FCSS 2013 Presentation - Integrating Digital Concept-Mapping Apps in the Social Studies Classroom
- 3. Context – My Background AP World History, AP European History, World History, Holocaust Studies Melbourne Central Catholic High School University of Florida M.Ed. Curriculum and Instruction Educational Technology
- 4. Context – My Classroom Sophomore World History 1:1 iPad classroom Limitations? The class set challenge. Course infrastructure? Communication Edmodo Course Content Class Wiki Student Submission Student Blogs
- 5. Poll – Your Context My students have access to… A communal computer/laptop lab A communal tablet lab A voluntary BYOD program A compulsory BYOD program Provided 1:1 laptop access Provided 1:1 tablet access
- 6. My website http://halsedtech.wikispaces.com Presentation and handouts Other lesson plan ideas Course websites
- 7. How I Used Digital Concept-Mapping Tools Constructivist Tools For a unit I would provide students with: Instructions and essential questions Content Resources Teacher recommended websites A teacher-created Voicethread on the topic Class set of textbooks Supplemental videos Rubric Instructional support, feedback, critiques, etc Students would Create, Reflect, Self- Evaluate, and Submit
- 8. Sample 1 – Independence Movements in Latin America Your goal is to create a concept map in Inspiration that answers the following questions: 1. What factors catalyze the independence movements in Latin America? (consider social conditions, the colonial system, global events, previous revolts, etc) 2. What role does Simon Bolivar play in the Latin American independence movements? 3. How did Jose de San Martin, Father Miguel Hidalgo, Toussaint L'Ouverture, Dom Pedro, and Father Jose Morelos each affect the Latin American independence movements?
- 10. Sample 1 – Independence Movements in Latin America Submission and Concluding Questions: Submit your work to your blog by sending the image from Inspiration. (do not send it as an Inspiration document). On your blog entry please answer the following two questions: a) In your opinion, what was THE greatest factor that caused the Independence movements to occur? b) Aside from Bolivar, who do you think was the most important revolutionary figure in Latin America and why?
- 11. Student Response to A “A. The greatest factor is the lack of attention from the government. When people aren't pleased they will always come together and do what they need to do to stand by themselves and become independent. The government always thought about themselves instead of the people that they are trying to lead. Weak government is the key factor to independence movements.”
- 12. Student Response to B B. “In my opinion, besides Bolivar, Toussaint L'Ouverture was one of the most important revolutionary figure in Latin America. Even though he was only known for leading the slave revolt, his accomplishment had inspired many other revolts against slavery. Latin American revolutions in my definition not only worked to create liberty, but also the nature of one’s freedom. Toussaint L'Ouverture might not have freed any of the South American territory out of the Spanish rule, yet he had ended slavery in Haiti, freeing the lives of so many innocent people that were exploited for their labor and well-being.”
- 13. Sample 2 – Russian Revolution Timeline Constructing a Timeline: You will be constructing a timeline on Inspiration that a) places the following events in order and concisely explain the significance of each event and how it contributes to the Russian Revolution: Russo-Japanese War, Bloody Sunday, Russia enters World War I, Lenin returns from exile, Protests prompt Nicholas to abdicate, Duma sets up a temporary government, Bolsheviks seize control, Treaty of BrestLitovsk, Romanov family is murdered, Russian Civil War, War Communism, New Economic Policy, Constitution establishes the Soviet Union, Lenin Dies, Stalin take power, Stalin's Five Year Plans, Collectivization of the Ukraine, the Great Purge b) arranges the events in a way that shows how they are connected c) incorporates images to represent some or all of these events (for extra points) d) notes which events correspond with which stage of revolution (you can either add this to your timeline in Inspiration or you can write a paragraph that you post on your blog)
- 16. Russian Revolution Timeline Concluding Question: Of the events you explained in your timeline which three would you consider to be the "turning points" in the progression of the revolution and why? Please thoroughly explain your answer in complete sentences. Top answers tended to include Lenin’s return from exile Bolsheviks successfully seizing power Stalin emerging as the new leader after Lenin’s death
- 17. Sample 3 – Scientific Revolution Smaller scale activity Create a graphic organizer that identifies the contributions of the following intellectuals: Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler, Galileo, Vesalius, Descartes , Pascal, and Newton, Shakespeare, Dante, Erasmus, More, and Gutenberg Encouraged students to find some way to group them, and they had to label them as scientists, philosophers, writers, etc.
- 18. Sample 4 – Byzantine Empire and the Rise of Russia You will be creating a graphic organizer that addresses the following questions and includes the following topics: a) What are the differences between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church? b) How does Moscow become the head of the Eastern Orthodox Church? c) How are Ivan the Great and Ivan the Terrible important figures in Russian History? d) To answer a, b, and c, you must incorporate these terms/people/dates: the Great Schism of 1054, 1453, Kiev, the Golden Horde, Moscow, Ivan III, and Ivan IV
- 19. Why Use Digital Concept Maps? You are asking students to… Decide how things are/are not connected Actively connect content Have ownership and autonomy Have an outlet for self expression Not be afraid to rearrange Digital concept maps are malleable! Construct their own understanding Disseminate which information is/is not important Communicate in an organized way
- 20. What did I learn? Level of engagement? The “hush of concentration!” Quality of student work? Self-evaluative rubrics Monitoring work as it occurs Occurrence of higher level thinking? Check! Student perception of learning? Additional observations More time to interact with my students Which students “thrived”
- 21. Student Perception of Knowledge Before and After the Russian Revolution Inspiration Activity
- 22. Tips and Tricks Be familiar with the app if possible Be able to model basic mechanics at the start of a project If you have an honors and regular class blended together… Have the honors assignment at the ready Encourage students to help each other Discuss the problems with just copying and pasting from the internet Self-evaluative rubrics – it’s a learning process Lower-level students may need help breaking down the task, be ready to give them a more concrete to-do list
- 23. Digital Concept-Mapping Tools Factors to consider Accessibility of tool for students Ease of use – try it yourself Are you frustrated immediately? How easy is it to export/share a map? What format is it in? Jpeg? PDF? Do your students need to be able to… Incorporate images? Hyperlinks? Juggling an open BYOD policy with laptops, iPads, and android tablets? Recommend several apps or websites and let the kids choose!