Using ICT in the History Classroom

Richard Kennett (Redland Green

School)

Who am I?

Learning Outcomes

• ALL will know two new strategies for using ICT in their classroom

• MOST will know and in future use three new strategies for using ICT in their classroom

• SOME will evaluate their current practice and reflect on how to improve in relation to using ICT

Agenda

• Using ICT in the history classroom– Using ICT to plan lessons– Interactive whiteboards– Using ICT to aid delivery– History lessons in the ICT room

• APP

National Curriculum in Action

ICT Statutory Requirements

“Pupils should be given opportunities to apply and develop their ICT capability through the use of ICT tools to support their learning.”

To what extent do you practice this in your teaching?

The history of ICT in schools

?

History and ICT: the academic viewpoint

Theory is in agreement over one fact –

ICT does not guarantee better learning (Counsell, Haydn, Atkin).

Haydn (2002) “Computers have not had the revolutionary effect they expected”

On the whole theory regarding ICT is horrendously outdated and cannot keep up with the revolution that is occurring. Haydn (2002) – information on exam boards is not up-to-date on board websites

Wilkinson (2000) – one day we will all treat computers the same way we now use video recorders

ICT and planning lessons

• Ian Gilbert – “I want you to be lazy teachers”• Don’t reinvent the wheel: steal, share or

borrow ideas

• GOLDEN RULE: NEVER just use anything straight off the internet.

ICT and planning lessons

• www.schoolhistory.co.uk• http://www.igshistoryonline.co.uk/• http://www.historyshareforum.com/• http://www.historygcse.org/• www.burntcakes.com• http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/• http://www.activehistory.co.uk/• http://

school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/ushis.html

Interactive whiteboards

• Two main types: Smartboard and Promethean• Load up the software and go!• Are they actually as good as everyone makes

out?

ICT to aid deliveryHaydn (2002): ‘ICT is very good at delivering things – but ‘delivery’ does not guarantee learning. The correlation between the volume of information available and the amount of learning is only in the minds of the politicians’

Counsell (2000): ‘More information access, prettier newspaper front pages, smarter graphs and clever web pages do not guarantee, one jot, any improvement in historical skill, knowledge or understanding’

THEY ARE WRONG!

ICT to aid delivery

Better resources

= Better pace / engagement

= Better learning

Using the internet to aid delivery

• www.youtube.co.uk• http://www.bbc.co.uk/schoolradio/

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Main_Page• http://www.cartoons.ac.uk/• www.last.fm• http://groups.google.com/• http://www.britishpathe.com/• http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com/

History lessons in the ICT room

• Are they ever actually any good?

• Share best practice

• Produce a list of 3 top DOs and 3 top DON’Ts

History lessons in the ICT room

My golden rules• Specify which websites to use• Clear objectives• Link with an historical skill• Provide challenge both in terms of history and

ICT• http://www.maths.bris.ac.uk/~th0950/slave

MovieMaker Challenge- Produce a movie about the Battle of Hastings

Success Criteria• Number of images: Minimum

- 5 images, Maximum 10 images

• Must include titles describing the major stages of the battle

• Must use 2 different slide transitions

• Extension: Include interpretation and comedy!

National Curriculum in Action

ICT Statutory Requirements

Pupils should be given opportunities to apply and develop their ICT capability through the use of ICT tools to support their learning.

To what extent will you practice this in your teaching now?

‘Ask not what you can do for ICT but what ICT can do for you!’

Final Thought

Atkin (2000):

APP

BibliographyAtkin, Dave (2000). ‘How do I improve my use of ICT? Put history first!’, Teaching History 99

Counsell, Christine (2000). ‘Editorial’, Teaching History 101

Haydn, Terry (2002). ‘Computers and history: Rhetoric, reality and the lessons from the past’ in Haydn, T and Counsell, C (eds.) History, ICT and Learning in the Secondary School, pp11 – 38, London: Routledge Falmer

Haydn, T., Arthur, J., and Hunt, M (2001) Learning to teach history in the Secondary School Routledge Falmer, London.

National Curriculum in Action, ‘ICT in History’ http://www.ncaction.org.uk/subjects/history/ict-lrn.htm Accessed: November 2008

Wilkinson, Alf (2000). ‘Computers don’t bite! Your first tentative steps in using ICT in the history classroom’, Teaching History 101