Chapter 11

Technology and Media in Social Studies

Looking AheadWhat is technology?What are the various types of

technologies that teachers can effectively utilize to enhance social studies instruction?

How will students’ prerequisite skills and knowledge about technology influence a teachers instruction?

Can You?Explain how technology benefits students

learning and enhances your instruction? Describe your own skills and abilities in

utilizing technology? Identify or describe specific technology

skills that are important for your students to master?

Think of activities in which children could have experiences in utilizing classroom technology?

Do You?Know where to find valuable resources

using the Internet? Know what technologies are typically

found in schools and how they should be used?

Know the definition of “media” and “visual literacy”?

Understand different ways of using technology to enhance classroom instruction?

Focus Activity What types of technology did your teachers use in

the classroom when you were a student? Consider how technology from your experiences

as a student has evolved over the years. What technology do you expect to see in

contemporary classrooms? What resources and technologies do you feel

comfortable working with and which technologies might you need more support utilizing?

Share your experiences with classmates.

Focus Activity Rank the following technologies based on

how important you think they are for classroom instruction (1- being most important, 10- being least important).

Use this list as a basis for discussion.

Focus Activity Television Internet Access Document Camera Video Recorder DVD/VCR IPad’s (for student use) Computer (teacher use only) Interactive White Board (Smartboard, Promethean,

etc..) Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) projector Computers (student use)

Focus Activity Why are some resources more valuable to

you than others? How do you envision technology being

used in your classroom? You might also like to generate additional

resources not listed in this overview. Share you conclusions with classmates.

Getting Started: Technology as a Productive ToolWhat prerequisite skills are

expected of middle/secondary teachers in the 21st century?

What can one do to seek assistance in acquiring technological skills?

Technology and Standards

What kind of standards for technology do you think exist?

What are the five NETS?What makes the standards for

technology issued by NCSS different?

Enhancing Instruction with the InternetWhat are the possible benefits and pitfalls

with utilizing the internet for the social studies?

What ways can a teacher utilize the internet?Evaluating the Websites Promoting Media Literacy Promoting Visual Literacy Digital HistoryVirtual Field TripsWebQuests

Teaching with FilmWhat are the potential benefits and

pitfalls for utilizing film?What steps should you take to ensure that

you use film effectively?What are the five ways to use film?

Spring BoardVisual TextbookDepicter of AtmosphereAnalogyHistoriography

Social MediaWhat are the potential benefits and pitfalls for utilizing social media in the classroom?

What pitfalls are present for teachers?

Challenges to Technology IntegrationDoes the use of technology contribute to student

learning? Does the technology improve the learning

opportunities of students. Do all students have the necessary skills to

complete the activity? What modifications/accommodations might need to be made for students needing additional support?

Is the activity or lesson dependent on the technology and how would you respond if the technology failed (power outage, Internet down, etc.)?

Challenges to Technology IntegrationWhat about…

the “Digital Divide”?Cyberbullying?Copyright ?Internet Safety?

Looking Back Teachers will need to constantly evaluate

and develop new teaching strategies to incorporate instructional technology into the curriculum.

As technology will continue to develop and change over time, it is crucial for teachers to continually grow as life long learners and explore all of the exciting educational opportunities that come with new technological innovations.

ExtensionThe end of your first year of teaching is quickly

approaching and your excitement can hardly be contained. At a faculty meeting the principal explains that the district has allotted for some additional funding for technology for the enhancement of social studies instruction. The explains though that he has selected a committee to determine what technologies are important for enhancing the teaching and learning of social studies. He concludes by telling the faculty the selected committee members. You hear your name called. Shocked, a little embarrassed, and secretly proud, you willing accept the appointment.

ExtensionImagine your group is the committee. The principal

wants you create a list of technologies to enhance the teaching and learning of social studies.

However, he did not share the budget, but instead requested a wish list.

Your committee needs to organize how the money will be spent per grade level. As well, your committee needs to determine what technologies are important, who will use them, how will they be utilized, and how often.

The committees list should be detailed and shared with peers/instructor.

Self-Test1. What is meant by the term media

literacy? 2. Why is there a need for helping

students understand how to use technology?

3. What makes the Internet considered both a positive and negative resource?

Self-Test4. What are some ways to enhance

instruction-utilizing technology? 5. What areas of instructional

technology are you comfortable using and what areas might you need more development?

6. When is it appropriate to use technology?

ResourcesBerson, M. J., Cruz, B. C., Duplass, J. A., & Johnston, J.

H. (2007). Social studies on the Internet (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.

Diem, R. (Ed.) & Berson, M. (Ed.) (2010). Technology in retrospect: Social studies in the information age, 1984-2009. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Lee, J. (Ed.) & Friedman, A. (Ed.) (2009). Research on technology in social studies education. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Cohen, D. & Rosenzweig, R. (2005). Digital history: A guide to gathering, preserving, and presenting the past on the web. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania.