Connecting to the Future
History Engine (forgotten post) and Geohistorical Inquiry
I think the History Engine is a great tool for engaging students into different areas of History. It also eases the load a bit and allows the student to focus on one idea or “episode” in time and create a historical interpretation based on that single experience they researched. It seems that the History Engine is geared or targeted more towards college students but I think it would be a really neat tool to at any grade level, with some modifications that would cater to that specific age group/grade level. The History Engine is a collaborative learning tool, which I love. I don’t want to be the kind of teacher that sits and lectures to my students the entire class period. I think that students really learn when they are actively engaged in the learning process and the History Engine does just that. Students take ownership and responsibility for their work and they can obtain feedback not only from the teacher but form their classmates as well. High school students would gain from using a program like this one. Torget and Nesbit suggested that technology has opened up new avenues for plagiarism and cheating in the classroom. I think if teachers used the History Engine in their classrooms it would deter students from plagiarizing or cheating because each piece of work that can be produced would be an original interpretation from a moment in time, which I think would be hard, or at least harder, to plagiarize.
Space, Geography and Information Systems
I love the idea of adding digital images and representations of the past. In my opinion, that’s the best way to learn about history when you read and can actually see what’s going on or at least a representation of what was going on in that time period. As Jeffery Young stated in his article we are so used to relying on written works when it comes to learning history. I think that is were we lose most of our students, or gain the lack of interest in our discipline. Today, most of kids focus is on what they can see and her and less on what they read, with regards to textbooks and journals. Interpreting history through digitized works and visual aides, I think, is a great way to get students interested in learning History and other subjects as well. It would be a good idea to develop a project like Mr. Ayers and Mr. Thomas for your classroom. You could take a particular unit and divide it amongst your students and have them create a timelines similar to Ayers and Thomas. Once the groups finished their individual timelines you could try to infuse the entire unit and see the changes from start to finish.
The idea of gathering at one particular place in the world for one month through paintings is a great idea. I think it ignites a sense of curiosity about the place you would be painting. If I were a member, wouldn’t want to paint a picture and not know what I was painting about. It would be a great way for me to study and learn about the particular place I was painting. You can also view different areas and compare and contrast paintings of the same location. This blogspot is a good way for people to connect through art and learn about the location they are painting about.
In the classrooms, so much is at stake when it comes to testing and having students pass, that teacher’s don’t really have much time to engage students, as mentioned in the Geohistorical inquiry article. I personally think the geography portion of our discipline is lacking in the classroom. Again, I think that this is a result of standardized testing. Geohistorical inquiry is a good way to get students engaged and learning. Students learn best when they are interested in the material they are learning. The best way to spark their interest is to start by teaching something they are familiar with. Investigating and learning new information about a town or city they live in, or any subject they are familiar with, creates a sense of pride and ownership. I think those qualities are important when presenting new lessons to students. It makes the process fun and keeps them motivated into wanting to learn more.
Space, Geography and Information Systems
I love the idea of adding digital images and representations of the past. In my opinion, that’s the best way to learn about history when you read and can actually see what’s going on or at least a representation of what was going on in that time period. As Jeffery Young stated in his article we are so used to relying on written works when it comes to learning history. I think that is were we lose most of our students, or gain the lack of interest in our discipline. Today, most of kids focus is on what they can see and her and less on what they read, with regards to textbooks and journals. Interpreting history through digitized works and visual aides, I think, is a great way to get students interested in learning History and other subjects as well. It would be a good idea to develop a project like Mr. Ayers and Mr. Thomas for your classroom. You could take a particular unit and divide it amongst your students and have them create a timelines similar to Ayers and Thomas. Once the groups finished their individual timelines you could try to infuse the entire unit and see the changes from start to finish.
The idea of gathering at one particular place in the world for one month through paintings is a great idea. I think it ignites a sense of curiosity about the place you would be painting. If I were a member, wouldn’t want to paint a picture and not know what I was painting about. It would be a great way for me to study and learn about the particular place I was painting. You can also view different areas and compare and contrast paintings of the same location. This blogspot is a good way for people to connect through art and learn about the location they are painting about.
In the classrooms, so much is at stake when it comes to testing and having students pass, that teacher’s don’t really have much time to engage students, as mentioned in the Geohistorical inquiry article. I personally think the geography portion of our discipline is lacking in the classroom. Again, I think that this is a result of standardized testing. Geohistorical inquiry is a good way to get students engaged and learning. Students learn best when they are interested in the material they are learning. The best way to spark their interest is to start by teaching something they are familiar with. Investigating and learning new information about a town or city they live in, or any subject they are familiar with, creates a sense of pride and ownership. I think those qualities are important when presenting new lessons to students. It makes the process fun and keeps them motivated into wanting to learn more.
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