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You Are Here: Home > Tom Daccord and Justin Reich's Innovative Technology Projects Tom Daccord and Justin Reich's Innovative Technology Projects
Tom Daccord and Justin Reich are co-directors of The Center for Teaching History with Technology and Edtechteacher. Tom taught history for over fifteen years and for seven of those years taught in a laptop classroom. Tom and Justin taught together for three years at the Noble & Greenough School and Justin is now pursuing a doctorate at Harvard in Education. These lessons and projects are drawn from their teaching experiences.
Participating teachers provide Tom with a list of students and email addresses and he subsequently invites them to edit the wiki and join the online social network. Since minors are involved, access to the project is restricted. Students post information on the wiki about select campaign issues and partake in online discussions and survey with other students in the private online social network. Students must abide by the Student "Code of Conduct" on the wiki and teachers the Teacher Handout. If your class would like to participate please contact Tom. This interdisciplinary creative writing/historical simulation activity calls on students to research the plight of homeless teenagers during the Great Depression and then create their own fictionalized account of a day in the life of a Hobo. Students post their story on their blog and read each other's work. Students comment by stating what they liked about the story they read -- and what made it seem authentic. The blogs provide a public form to present and share student work. Students are then interviewed in character and recorded as part of a "1930s Radio Show" podcast.
A. Directions to students: Here are some questions to help guide your story: Excerpts from a past student story: I made quick friends with a hobo 'bout my age named Jim. He warned me 'bout the bulls and told me where the camps that made the best mulligan stew were on the way from Kansas to California. I spent 'near three weeks ridin' the rails, walkin' on route 66 to get from station to station and stoppin' at hobo camps in between. Pretty much 'came a 'bo myself . . . B. Background Reading for Students: Stories from the Great Depression: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dustbowl/sfeature/eyewitness.html Tales from the Rails Hobos -- At the height of the Great Depression more than 250,000 teenagers were living on the road: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/rails/sfeature/tales.html Weaver Dial: Battling the Bulls; Leslie E. Paul: I Was a Burden; Henry Koczu: Going to California; Norma Darrah: One Weary, Hungry Mile After Another; Gene Wadsworth: Losing a Brother; Berkeley Hackett: Feeling Like Tom Sawyer Bumming in California http://newdeal.feri.org/fwp/fwp07.htm School for Bums http://newdeal.feri.org/voices/voce02.htm focus: What was it like to live during the Great Depression? What physical and emotional toll did the Great Depression take on Americans? Turn in your editorial Thursday: 75 points. Your story will be posted on your blog and another student will leave a comment on the authenticity and creativeness of your faculty. Tom's group audio blogging activity calls on students to compare social mobility and social inequality in America today with the "Gilded Age" of the late 19th century. Students read assignments on the issue and interviewed one of their parents or guardians before recording their thoughts into into VoiceThread, a Web-based program that enables users to upload pictures, record accompanying audio or video commentary, and invite others to record commentary as well.
"Interview a Boomer with iPods" Tom directed his students to find and interview a "likely but unsuspecting" Boomer -- a parent, teacher or family friend born between 1946 and 1964. Equipped with a mic-enabled iPod, each student asked their interviewee ten questions -- five required and five of their own design -- about their perceptions of America during the 70s and 80s. After the interview, students turned in their audio file to Tom and blogged about the interview. With the audio files in hand, Tom was able to create a podcast "radio show" of the interviews. Many students interviewed parents and it in many cases it provided them with personal, and sometimes suprising, perspectives on the topics covered in class.
