Concept Map and Final Thoughts

In August, it seemed like this fall semester was going to be a long one, but it has flown by so quickly. This course exposed me to so much new technology, some of which I may never use and some which I definitely plan to implement in my future classroom. Regardless of how these technologies fit into my future, at least I know about them, know where to find them and how to use them. Knowing is half the battle right?

The concept map that I created using bubbl.us shows four categories under which I would say my learning in this class occurred: Web 2.0, Authentic Learning, Teacher Leadership, and Responsibility. 

I learned a lot about Web 2.0 tools this semester, especially where collaboration and networked learning are concerned. At first it was overwhelming to start using so many new things like Delicious, Ning, Blogs, and Twitter. While I am still getting used to accessing these resources on a regular basis, I do see great value in including them in my personal learning network. I have found some great resources thanks to the teachers I follow on Twitter and the Blogs to which I subscribe. 

The potential for collaboration with Web 2.0 applications is remarkable and I definitely want to try using Glogster, Wikis, Blogs, Timelines, and Concept Maps in my classroom. I might even get brave and try out podcasts and Voice Thread (although, in these cases I think it would be great to let students teach ME how to use them). Today's students relate better to these technology-rich activities than to paper/pencil lectures. I even got caught up in applications like Glogster that have so much creative potential. If I have access to these technologies, I want to integrate Web 2.0 applications to increase student interest and motivation.


There are a lot of things teachers can do to create authentic learning experiences for their students. Inquiry learning activities, like problem-based learning and WebQuests are great ways to give students "real world" applications for their learning and are perfect for the social studies classroom. Simulations, which can be done with or without technology, put students in an authentic environment where they have the capacity to "experience" learning in an active way. Service learning is also an excellent and valuable way to integrate service with content and technology. 

One of the most immediately pertinent things we looked at this semester was teacher leadership. Being a teacher leader does not necessarily require technology and the qualities of a teacher leader are things I can start developing in myself starting right now. Teacher leaders are role models. They encourage and support their colleagues, get involved in school events and decisions, and are passionate about their work. They are dedicated to lifelong learning and constantly reflect on how to improve themselves.

With teaching comes a lot of responsibility. Two areas of responsibility emphasized in this course were Copyright and the Digital Divide. Teachers bring outside material into the classroom everyday and it is important that they follow copyright and fair use laws when obtaining permission to use these materials. We don't want our students to plagiarize, so we must set a good example when it comes to following copyright in the classroom.

The Digital Divide is a reality that my classmates and I are likely to face to some degree in our future classrooms. It is important that we are aware of the digital divide in our classrooms and seek solutions to the problem while working with the resources that we have in our classrooms and schools. More importantly though, we must remember that it is our responsibility to educate our students and prepare them for a digital world; technology itself doesn't do this, WE do it by giving technology meaningful applications in the classroom.

I didn't always like having to do every assignment for this class, but I feel like my personal level of digital literacy has greatly increased in the last few months. Even after this class is over I still plan to use Delicious, Twitter, the NCSS Ning, and Evernote. I will definitely continue to follow blogs and maybe even continue writing one of my own. Now, when I think about activities, projects, and assessments for lesson plans I automatically think about how I could integrate technology into them. I know that I still have so much to learn when it comes to integrating education and technology, but this class has given me a lot of tools to use both now and in the future. Knowing is half the battle, right?

Experimenting with Online Timelines

I created this timeline using the website, dipity.com. This is a first attempt, including only 7 events, so please excuse the limited amount of dates!

War of the Spanish Succession on Dipity.

Building a Bridge

In a world where technology is increasingly becoming part of our lives, rather than an accessory to our lives, I believe it is essential for students to have digital access. Not only does digital technology usually engage students' interest and attention in the classroom, it also opens up a world beyond the textbook. In this world students can explore multiple perspectives on an issue or research anything that catches their interest. Using technology poses challenges when it doesn't work the way it's supposed to, but in my experience I have learned a lot by figuring out how to troubleshoot problems by myself. I think it is important for students to learn all of the multifaceted skills that are encompassed within a technology rich education. I hope to be a digitally connected teacher who implements technology in ways that enhance the curriculum or add meaning to learning. Digital literacy is not just about technology, it's also about teaching.

