Historical Research and the Problems with Researching the Subject of History on the Web: A Students Guide

In the new web age there is now a number of historical primary and secondary sources available to students at a click of a button.  The World Wide Web can be an extremely beneficial tool for students to research any subject, but this easy to reach source of information can also be extremely problematic for a history teacher.  The number of historically accurate and academic sites available for students is equally matched by the number of sites that propagate inaccurate information that is anecdotal, misleading and false and these are inadequate sources of history for academia at any level.  Today, for information, the first point of call for many is Wikipedia, but the information on Wikipedia is openly editable, meaning readers are unable to know who wrote the information on the site and whether the information is creditable and true.  We have all heard people state that Marie Antoinette  said ‘let them eat cake', but there is no documented evidence that quotes her making this statement; this statement first appears in Jean-Jacque Rousseau’s book ‘Confessions’, written when Marie Antoinette was just a child and this quote only became attributed to Marie Antoinette in the mid-nineteenth century.  Another myth is that Napoleon Bonaparte was short, this myth was created by James Gilray, the eighteenth-century caricaturist, who drew Napoleon as a tiny figure as a means of British propaganda during the Napoleonic Wars; Napoleon was actually 5ft 6in tall, two inches taller than Admiral Nelson.  Most of us have heard such anecdotal statements, but often these anecdotes get mixed in with fact; creating a whole new pseudo-history.  Therefore, students need to take the greatest of care when verifying their sources and they can do this by always checking who the author of the article is, where the article comes from or originated and whether the article is academic.  By always using such caution with articles on websites, a student can be sure they are using factual history in their writing. 
          

Please follow the link for more information on researching history on the web.    

http://teachinghistory.org/digital-classroom/ask-a-digital-historian/24066

Reflective Learning: a Mind Map

Mind maps are always a useful tool, and I have been using them with students to help them set out their project ideas.  This is definitely a source that could be useful for teaching history also, as it could assist students in creating a mind map of the causative factors of an event.

Wordle: A Word Cloud with a Wordily Worldle of Words

Wordle is a word cloud, I have had trouble in discovering the relevance of word clouds as a teaching tool. However, I have recently started teaching a module on persuasive writing and one of the recommendations among the learning outcomes was to use Wordle as a tool to assist the students learning, so I am finding myself having to reconsider the relevance of using word clouds in the classroom.

Microsoft and Me: Students, Teaching and Microsoft Applications

Microsoft applications give the ability to participate in activities that I may never have been able to participate in without their creation.    To begin with I shall discuss my favourite Microsoft application, Microsoft Word.  I am an enthusiastic creative writer, but unlike most people who find the love of the written word, I also suffer from the specific learning difficulty dyslexia.   Microsoft Word for me is not just an application, but a disability aid.   It assists me in making easy corrections, gives me the ability to rewrite work and relieves the frustration created by dyslexia.  It is a good idea to encourage students to use Microsoft Word, as it is an excellent application for assisting students with any written work; it can also prevent the dreaded task of deciphering hand written assignments.   

Excel is an application that I use less regularly than Microsoft Word, and I consider this the least likely application for my present and future needs.

I do however realise the importance of PowerPoint in teaching history, as there is a need when teaching history to bring the period of discussion to life, Microsoft PowerPoint creates the ability to do this.  For example, if I was discussing the child labour acts of the 19^th century, I might discuss numerous education and factory acts, but just describing these acts does not create the most effective learning environment.   But with the use of images, the teacher shows the student why child labour needed to end.  By mentioning the acts with the use of the photographs attached, I would have already made the discussion much more memorable; this is how PowerPoint can assist my students with their learning.  PowerPoint creates an opportunity to use images from the past, highlight key points and create a more effective learning environment for the various learning styles in the classroom.  PowerPoint is a tool that is essential for me create lessons that are visual, memorable and educational.

The Technology I Use in Everyday Life

The technology that I use regularly in everyday life is my laptop, which I use for Microsoft Word and the internet;  the internet I use for online shopping, social networking sites (twitter and linked in), online banking and for when I want to research a subject quickly.  I also use other forms of technology: such as an Amazon Kindle e-book reader, a MP3 player for listening to audio books and music, a television set, a dvd player, a multi-media player, a Virgin Tivo Media Box and an Apple I Phone.  Besides these more modern types of technology, I also use more basic forms of technology: such as a microwave, toaster, vacuum cleaner, digital alarm clock, etc. 

So much of this technology we take for granted, without considering their advantages and potential as learning tools.  I often educate myself and update my historical knowledge with documentary DVDs,. The internet has the potential for us to learn about any subject and with i-phones knowledge is always at hand.  I believe we underestimate the knowledge at our fingertips in the age of technology.  

THE BLOG BEGINS

Welcome to my ITC/History blog.

Throughout the next few months, I will be writing articles, using new technology and discussing how to teach effectively with ITC.

Hope you enjoy the blog.