Technology and Social Studies Education
I think the benefits of using technology in the social studies classroom greatly outweigh the negative aspects of technology use. Technology has opened up new doors for social studies education, providing students with an unbelievable amount of information available through the Web.
Social studies teachers can use technology to teach their students how to conduct research appropriately. The Internet is a very overwhelming resource, and teachers can integrate this form of technology into a lesson about research a historical person/event/problem/etc. Simply telling a student to search for a topic on Google is not an effective way to teach students how to research effectively. Also, by integrating this form of technology into the classroom, teachers will be able to get students to engage with the information and work with others to find the answers rather than just telling them the answers in a lecture.
Students can also connect with people half-way around the world through technology, enabling them to learn about different cultures. Networking has become a household name, and students are already part of some social networks such as Facebook or Twitter. Social studies teachers can find creative ways to incorporate social networking sites into their classroom environment. By catering to students' interests, teachers will get their students to be actively engaged in learning and are more likely to enjoy learning.
Blogs can also be an effective use of technology in the social studies classroom. Getting students to carry out a discussion on a classroom blog site might "appeal" to students.
Interactive maps such as those on a Smartboard can be effective in the social studies classroom as well. Google Earth is also an excellent way to show students various places around the world.
Link to a blog about using technology in a social studies classroom:
http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-social-studies-lessons
Link to a website for social studies teachers who want to integrate technology into their classroom:
http://www.socialstudiescentral.com/?q=content/web-sites-technology-social-studies-teachers
Social studies teachers can use technology to teach their students how to conduct research appropriately. The Internet is a very overwhelming resource, and teachers can integrate this form of technology into a lesson about research a historical person/event/problem/etc. Simply telling a student to search for a topic on Google is not an effective way to teach students how to research effectively. Also, by integrating this form of technology into the classroom, teachers will be able to get students to engage with the information and work with others to find the answers rather than just telling them the answers in a lecture.
Students can also connect with people half-way around the world through technology, enabling them to learn about different cultures. Networking has become a household name, and students are already part of some social networks such as Facebook or Twitter. Social studies teachers can find creative ways to incorporate social networking sites into their classroom environment. By catering to students' interests, teachers will get their students to be actively engaged in learning and are more likely to enjoy learning.
Blogs can also be an effective use of technology in the social studies classroom. Getting students to carry out a discussion on a classroom blog site might "appeal" to students.
Interactive maps such as those on a Smartboard can be effective in the social studies classroom as well. Google Earth is also an excellent way to show students various places around the world.
Link to a blog about using technology in a social studies classroom:
http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-social-studies-lessons
Link to a website for social studies teachers who want to integrate technology into their classroom:
http://www.socialstudiescentral.com/?q=content/web-sites-technology-social-studies-teachers
posted by Kali | 3:06 PM
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