics. It is a well known fact that anything personally experienced will increase the likelihood that a memory will be stored. Add to that sensory experiences and the likelihood again further increases. When a student can experience the touch, smell, taste, sound, or visual of what they are learning, they are more likely to create meaning to their learning of the past. Teachers can use sensory memory to engage students with the past. The sensory approach provides teachers with an alternative instructional method not commonly utilized in the teaching of social studies. Viewing the past through the use of senses gives students a whole new perspective of the past. This contemporary approach to teaching history is more engaging for students.
Social Studies teachers can also use visual content to grab students’ interests or deepen students’ historical understanding of a topic. There is much to learn from visual content that can not be portrayed through writing. The emotion that an image can evoke can be a powerful learning tool. Images can answer questions or help students ask new questions about a historical topic. Visual content can sometimes provide an eye witness account of history and therefore offer direct evidence to support our understanding of history.
The class introduced me to numerous resources tools that can be used engage students in the learning of social studies.
-Lincoln Telegrams Project (http://lincolntelegrams.com)
-Plantation Letters (http://plantationletters.com/index.html)
-American Memory Collection (http://memory.loc.gov/)
Check out the class activity I developed using digital resources
I selected from the American Memory Collection.
-Docsteach (www.docsteach.org)
Check out the class activity for the American Revolution that I created
using Docsteach.
-Webquests can be used to involve students in authentic historical work where they engage in activities that have a real world connection. I created a webquest where students had to act as museum planners.
-Lincoln Telegrams Project (http://lincolntelegrams.com)
-Plantation Letters (http://plantationletters.com/index.html)
-American Memory Collection (http://memory.loc.gov/)
Check out the class activity I developed using digital resources
I selected from the American Memory Collection.
-Docsteach (www.docsteach.org)
Check out the class activity for the American Revolution that I created
using Docsteach.
-Webquests can be used to involve students in authentic historical work where they engage in activities that have a real world connection. I created a webquest where students had to act as museum planners.
webquest.doc | |
File Size: | 61 kb |
File Type: | doc |
These resources are comprised of digital primary source materials that can engage students in authentic historical work. The projects I completed in his class can be adapted to fit the needs of my students.