"Race in America" Google Pages Student Web Site Tom created a collaborative project using Google Pages where small groups of students were responsible for developing their respective sections for a web site on race in America. Tom created this set of instructions for other teachers:
Google Pages Classroom Project Registration
Creating a Page
Text links
Tip: If groups create more than one web page, have them create a (bulleted) link to any additional page in the left navigational column. To illustrate, look at the left column of the Immigration section my kids did: http://daccordimmigration08.googlepages.com/home Uploading Images
Embedding Video
1920s Multimedia Magazine Project Tom's students create a multimedia magazine that covers aspects of culture, politics, arts, music, and lifestyles from the 1920s Instructions: "Your job as a class is to create a magazine covering aspects of culture, politics, arts, music, lifestyles and the like from the 1920's. In small groups you will create a magazine whose content is reflective of the time period. Your magazine will be published and you will each receive a copy. There are two basic parts:
Schedule:
**bonus points to those who design front cover of magazine Topics & Groups
Step One: Preliminary Web Research http://www.besthistorysites.net/USHistory_Roaring20s.shtml Tomorrow in class you and your partner will decide who will be the "traditionalist" and who will be the "modernist." Step Two: Magazine Analysis/ Print & Web Research Today in class you and your partner will decide who will be the "traditionalist" and who will be the "modernist." (The "New Woman" group will have either two traditionalists or two modernists.) Also, you will examine magazines from the 1920s. Try to figure out what their target audience is. You will do this by looking at the type of ads, departments, articles, and, if available, the reader responses in such things as "Letters to the Editor." In this analysis or the audience , consider such factors as:
sample ad analysis: http://www.howhist.com/sample.htm magazines: http://www.cyber-heritage.co.uk/women/ http://www.arts.uwaterloo.ca/ENGL/courses/engl208c/1920.htm http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/snpmech4.htm http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/tr11c.html weekend: Continue to research topic using Google's Advanced Search Step 3: Collecting & Gather Support Gather as many details to convince others about your opinion. (Facts or evidence, written statements from sources or authorities in the subject (experts), comparisons to similar situations to support your argument, pictures or images that strengthen your argument, be able to counter argue your opponents on this issue.) Remember to brainstorm before you write the first draft
An effective ending to an editorial is to state or to restate the thesis, then leave the reader with a little something extra: a call to action, a vision of the future, food for thought, etc. Let's examine this editorial to learn techniques and strategies for writing your own editorial. Word Tips for Section Layout
Instructions for creating columns (two columns is plenty)
Text Wrapping around Inserted Images
Step Four: Draft Editorial Your task is to write a magazine editorial on your assigned topic. You must write from either a liberal or conservative point of view (circa 1920s). Keep in mind that you and your partner must have opposing points of view! Your draft of 1500 words or less is due Wednesday. It must be available in electronic format, preferably in Word. **Make sure that your editorial makes specific reference to people/places/events/issues etc. of the 1920s. I am looking for evidence of solid research of your topic via 1920s. **You need to cite borrowed ideas and quotes. Step Five: Final Editorial Your task tonight is to improve your own editorial and comment on your partner's blog posting. One, study the editing and comments your partner made in regards to your editorial in class today and work on ways of improving it. Two, in your role as a liberal or conservative, comment on the editorial posted by your partner at his/her blog. Make clear your agreements or disagreements with her/his ideas and opinions, but do so without harshness or hostility. A paragraph will suffice. Step Five (for Friday): The final editorial and your magazine section are due Friday by 3:15. You can use both Thursday and Friday's class to complete both these tasks. But, please don't leave big technical tasks to the last day. (If there is a last-minute glitch I may not be able to help you in time.) You should be more-or-less done with your magazine production by the end of class tomorrow and be able to focus on revising your editorial and "resource sheet" (see below) as needed tomorrow night. Sample: The Hidden Agenda of Prohibition -- John P.
http://nobles.typepad.com/john_phillips/ Word Tips U.S. History Magazine Project Instructions for creating columns (two columns is plenty) -Click button on top toolbar with image of two green columns -Drag mouse over the number of columns you want to create (highlighted in blue.) Dragging the mouse to the right will increase the number of columns you can create. -Once you have the number of columns you want selected, click and the columns should be created Text Wrapping around Inserted Images Wrap text around a picture or drawing object 1. Select the picture or drawing object. 2. On the Format menu (which should pop up, NOT from the top toolbar), click the command for the type of object you selected - for example, AutoShape or Picture (use "Picture" for inserted images - and then click the Layout tab at top of the new menu box. 3. Choose the wrapping style you want to apply. For help on an option, see Text wrapping options. Inserting Sound into Microsoft Word document: -You will first need to download the sound onto the computer and save it in the Shared folder. Once you have the sound saved on your computer: 1. On the Insert menu, point to HTML Object, and then click Background Sound. 