If I am not satisfied with the technology at the school where I am teaching, then there are several things I might do: appeal to my school administrators, appeal to the State of Florida Digital Divide Council, encourage my school district to apply for Florida’s Enhancing Education Through Technology Grant Program, and seek out other state offered programs and tools. If the students have smart phones, iPod Touch, or laptops, I can see if the school will allow the students to bring in and use their own technology in the classroom. Depending on the school's financial situation I can also try reaching out the PTA or Boosters to plan fundraisers to purchase technology. At the very least, I can be as creative and innovative as possible with the tools that the school does provide.

A lot of teachers, school districts, and states are hard at work trying to get technology into classrooms. Teachers have to become advocates for technology integration by making their voices heard. Some teachers have petitioned the government to include more funding for technology in education (see ETAN's website). One school in the United Kingdom has decided to allow students and teachers to use cell phone technology for educational purposes. This way students get digital access without any cost to the school. As Renee Robbins told me on Twitter, "Most learners are bringing their own technology now a days because they already use these tools." Many teachers are also taking the initiative to learn how to use and take advantage of technology at their schools, which is at least half the battle. Teachers can have all the technology in the world, but if they don't know how to use it, then they won't, and then what's the point?

Some More Resources:
#edchat
November 17th archive 
November 17th summary 
More info on EdChat 
I was fortunate enough to stumble upon #edchat on Twitter this past Tuesday, November 17, right in the middle of its weekly discussion.  The topic was: How to motivate teachers who don't see the value in technology integration. Part of the Digital Divide problem might be that the technology is in the schools, but teachers aren't using it. In under an hour and a half over 1,500 Tweets were part of #edchat. I contributed only one Tweet and got only one response, but it is really neat to look at the archive and see that I participated in the discussion. I mostly spent my time trying to keep up with all the Tweets, which was hard since the discussion moves so quickly. I recommend looking over the summary and skimming the archive to see what teachers had to say. EdChat takes place Tuesdays at 7pm, consider popping in next week!

How can parents promote the use of accessible technology in school?

This article talks about how parents can demand accessible technology for the children with specific disabilities, but any parent should be able to get involved in asking for technology in schools. The "people in charge" like to listen a little better when parents advocate for their children, so reach out to them and get them involved in your cause for technology integration.

8 Engaging Videos Advocating Better Integration of Technology in Education 

We have seen some of these videos in class, so I think we know that a well made video can make a good statement for technology integration. Why not show at least one to teachers and school and district administrators, encouraging them to pursue technology integration?


Getting Technology Into the Classroom
NCSS Ning forum topic

Teacher Leadership

Based on the reading I have done on teacher leadership, the teacher leader in my opinion is someone who truly embraces education beyond their personal classroom. A teacher leader wants to continue their own learning and involve themselves in school decision making and supporting their colleagues. The resources I found give concise descriptions of teacher leadership and great pieces of advice for all educators from pre-service teachers to experienced veterans.

2009 Teacher Leader Resolutions

This resource is a post in one of the blogs hosted by the Teacher Leaders Network (TLN). The TLN website has a lot of great resources, but I felt that this one in particular does a great job at simply stating the characteristics of a teacher leader. The list of resolutions shows that all teachers can find ways to improve themselves in and out of the classroom and is a great source of advice for teachers at any stage in their career.

The Teacher Leader- Words of Wisdom From Those Who Know Best

The educational career ladder often seems more like a short step stool where you are either a classroom teacher or an administrator. This resource explains the frustration many teachers feel about being in a career with very few opportunities to "climb the ladder" and suggests that by developing teacher leadership skills educators can take advantage of opportunities to grow outside their classrooms.

Do you think teacher leadership has the potential to create a broader career ladder for educators?

