Technology Enables New Technology Enables New Types of ReadingTypes of Reading

Brett ConcilioBrett Concilio

Dr. KernDr. Kern

EDC 448EDC 448

If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday.  If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday. 

~Pearl Buck~Pearl Buck ► Research suggests that educators face a key challenge fostering Research suggests that educators face a key challenge fostering

active habits of mind in working with primary source materialsactive habits of mind in working with primary source materials

► If primary source documents are going to significantly enhance If primary source documents are going to significantly enhance students’ understanding of content, students need to be both students’ understanding of content, students need to be both cognitively active and emotionally engaged when working with them. cognitively active and emotionally engaged when working with them.

► Students need to:Students need to: Closely observe the documents’ featuresClosely observe the documents’ features Bring prior knowledge to bearBring prior knowledge to bear Speculate about causes and consequencesSpeculate about causes and consequences Make personal connections, andMake personal connections, and Use evidence to support their speculations Use evidence to support their speculations

The Task:The Task:► The task was used to see how students learn a particular discipline—The task was used to see how students learn a particular discipline—

history– using new technologies and primary sources, especially history– using new technologies and primary sources, especially visual sourcesvisual sources Primary sources connect students to real people and authentic Primary sources connect students to real people and authentic

problemsproblems They are then engaged cognitively and emotionally most They are then engaged cognitively and emotionally most

approaching expert historiansapproaching expert historians

► This work has been shaped by the growth of digitized history This work has been shaped by the growth of digitized history archives that put vast collections of searchable visual and textual archives that put vast collections of searchable visual and textual documents at teachers fingertips documents at teachers fingertips

► The task allowed students to chose one of three images from the The task allowed students to chose one of three images from the turn of the 20turn of the 20thth century and were asked to assume the role of century and were asked to assume the role of “history detectives” by drawing conclusions based on their “history detectives” by drawing conclusions based on their observationsobservations Historical images are a useful point of entry presenting Historical images are a useful point of entry presenting

recognizable features and information easily evoking background recognizable features and information easily evoking background knowledgeknowledge

Historical texts often present archaic language children must Historical texts often present archaic language children must decode before they can begin to construct meaningdecode before they can begin to construct meaning

Habits of mind for experts in the Habits of mind for experts in the humanitieshumanities

Observation – Sourcing – Inferencing – Evidence – Question Posing – Corroboration Observation – Sourcing – Inferencing – Evidence – Question Posing – Corroboration

► Students consistently cited three things that made their current class different: Students consistently cited three things that made their current class different: Using technology to learn in new waysUsing technology to learn in new ways

► ““We are using computers and getting information that you just can’t get from We are using computers and getting information that you just can’t get from the books. We are learning valuable things through pictures, and understanding the books. We are learning valuable things through pictures, and understanding what has gone on in the past.”what has gone on in the past.”

- 11- 11thth grade male, School A grade male, School A Working with primary sources to gain deeper understanding of historyWorking with primary sources to gain deeper understanding of history

► ““When we just read textbooks, we did not learn the whole picture of history. When we just read textbooks, we did not learn the whole picture of history. History books do not always tell what happened the way we have been able to History books do not always tell what happened the way we have been able to learn it”learn it”

- 6- 6thth grade female, School D grade female, School D Learning independently as well as in small groupsLearning independently as well as in small groups

► ““It’s more interesting in this class…We do more by ourselves and I like that It’s more interesting in this class…We do more by ourselves and I like that better than last year, when the teacher always just stood up in front of the class better than last year, when the teacher always just stood up in front of the class and talked.”and talked.”

- 12- 12thth grade female, School A grade female, School A

Results:Results:► Newly-trained teachers are asking their students to do “more with Newly-trained teachers are asking their students to do “more with

less”less” To slow down and spend time working closely with a few documents, To slow down and spend time working closely with a few documents,

rather than moving though a lot of material in an effort to “cover it”rather than moving though a lot of material in an effort to “cover it”

► Provided here are some observations a high school AP/Honors Provided here are some observations a high school AP/Honors students madestudents made Students carefully noted details, posed questions, and made inferences Students carefully noted details, posed questions, and made inferences

from the visual information before themfrom the visual information before them

► ““There are little kids sitting on the side of the road near a dead There are little kids sitting on the side of the road near a dead horse, they have their feet in what looks like drain water. None of horse, they have their feet in what looks like drain water. None of them seem to be well dressed.” (Noting Detail)them seem to be well dressed.” (Noting Detail)

► ““Water means it rained or the road has poor drainage. Great place Water means it rained or the road has poor drainage. Great place for bacteria to grow.” (Inference)for bacteria to grow.” (Inference)

► ““You see the big difference between the business-looking You see the big difference between the business-looking environment of the background and the dead horse laying in the environment of the background and the dead horse laying in the road in the foreground. I think someone made this to show the gap road in the foreground. I think someone made this to show the gap between the rich and poor during the 1900’s.” between the rich and poor during the 1900’s.” (Corroboration/Sourcing)(Corroboration/Sourcing)

Conclusions and ImplicationsConclusions and Implications

► What does this investigation into how students “read” digital images What does this investigation into how students “read” digital images reveal about historical thinking and how it may be fostered?reveal about historical thinking and how it may be fostered? Students can apply historical thinking behaviors to primary sources even Students can apply historical thinking behaviors to primary sources even

without prior direct teaching about the historical contextwithout prior direct teaching about the historical context When students have structured opportunities to construct meaning from When students have structured opportunities to construct meaning from

primary materials, and critically examine those meanings, they feel more primary materials, and critically examine those meanings, they feel more invested in the resultsinvested in the results

Students are learning important skills of historical interpretation and Students are learning important skills of historical interpretation and document analysisdocument analysis

Ending NotesEnding Notes

► This study contributes to a growing body of literature on the skills This study contributes to a growing body of literature on the skills that teachers and students need to “read” and make meaning from a that teachers and students need to “read” and make meaning from a wide variety of source materials, whether photographs, maps, quilts, wide variety of source materials, whether photographs, maps, quilts, music, speeches, or cartoonsmusic, speeches, or cartoons

► The next generation of scaffolds and supports should enable The next generation of scaffolds and supports should enable students and teachers to compare their own novice interpretations to students and teachers to compare their own novice interpretations to those of other novices as well as expert historiansthose of other novices as well as expert historians Student created Web-based forums will create opportunities for review by Student created Web-based forums will create opportunities for review by

broader professional and public audiencesbroader professional and public audiences

► Fostering the historical thinking behaviors documented here is just a Fostering the historical thinking behaviors documented here is just a small piece of the larger challenge history teachers facesmall piece of the larger challenge history teachers face Helping students develop the sympathetic yet critical imagination that Helping students develop the sympathetic yet critical imagination that

characterizes historical inquiry as practiced by professional historianscharacterizes historical inquiry as practiced by professional historians

ReferencesReferences::

► Tally, B., & Goldenburg, L. B. (2005, Fall). Fostering Tally, B., & Goldenburg, L. B. (2005, Fall). Fostering Historical Thinking With Digitized Primary Historical Thinking With Digitized Primary Sources. Sources.

Journal of Research on Technology Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 38in Education, 38(1), 1-21.(1), 1-21.