2. In the Background Sound dialog box click Select, locate the sound you want to add, and click Choose. 3. In the Loop box, click the number of times you want the sound to repeat. If you want it to loop continually while the Web page is open, click Infinite. HHC Visual Evidence Project, May 2004 Project Purpose: The HHC project is designed for several purposes: 1. To provide students with a culminating opportunity to research, select, interpret and present historical and visual evidence in areas related to their coursework. 2. To teach skills of information literacy, iMovie and presentation. 3. To provide a group learning experience that asks students to collaborate on research projects, and then to be responsible for each others work. 4. Provide a body of evidence that helps students review for the final exam. Project Description: Each HHC section will be divided into four or five groups of three or four students. Each group will be assigned to one of the following subject areas: (1) Mesopotamia and Egypt (2) Greece (3) Rome (4) Renaissance/ Reformation Europe *Next class you will be asked to rank these in order of preference. The instructor will provide each group a cluster of linked questions. Each group member will be responsible for researching and writing a five-page essay in response to one of these questions. Each student will then research and interpret visual or cultural sources that accompany, complement and illustrate their paper. In groups, the students will then incorporate their visual and cultural sources into a group slide presentation with a companion audio track. Groups will then present and defend their slide/audio shows to the class. Students will draw on these papers and shows for the final exam. Project Assessment: Students will be assessed for the following components of the project: 1. Research Check #1: relevant course materials, reference and background sources. 2. Research Check #2; focused secondary sources, scholarly secondary sources, primary sources, visual/cultural sources. 3. Research and writing of five page paper in response to individual questions. 4. Selection, research, and interpretation of visual sources related to papers. 5. Slide show and accompanying video track 6. Presentation and defense of papers and slide shows. 7. The slideshows and papers will then be used as material and review for the final exam. *Both the process and the final products (essay, presentation) will be graded, for a total of 150 points. Here are important guidelines and tips for your imovie project: -15 minute maximum with introduction, body (main content), concluding assessment/activity -1 minute narration per slide in body - discuss/analyze images you present in body - use introduction to establish theme of show, stimulate interest in it, and establish significance of topic - use concluding assessment/activity to confirm viewer's understanding and absorption of lesson - use your imagination and creativity for getting lesson across to viewers in an engaging way - tech effects should enhance, not detract from, learning - prepare script or notes before recording narration - record narration in a quiet area away from background noises - might be easier to record audio and then adjust images - make sure text on slides is clear and easy to read - limit use of Ken Burns effect; it slows rendering significantly! - save to File Server at end of class - saving takes time; plan accordingly - be prepared to answer questions at end of your presentation Project Purpose: The U.S. project is designed for several purposes: 1. To provide students with a culminating opportunity to research, select, interpret and present historical evidence in an area related to 20th century United States history. 2. To teach research methodology skills. 3. To provide an authentic learning experience that allows students to simulate the activities of a professional historian. Project Description: Each student will research and write a ten-to-twelve page essay (double-spaced; 10 or 12 font) on a 20th century topic of the student's choosing. Each student will formulate an appropriate, analytical-based historical question that will be the foundation of the essay. Everyone will research and interpret primary and secondary sources that accompany, complement and perhaps illustrate their essay. Each student's formal essay response to his/her historical question should be accompanied by a "working" bibliography and parenthetical citations. Bibliography: You will produce a bibliographical list of "Works Consulted." You should follow the format in the MLA handbook. Multiple copies are available in the library or you can consult the following brief guide: http://mciu.org/~spjvweb/mla.html -scroll down the page for examples Citations: For citations you will follow the MLA parenthetical format. Please consult the following guide: http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/research/mlaparen.html Sources: There is no "correct" number of sources, because every topic will have a different focus. The following is a rough guideline: 3-5 reference sources (general books / encyclopedias / web sites) 5-8 focused secondary sources (specialized books / scholarly articles ) 10-15 primary sources ( letters/interviews/photos/newspaper reports/autobiographies) Library There is a U.S. History Project library "pathfinder" at: http://www.nobles.edu/home/content.asp?id=1743 -you need to be logged into the nobles.edu community pages to access it. You can use the Browse feature of the Putnam Library Catalog to "skim" the Putnam collection: http://library.nobles.edu/noblegreen/default.asp Note: You will need a notebook or laptop to record information on the sources you uncover. Project Assessment: Students will be assessed for the following components