The Networked Student

"We are more powerful together than we ever could be apart. Welcome to the human network."

This is the idea behind the Cisco commercial we watched in class. Technology is changing how we connect with people and with whom we connect. Out of these developments arises the networked student, who is no longer limited to dependence on traditional avenues for learning- the teacher, textbook, and classmates. The networked student is connected not only to face-to-face contacts, like his teachers and classmates, but also to the rest of the world, via numerous technological implements. By using computers, the Internet and its innumerable applications, mp3 players, smart phones, and whatever other technological devices they have, networked students expand their personal learning networks so that they include anyone in the world who is using the same tools.

Digital literacy is essential to the networked student, for without digital literacy the network is useless. Each student needs to be adept at accessing their network, evaluating and gathering information from the network, and taking advantage of the many possibilities their network provides. One of the advantages of networked learning is that it alleviates some of the digital disconnect that students often feel in traditional classrooms. 

Networked learning calls for a change in the role of the teacher. The teacher is no longer the sole pinnacle of knowledge in the classroom. The teacher is still an authority figure and does indeed have valuable content knowledge to share, but is more importantly a guide who helps students create and navigate their networks. In the networked classroom it is okay for the teacher to say, "I don't know the answer to your question. Use your personal learning network to do some searching and see what you can learn." In a setting like this, inquiry learning can be a good motivator as each student creates a personalized network based on his or her strengths and interests.

I think this model of instruction is extremely different from the way I was taught. Students learn valuable skills when they develop a personal learning network that prepare them for their future more so than drawing a poster for a class presentation. Additionally, a personal learning network can be maintained outside the classroom and beyond formal education; you can keep your network forever, constantly adding to it. Learning is lifelong, right?

I think that in the right school, with the right technology, and with adequate support I could see myself in this role. In a setting where technology is limited, networked learning would still be doable but more challenging. I think networked learning is probably more interesting for the students and the teacher, but I don't think our current educational system is very supportive of this type of classroom. I am curious to see if and how this changes in the coming years.

Are you a networked student? Do you want your students  to be networked? How will you help them develop their network?

The following presentation would obviously be better if it were accompanied by the actual presenter, but I think the content on the slides speaks for itself and the embedded YouTube videos are great (especially the one on slide 7).

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

The 21st Century Educator: Creating a Personal Learning Network

View more presentations from Melissa Lim.

Glogster... after I got over the frustration, it was a lot of fun!

Oh, Glogster! What a day we have had- first I liked you, then I abhorred you, now I love you.

My first go-round with Glogster ended in utter frustration as my browser closed on me before I had saved my Glog (and I was nearly finished with it). I was, shall we say, TOTALLY ANGRY. I took a little break and then got back on the Glogster horse. I take it as a blessing that my first attempt at Glogging (is that the proper verb?) was a failure, becuase I will be honest, it stunk. With a clear mind and experience behind me, I really enjoyed making Glog number 2 (which I saved about every 5 minutes). I took more time to find even better resources to include on the page and discovered that I could have made a hundred pages on my topic (which is why this one is jam packed). In the process I found some great resources that I will probably use in my classroom someday. So, while I feel that Glogster toyed with my emotions and technological savvy all afternoon, in the end I learned a lot and I am proud of what I created. I hope you enjoy it, too. 
http://angiestg.edu.glogster.com/Remembering-the-Nazi-Concentration-Camps/

Service Learning Unit Plan Presentations

Everyone in EME5432 has had really great, creative ideas for engaging students in service learning projects. It's awesome that we get to hear each other's plans and pull all of our resources together so that years down the road we will still have access to everyone's ideas. The link below will take you to the Google Document where I took my notes on the presentations. Happy service learning!

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dsz36hk_9cq4qsb5g

Service Learning Unit Plan

Get it Right!

