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This course is designed to give history graduate students and advanced History and Social Sciences Education students knowledge and practice in technology for their research, writing, and teaching. This course should help the technophile and technophobe use technologies, especially in teaching history and the social sciences. The state of Illinois through its educational policy making bodies deems it most important that all students and teachers possess knowledge that meet technology standards. Research from the Office of Technology Assessment (1995) suggests that there has been much focus on the impact of technology on students; little regard has been given for the implications technology has for teachers. Will it change the way teachers teach? How does technology affect transformative and mimetic theories of teaching? Does technology undermine the Cartesian view of the world? Is hypertext post-modern? We will consider these questions as well as discuss issues such as hypertext in historical context; history of technology's use in the classroom; studio teaching; and evaluating web sites and CD-ROMS. Hopefully, you will feel that this course provides a framework for your future construction of knowledge and teaching as you become familiar with the internet, H-Net, e-mail, CD-ROMs, the scanning of documents, and the use of PowerPoint for presentations. Ultimately, you will construct a museum exhibit or technology presentation that will be useful in a history class you are currently teaching or will be teaching in the future.

Our course has three phases: (1) theories and ideas behind teaching and researching history using learning technologies; (2) current state of technologies in schools and the textbook industry; and (3) putting ideas into practice. Throughout the course, but particularly in phase one, we will discuss readings related to learning technologies and history and you will write several reviews. In phase two we will have two guest speakers - a director of learning technologies at one of the most recognized public schools on technology in Illinois and a textbook representative who will illustrate with examples the directions the textbook industry is taking in this age of technology. In phase three you will put into practice what you know and have thought about regarding learning technologies. You will demonstrate what you know in two projects: (1) history learning standards in Illinois and the nation and (2) a museum project or presentation on a select historical topic.

Overall Objectives

1. To galvanize oneself for the study of the human community and its past experiences.

2. To familiarize oneself with the variety of ways computers and technology can enhance history research, writing, and teaching.

3. To use technology in one's own history research, writing, and teaching.

Specific Objectives

1. To find and evaluate web sites germane to history and the social sciences.

2. To assess an H-Net review of a controversial historical monograph.

3. To read and assess essays about the use of technology in history and social science instruction.

4. To integrate Internet sources into one's research, writing, and teaching of history and the social sciences.

5. To assess CD-ROMs and integrate appropriate features into a presentation.

6. To use PowerPoint in an instructional presentation.

7. To assess a variety of software and integrate appropriate features into a presentation.

8. To prepare guides for evaluation of web sites and software packages.

9. To use a broad range of instructional technologies in the preparation and use of instructional materials.

10. To integrate technology into teaching objectives.

11. To review and apply state and national history standards.

12. To prepare and demonstrate a multimedia instructional unit.

Readings

Books

Trinkle, Dennis A. and Scott A. Merriman, eds., History.edu: Essays on Teaching with Technology. Armon, New York: M.E. Sharpe, 2001.

Villegas, Ana Maria and Tamara Lucas. Educating Culturally Responsive Teachers: A Coherent Approach. New York: SUNY Press, Unpublished Manuscript. [Reading, pp. 96-113, discusses Transmission and Constructivist Views on Teaching]

Articles: [Review Two of these articles. Collectively, these articles emphasize teaching, research, and writing history.]

Abel, Trudi Johanna. "Students as Historians: Lessons from an 'Interactive' Census Database Project." Perspectives, American Historical Association Newsletter 35, no. 3 (March 1997): 1; 10-14.

Brown, Thomas J. "The Purposes of Course Web Sites: A Case Study." The History Teacher 31 (November 1997): 61-68.

Evans, Charles T. and Robert Brown, "Teaching the History Survey Course Using Multimedia Techniques," Perspectives (February 1998): 17-20.

Friedheim, Bill. "Who Built America in the Classroom." The History Teacher 31 (November 1997): 69-75.

Jones, James A. "Constructing History with Computers," Writing, Teaching, and Research History in the Electronic Age: Historians and the Computer (London: M.E. Sharpe, 1998): 83-88.

Marriman, Scott A. "On-Line Reviewing: Pitfalls, Pinnacles, Potentialities, and the Present," Writing, Teaching, and Research History in the Electronic Age: Historians and the Computer (London: M.E. Sharpe, 1998): 54-61.

Martorella, Peter H. "Technology and the Social Studies -- or: Which Way to the Sleeping Giant?" Theory and Research in Social Education 25 (Fall 1997): 511-514.

McMichael, Andrew. "The Historian, the Internet, and the Web: A Reassessment," Perspectives (February 1998): 29-32.

Newell, Margaret E. "Subterreanean Electronic Blues; or, How a Former Technophobe Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Multimedia." The Journal of American History 83 (March 1997): 1346-1352.

Newmark, Mark S. "Navigating the Internet for Sources in American History." The History Teacher 30 (May 1997): 283-292.

Rosenzweig, Roy. "Wizards, Bureaucrats, Warriors, and Hackers: Writing the History of the Internet," American Historical Review 103 (December 1998): 1530-1552.

Rosenzweig, Roy. "'So, What's Next for Clio?' CD-ROM and Historians." The Journal of American History 82 (March 1995): 1621-1640.