of the project: 1. Research Check #1: Meeting to Discuss Historical Question and Review Working Bibliography (10 points) 2. Research Check #2: Meeting to Discuss Primary Sources and Review Working Bibliography (20 points) 3. Research Check #3 -- Meeting to Review Rough Draft (30 points) 4. Essay (100 points) and Bibliography Due (40 points) *Both the process and the final product (essay + bibliography) will be graded, for a total of 200 points. Research Strategies #1 Your objective is to craft a formal analytical essay which is based extensively on primary sources. The key to successful research for this project is to adopt a thoughtful and broad-based strategy: 1. You need to do background reading to find out ways you can narrow or shape your topic; create an effective vocabulary list for searching; learn key events, dates, places, etc. about your topic; identify sources for further research. Here are several ways of doing this: a. Consult a history web portal such as: http://besthistorysites.net/index.shtml -explore recommended sites and follow their links to other sites b. Use the Browse feature of the Putnam Library Catalog to "skim" the Putnam collection for materials to read: http://library.nobles.edu/noblegreen/default.asp - search by title, subject, etc and use a variety of keywords; eg. 1920s = Jazz Age = Roaring 20s) c. Use Google's Advanced Search function to find education-oriented web sites on a topic. For five quick tips to using Advanced Search see the attached document. d. Go to Putnam Library and consult the Library of Congress Subject Headings. The LCSH subject headings can provide you with topics of interest and be used as keywords to search for print and electronic sources. e. Consult the Sample Reference Sources listed at the U.S. History Project library "pathfinder." Many of these books are in the glass room in Putnam. http://www.nobles.edu/home/content.asp?id=1743 -you need to be logged into the nobles.edu community pages to access it. Justin designed this activity to help his students better understand the influence of Greek architecture on America, specifically Beacon Hill, Massachusetts. Directions to students:
Beacon Hill Photo Scavenger Hunt List Each photo must be from a different building:
Sarajevo Times Newspaper Project Justin designed this project partly to improve his students research skills with electronic databases: In January of 1993, two negotiators, Lord David Owen representing the European Union and Cyrus Vance representing the United Nations, presented to the warring parties in Bosnia the Vance-Owen Peace Plan. This plan called for the division of Bosnia into 10 separate cantons, or provinces. Each national group, the Serbs, Croats and Muslims would control three provinces and the tenth, Sarajevo, would remain multi-ethnic. Provinces would be connected by a weak central government and power would largely rest within the provinces. You represent the editorial board of a newspaper in Sarajevo, and you have decided to prepare a special section for March 1, 1993, which was the day negotiations on the Vance-Owen planned resumed after a break in the talks in February. Your job is to create a special section for your daily paper dedicated to a discussion of the Vance-Owen plan. This section should be a combination of News Articles and Editorials, and these two parts should be clear and distinct from one another. News Articles should be descriptive and, as much as possible, objective. Editorials should present arguments and opinions. Each group should immediately elect an Editor-in-chief and a Layout Editor. The Editor-in-chief should act as the group leader and coordinator and the Layout Editor should take final responsibility for the layout of the paper. (If you took a leadership role in the Israel/Palestine Simulation, please don't take one here.) Next, you'll have to decide what you would like your paper's audience to be? Serbs? Croats? Muslims? Do you want to try to appeal to a multi-ethnic spectrum? Finally you will need to divvy up writing assignments and get to work. Possible writing topics are on the next page, or you can think up your own. Each person is responsible for writing 600 words. This can be in one longer article or two shorter ones. Possible Article Topics-
Possible Editorial Topics.
Visuals
Grading Criteria
Excellent articles will do the following:
Excellent editorials will do the following:
Excellent Newspapers will be carefully proofread, have a variety of material, and be thoughtful, creative, and attractive. Citation:
Sources:
Due Dates:
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Summer 2010 Teaching with Technology Workshops Organized by Tom Daccord and Justin Reich of Best of History Web Sites, Center for Teaching History with Technology, & National Council of Social Studies Technology Committee Join educators from around the world who come to Boston each summer for a memorable educational experience: 8th annual Teaching History with Technology Geography & Maps 2.0 Primary Sources 2.0 Connecting Classrooms with Web 2.0 4th annual Teaching English and Language Arts with Technology Creative Teaching with Interactive Whiteboards 21st Century Skills- Frameworks and Teaching Strategies Follow Best of History |
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Tom recently created a wiki and a private online social network for the "Great Debate of 2008" project, an exploration and discussion of issues and candidates surrounding the 2008 presidential election. The project represents a wonderful opportunity for students to connect with other students around the country in a private online social network to share information and ideas related to the 2008 presidential election. It also helps develops research, critical-thinking, and communication skills. Moreover, the project requires little technical expertise and requires only a few class periods to participate.