Educating the Community about Individual Rights

Created By: Angie St. George

Area of Service: Legal Rights Education

Grade Level: Middle or High School

Subject Area: Civics/Government/American History

Unit Description:

- BACKGROUND

o Students will understand the rights of American citizens by researching the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, and key Supreme Court cases.

o Students will answer the following questions:

§ What did this statement mean to the Founding Fathers, and what does it mean to us today? “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

§ Where are individual rights defined in the Constitution? What are these rights?

§ What are the key Supreme Court cases that have determined our individual rights?

§ What are current local or national issues regarding individual rights?

§ Are there any limits on individual rights?

- RESEARCH

o Small groups of 2 to 4 students (depending on the total number of students involved) will work together to research a specific topic within the unit that answers one of the previously stated questions. The teacher will generate a list of suggestions, but if a small group has another idea, it can get approval from the teacher.

- WIKI

o Each group will complete a section of a wiki page dedicated to this project in which students present their research in written form. The completed wiki will be a valuable resource for both the school and the community at large.

- “GET IT RIGHT!” COMMUNITY FAIR

o Each group will create an interactive display educating others about their topic. Depending on the availability of technology, these displays can either be technology based or not. The displays will be set up in an area of the school where other students can visit them throughout the school day (a large meeting space would be ideal, such as the school gym, where many tables can be set up).

o The students and teacher will work together to create a worksheet to help guide visitors through the “Get it Right!” display area. To encourage other teachers to bring their students, perhaps the completion of the worksheet could count as an assignment or extra credit.

o In the evening, the project will be open to the public for parents, students, and community members to visit. During this evening portion, the students would be able to present their displays and field questions from visitors. The students will compose letters to send to local community leaders, lawyers, and politicians, inviting them to attend. The students will also create flyers to post around the community to notify people about the “Get it Right!” project and the wiki page.

o If local businesses were involved, donated goods and services could be raffled off to encourage attendance.

- GOALS

o Students will learn about their individual rights.

o Students will employ their knowledge to reach out to and educate the community.

Standards Met:

7^th Grade:

- SS.7.C.1.4: Analyze the ideas (natural rights, role of the government) and complaints set forth in the Declaration of Independence.

- SS.7.C.2.4: Evaluate rights contained in the Bill of Rights and other amendments to the Constitution.

- SS.7.C.2.5: Distinguish how the Constitution safeguards and limits individual rights.

- SS.7.C.2.14: Conduct a service project to further the public good.

- SS.7.C.3.6: Evaluate Constitutional rights and their impact on individuals and society.

- SS.7.C.3.7: Analyze the impact of the 13th, 14th, 15th, 19th, 24th, and 26th amendments on participation of minority groups in the American political process.

- SS.7.C.3.12: Analyze the significance and outcomes of landmark Supreme Court cases including, but not limited to, Marbury v. Madison, Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education, Gideon v. Wainwright, Miranda v. Arizona, in re Gault, Tinker v. Des Moines, Hazelwood v. Kuhlmier, United States v. Nixon, and Bush v. Gore.

8^th Grade:

- SS.8.C.1.5: Apply the rights and principles contained in the Constitution and Bill of Rights to the lives of citizens today.

- SS.8.C.1.6: Evaluate how amendments to the Constitution have expanded voting rights from our nation's early history to present day.

9^th-12^th Grade:

- SS.912.C.1.2: Explain how the Declaration of Independence reflected the political principles of popular sovereignty, social contract, natural rights, and individual rights.

- SS.912.C.2.2: Evaluate the importance of political participation and civic participation.

- SS.912.C.2.5: Conduct a service project to further the public good.

- SS.912.C.2.7: Explain why rights have limits and are not absolute.

- SS.912.C.2.9: Identify the expansion of civil rights and liberties by examining the principles contained in primary documents.

- SS.912.C.3.1: Examine the constitutional principles of representative government, limited government, consent of the governed, rule of law, and individual rights.

- SS.912.C.3.6: Analyze the structures, functions, and processes of the judicial branch as described in Article III of the Constitution.

- SS.912.C.3.7: Describe the role of judicial review in American constitutional government.

- SS.912.C.3.10: Evaluate the significance and outcomes of landmark Supreme Court cases.