Seed, Patricia. "Teaching with the Web: Two Approaches" Perspectives (February 1998): 9-12.

Smith, Carl. "Can You Do Serious History on the Web?" Perspectives (February 1998): 5-8.

Swan, Karen. "History, Hypermedia, and Criss-Crossed Conceptual Landscapes." Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia 3, no. 2 (1994): 120-139.

Vess, Deborah. "Applications for the World Wide Web in the history Classroom." The History Teacher 30 (May 1997): 265-282.

Walbert, Kathryn L. "Teaching, Collaboration, and the Internet: Joining a Global Conversation." The Journal of American History 83 (March 1997): 1357-1360.

Assignments

1. Reading and discussion of select essays/chapters in Trinkle and Merriman, History.edu

2. Prepare a PowerPoint presentation relevant to Transmission and Constructivist Views on Teaching.

3. Two one- to three-page summaries from Articles listed above or with permission of Professor Drake one of the chapters not already required in the Trinkle and Merriman book, History.edu .

4. Cross-reference state and national history standards and integrate your findings on your webpage for other teachers.

5. Find at least ten History Web sites and assess their contributions relative to teaching and research potential. [I suggest that you examine websites relevant to your research interests and for your eventual project for this class.]

6. Review discussion of Atomic Bomb Controversy on http://h-net2.msu.edu/~diplo/balp.htm

In addition to finding and assessing web sites, you will read a discussion that has taken place on H-Net regarding the Atomic Bomb Controversy. I will provide historiography of the A-bomb decision. You will then review an H-Net discussion. The discussion can be found at this URL: http://h-net2.msu.edu/~diplo/balp.htm

You are to summarize the historical discussion in the context of the historiography of the atomic bomb decision and provide your comments about how this exemplar discussion on H-Net may or may not be of benefit in research and in teaching. To assist you I recommend that you read a paper book review by Alonzo L. Hamby which is to be found in The Journal of American History 83 (September 1997): 609-614. Hamby's paper book review of Gar Alperovitz's The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb and the Architecture of an American Myth (as well as other works on the subject) may set the stage for reading the exchange of informed opinions on the H-Net site.

7. Create a webpage.

8. Create a guide to analyze a website.

9. Create a Museum Exhibit or a historical inquiry -problem based approach using primary sources from websites and other sources.

10. Critique a Museum Exhibit or historical inquiry-problem based approach.

Hard copies for all assignments are to be submitted. Also, all of the above assignments are to be sent as an attachment to this location: fddrake@ilstu.edu and/or submitted on a disk format.

Grading

For all assignments a letter grade will be deducted if it is late. Assessment is based on three dimensions: your Knowledge, your Reasoning, and your Communication, that is your ability to express what you know and understand. Make sure all your written work is the best representation of your abilities. Consider your audience for all written assignments to be professional historians. Quizzes and in-class assignments may be given during class and may not be made-up without the discretion of the instructor.

The Museum Exhibit or historical inquiry-problem based approach project is worth 40% of the final grade. All other assignments have an equal value to each other.

Attendance

There is a strong correlation between sporadic attendance and a low final grade. Class attendance is important for subjects and topics dealt with prominently in class are similarly given special attention on writing assignments and projects. Class time spent in Schroeder 248. One letter grade will be deducted upon the third missed session of class and for each session missed thereafter.

Frederick D. Drake

Adaptations from a NARA Lesson of Linda Clark, a teacher at Padua High School in Parma, Ohio and NCHE Member

Key points in helping students create a Museum Project:

1. Help students analyze photographs, a skill that is in line with State of Illinois Standards, and is life-long in importance.

2. Introduce students to the six VTN and 13 HOM. Provide for students with copies of the six VTN and 13 HOM and post them in your classroom.

3. Help students in the structure of their museum exhibit in the following ways:

A. Tell students you want them to organize their museum exhibit around one of the VTN.
B. Tell students you want them to use from 1 to 3 HOM as they select photographs (or any other primary source) for their museum exhibit.
C. Students should write a place card for each photograph (document) they determine should belong in their museum exhibit.
D. Each place card should include the VTN, HOM(s) and explication of at least the three basic questions that should always be asked about photographs (in the packet): time period, motive of photographer, and effect on personal lives of individuals in the photograph.
E. Have each student write a museum script or story of the pictures and or other documents that they include in their exhibit.
F. Each student should display his or her work. (Tri-Folder, Poster Board)

SHARE THE RUBRIC WITH STUDENTS AHEAD OF TIME so it is not a surprise.
Note that the VTN organizes the content in the Knowledge Dimension of the rubric. The HOM is a fundamental aspect of historical thinking, a part of the Reasoning Dimension. The display and the place card help determine the performance convention of the Communication Dimension. As students write a summary for each photograph they will address all three dimensions. And as they write a museum script or story they will be demonstrating their reasoning abilities. In particular, their writing about the VTN, HOM, and the three fundamental questions we can ask about photographs emphasize the Reasoning Dimension. In sum, the museum exhibit allows students to communicate what they know and understand.

Course Schedule

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Last updated on February 26, 2003

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