Journal #7

Making History Come Alive by Howard Levin

This was a very interesting article. It was about a San Francisco High School elective class. This class has students interview Holocaust survivors. The students conduct a taped interview in the survivors’ homes. They then cut, edit, and transcribe the interview. All this information is then put on a website where others read and listen to firsthand accounts of the Holocaust. This project was made possible by a private grant and a donation from a parent.

The students learn a lot from this semester. All of the students have Apple laptops and take the work home to work on. They learn how to transfer files between programs. They also learn how to edit a movie and put it together. They learn how to use a camera, mic, and lighting for a movie. They also learn how to transcribe an interview. This project also helps add to history by letting present and future generations learn about the reality of the Holocaust.

Question 1:

Could I use this in a classroom?

I think I could. I may not have any Holocaust survivors in my town, but I could find another group my students could interview. The only problem I could see in doing this is that I would need laptops for my students, people knowledgeable about the different programs we would be working with, and parent helpers to proofread the interviews. These projects would take up a lot of time and would be a challenge to start. I would really have to think about this for awhile before deciding to do it.

Question 2:

What kind of groups could my class interview?

Students could interview local representatives, like the Mayor. They could interview local seniors. They could interview local business owners and find out how they started their business and what challenges they face. There are a lot of different groups that could be interviewed by students.

Journal #6

Creating and Sharing Interactive Maps by Glen Bull

This article was very interesting. Google has a program that allows people to create and add information to maps. People can add text markers, video, pictures, etc. to places on a map. This technology is being used by people to document road trips for historical purposes. Some are using it to document historical sites within their cities. There are also applications that students can do.

Students can highlight routes on a map. They can add pictures to places on the map as well. Some classes have documented historical figures and their travels. Students find where historical figures have gone and highlight their route. Then they find pictures in arcives and add it to the map. Students can also use this for field trips.

Question 1:
How can I incorporate this into the classroom?

I could have my students document the school. They could take pictures of classrooms and teachers and add it to an interactive map.

Question 2:
How could I use this for a field trip?

I could have my students bring in pictures of a field trip. We could work together to document our route and what the field trip contained. We could add all of the pictures to the map.

Journal #5

Wikipedia: Ban It or Boost It? By Doug Johnson

This article discusses the validity of Wikipedia. Doug Johnson states that Wikipedia was started in 2001 and was not considered a valid source of information by teachers. Wikipedia is a place where anyone can add and change the information that is presented. The author/owner of Wikipedia states that most of the information is valid and that they check information regularly. They also have disclaimers to their information.

What is great about Wikipedia is that they have more than one million entries, whereas Encyclopedia Britannica only has around 120,000 entries online. Wikipedia has information on almost every topic one can imagine and their information is more up to date. They can have information on new topics right away. Other sources can’t keep up. Like every other piece of information on the internet, the source of the information should be investigated before the information should be believed.

Question 1:

Is Wikipedia a valid source of information?

I think that it is a quick source and can give the reader a better understanding about a topic. It can also have information about new subjects not found anywhere else. Everyone should check the validity of the information on the page and the validity of those who have added information to the page, before believing what it states.

Question 2:

Should I allow my students to use Wikipedia?

I think that using Wikipedia is a good thing, but I don’t think that it should be the only source of information. I think it can give a student information on subtopics that can help in the understanding of the topic. It can also provide information about places to go for more information.