- SS.912.C.3.11: Contrast how the Constitution safeguards and limits individual rights.

- SS.912.C.3.13: Illustrate examples of how government affects the daily lives of citizens at the local, state, and national levels.

The amount of Language Arts standards met is too large to list.

NETS-

- Creativity and Innovation

- Communication and Collaboration

- Research and Information Fluency

- Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making

- Digital Citizenship

- Technology Operations and Concepts

Technologies/Web Applications:

- Wiki page- This web application will be used to compile the students’ research in one place. It also allows the students to easily look at their classmates’ work. The wiki will be available to the school to use a resource, to the community for education, and to anyone in the world who wants to access it.

- If access to technology is available and feasible for the community fair portion of the project, then students can use wikis, web pages, PowerPoint, etc. to create their interactive displays.

- Students can and should use Internet resources in their research.

Assessment:

Students will be assessed during each phase of this project

- Group Work (10%)

o Students will evaluate each other on their contributions to the group throughout the project. This will be incorporated into their overall grade.

o Wiki Evaluative Criteria (35%)

§ Quality of research and citations

§ Effectively covers the topic

· Identification/explanation of topic

· Explains relationship to individual rights

· Notes any problems or controversies regarding the topic

· Different topics may need additional or different criteria, which the teacher will address to each group

§ Quality of communication, organization, spelling, and grammar

§ Completed on time

o Interactive Display Evaluative Criteria (35%)

§ Creativity

§ Quality

§ Effective presentation of information

§ Degree of interaction with visitors

§ Educational value of the display

§ Completed on time

§ Reflection (20%)

§ At the conclusion of the fair, students will write a brief reflection describing:

· What they learned

o Content

§ From their research

§ From classmates’ research

o Technology

o Team work

· How they served the community/impact of the project

It might also be fun for the students if at the end of the fair awards were given out to the most creative display, the most interactive display, crowd favorite, etc. to encourage students to produce high quality work and to recognize outstanding student efforts.

Get it Right! Online: http://sites.google.com/site/servicelearningunitplan/

What if the Founding Fathers were on Twitter?

Clay Shirky's TED Talk is a great examination of the impact of social technology on how we receive instantaneous updates about world news and events. The assignment for this post is to "Write an 'imagine' essay explaining how [a historical] event would be different if the media implications provided in Clay Shirky's talk had been available at that time." The first question that popped into my mind was "What if the Founding Fathers were on Twitter?" Imagine this:

The year is 1787. In the young United States of America, delegates at a meeting in Annapolis, MD decide it is time to reevaluate the Articles of Confederation because the nation is just not able to function effectively and efficiently. Now imagine that Founding Fathers all had laptops, Internet, iPhones, and Blackberrys. Their let's-keep-the Convention-happenings-hush-hush-behind-closed-doors approach probably would not have worked out so well.

Twitter:

o TheHamMan- At a meeting in Annapolis. Thinking these Articles of Confederation aren't working out. Anyone up for some changes?

o JMonroe- @TheHamMan I second that sentiment. Some reforms of what we've got sound like a good idea.

o TheHamMan- States, send your delegates to Philly in early May and we'll get this party started.

o JMonroe- @TheHamMan Don't know if I can make it.

o JMUSA- @TheHamMan @JMonroe I'll be there with the Virgina delegates. Looking forward to meeting up in Philadelphia.

This was the precursor to the Convention which was set to begin on May 4, 1787 in Philadelphia, PA, with delegates from all 13 colonies in attendance. Poor transportation delayed the commencement of the convention until May 25 when representatives from seven states arrived. Eventually every state except Rhode Island showed up. The waiting game from May 4 to the actual start of the convention on May 25 must have been a time of great anticipation, excitement, and also apprehension. These men were about to determine the fate of the nation; once again, great responsibility lay in their hands.

Twitter:

o JMUSA- Just got to Philadelphia with the Virginia crew, waiting for the Convention to start.

o JMUSA- Been here a few days, waiting for more delegates. Started compiling ideas...I think we need more than amendments to solve our problems.

o (Late State Delegates)- Travel is slow, hoping to get to Philadelphia soon.

o TheHamMan- We finally have enough states represented to begin, the rest should arrive soon. We have chosen George Washington to lead the Convention.

o RhodeIsland- We're not coming.

o GDub- @TheHamMan I am honored with the task of presiding over the Convention in Philadelphia. We have a lot of work to do.

It was a long, hot summer in Philadelphia. Over 16 weeks, the delegates debated the most pressing issues of their time: structure of government, rights of citizens, status of slavery, limits on power. Some of the tweets coming out of the Convention might have looked like this:
Twitter:

o RYates- Not a fan of extended power of central government.

o delegate- Anyone notice how everyone here is an educated white man?

o another delegate- @delegate So what?

o yet another delegate- @another delegate @delegate It's going to be fun when someone brings slavery into this discussion.

o JAdams1- Bicameralism- check. Separation of powers- check. Sweet.

o delegate- It's bloody hot in here.

o GDub- Controversial issues on the table: suffrage, slavery, representation of states.

o JMUSA- Constitution of the United States of America written and signed! Now for ratification!

Now, I realize these tweets are superficial, at best, but just think for a minute what it would be like if the Founding Fathers were on Twitter throughout the Convention. . . They would not only be conversing with one another, but informing the public about their decisions and deliberations. They were discussing some of the most hotly controversial issues of the time, and bringing social networking into the equation surely would have had a significant impact.

Considering this scenario requires us to alter our vision of America in the 1780s, make it more like the present. Twitter would not be the only phenomenon at work. Upon reading the Founding Fathers' tweets, people will reply or re-tweet, update their Facebook statuses, post on their blogs, and generate discussion about the essentially live feed from the Convention. Media outlets would provide extensive coverage, report breaking news stories and make projections about the outcome of the Convention. The contents of the Constitution may not have been determined solely by the Founding Fathers if the public had the educated background and technological means to participate in the political conversation.

In 1787, when our social networking technology did not exist, the Federalist Papers and the Anti-Federalist Papers could be equated to blogs, written by supporters and opponents of ratification. How would the intellectual discussion have been different if it took place online in blog posts, Twitter, and discussion forums?

Please indulge my creativity in giving some of the Founding Fathers Twitter usernames:
TheHamMan- Alexander Hamilton
TheRealMonroe- James Monroe
JMUSA- James Madison
GDub- George Washington

RYates- Robert Yates

JAdams1- John Adams

While writing this post I referred to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_Convention

Jones, Wood, Borstelmann, May, and Ruiz. Created Equal, Volume 1 to 1877, A History of the United States. New York: Pearson Education, Inc. 2009. pages 253-256.

Interesting blog I found after writing this post: http://www.scottgraves.com/archives/737

Us and the Machine

The presentation from Michael Wesch, "The Machine is (Changing) Us: YouTube and the Politics of Authenticity," is a great examination of the implications of social networking on the human psyche, with a specific focus on the YouTube community. I like that Wesch and his students looked at YouTube as a social network, because I never really thought of it that way before and because it's nature is different than Facebook, the social networking tool with which I am most familiar.

To paraphrase what Wesch said, social networking matters because the resulting conversations are not controlled by a few people, are more dynamic than a one-way conversation, and because they create a new avenue through which people develop self-awareness. The examples Wesch showed reveal the willingness of people to share their thoughts, feelings, and actions with an anonymous audience of potentially enormous size. Is it ironic that in escaping anonymity, people turn to an anonymous audience?

The role of "self" is at the core of social networking. Why do people join social groups in the first place? Because we want to belong; we to stop being anonymous. When we are part of a social network, other people know who we are, learn who we are. And in the process we get to know ourselves. As Wesch and his students discovered, people who are part of the YouTube community often have a heightened sense of self-awareness; they take time to check their appearance and pay attention to the things they say, sometimes correcting their mistakes. It is the process of social networking that leads a person to see themselves through the audience's eyes, to come to a greater awareness of their "authentic self."

After watching Wesch's presentation, I would venture to say that identity development and awareness are the essence of social networking. I never would have said this before today. It seems so backward to think that the result of social networking is a greater sense of who we are as individuals, but I now see that it's true. When I post things on Facebook, Twitter, or this blog I have to view myself from the perspective of my audience. I become more aware of how they perceive me and thus become more aware of myself. I don't think my introspection has been so deep as some of the YouTube examples, but I think the whole psycho/social impact of social networking is fascinating and worth studying.

Most pertinent to my future are the implications of social networking in education. Social networks can make the world a little bit smaller by bringing people with common interests or ideas into a shared space. Students and teachers are no longer restricted to interaction within the boundaries of their school building; they can collaborate outside of school and even work with students on the other side of the world! If teachers can wield a powerful identity development tool like social networking to facilitate meaningful learning for their students, then not only are they providing content instruction, they are helping students create their own self-awareness. Many teachers already take advantage of social networking for professional development, and they must now examine the benefits and potential problems of including social networking in the classroom. The possibilities for social networking in education are almost overwhelming to think about, but necessary in today's ever-changing world.

I encourage you to watch this short video (less than 5 minutes), also from Michael Wesch. How does it relate to the first video we watched? This video was posted in early 2007- now in 2009, would you change it or add anything to it ?

"Crusading" for Technology in Education

The history of the Middle Ages is fascinating, especially where wars and fighting are involved. The iTunesU collection that Jeff and I created is called "Medieval History and Crusades" and contains podcasts relating to both Medieval history and some specifically about the Crusades. The story of the many Crusades is complex, involving political, social, military, and religious histories. Due to the length of the podcasts, I would select excerpts from one or two to provide my students with background knowledge on the Crusades.


Without supplementation, though, listening to podcasts is hardly different from sitting in class while a teacher lectures. I found a worksheet that would be a good way to introduce students to a variety of primary sources from this era and get them thinking about the issues driving the Crusades. I would then present the students with several more primary sources, such as those from Eyewitness to History, The Avalon Project, and Primary Sources on the Crusades. To help students visualize the situation in Europe and the Middle East I would supply students with maps that note important aspects of the conflict. In small groups students would analyze the various sources, then answer guiding questions to synthesize the information and draw conclusions about the conflict driving the Crusades.


After this work with primary documents, I would present students with more recent sources, such as news articles, videos, or podcasts that address current or recent issues in the Middle East. This does not provide a full time line of Middle Eastern history, but it will help students relate past conflicts to current events. Like before, the students will work in small groups to analyze each source to determine the causes of current Middle Eastern conflicts.


After listening to podcasts, completing the worksheet, reading through primary source documents, examining maps, and investigating current events, students will be equipped to analyze the causes, goals, and strategies of the opposing parties in the Crusades, and the outcomes of their efforts. Individually, the students would consider and discuss whose side in the Crusades they would have supported. I would ask them to describe the lasting impact of the Crusades, given the intense conflicts that still threaten the "Holy Land" today. Some of the sources used in the lesson are podcasts, videos, and newspaper articles, so I would let the students choose to present their response in any of those formats. This gives them the opportunity to synthesize all of the different sources and their small group discussions into their own creatively expressed but well-supported opinion.



The combination of these easily found, online resources facilitates meaningful learning for students as they examine primary material and make connections between history and current issues.


Non-Podcast Resources for this Lesson:
-Maps of the Crusades
http://www.emersonkent.com/wars_and_battles_in_history/history_of_the_crusades.htm


-Worksheet- "Two Sides in a Crusade"
http://www.eduplace.com/ss/hmss/7/unit/act5.1blm.html


-"Eyewitness To History"
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/crusades.htm
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/lionheart.htm
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/crusade1250.htm


-"The Avalon Project"
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/medieval/richard.asp


-"Primary Sources on the Crusades"
http://www.deremilitari.org/resources/categories/crusades1.htm