Probably one of the most common complaints about History is that it’s “boring.” Students are not engaged by the reading and regurgitating that they have had to endure over the years, and it will only get worse. As technology continues to advance, students will be increasingly conditioned to seek visual and interactive sources. If we are to going reach our students, we need to be prepared to meet them in their advancing world. One of the best ways we are currently able to do that is by creating webquests. Webquests allow teachers to organize information in such a way that is accessible and stimulating for students of the Internet Age. Students are shown how to learn by means that are most familiar to them, and that the content, in this case History, is relevant even in this technological age. Students are also taught to use these great resources to communicate real information, beyond social news on Facebook or Twitter.
Our vision for the class says that,
“Today’s students are tomorrow’s citizens creating and shaping the world we live in. Schools will create opportunities for authentic learning experiences that will prepare them for this role. Students in 2025 must be critical thinkers capable of understanding, embracing and positively impacting society. Since learning never truly stops, we, as educators, must instill in students lifelong critical thinking and interpersonal skills for success in an increasingly global and technological society. We aim to foster independent thinkers who are ambitious and innovative. Students will be exposed to an interdisciplinary curriculum with an emphasis on connecting our core values. Students will practice logic and perseverance to become self-reliant, resourceful, ethical, and responsible global citizens.”
By using webquests, we are equipping “tomorrow’s citizens” with the tools they need to “create and shape the world,” tools that will keep them up to speed in a world that is moving increasingly online and advancing much faster than it ever has before. Rather than sacrifice content for technology, webquests allow the two to feed the development of each other, teaching critical thinking and creativity in the context of traditional subjects, such as History. Hopefully, students will take what they learn about using technological resources in the classroom, and apply it to their adult lives. If they can do this in the context of the values we hope to instill, that is, responsibility, ethics, perseverance, logical thinking, and resourcefulness, the will be able to truly reshape the world around them. While we hope to use technology to teach the pursuit of social justice, it is also something that flows naturally from understanding these values in the context of our class vision.
The National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies state that, “Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of relationships among science, technology, and society,” and “Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of global connections and interdependence.” The webquest that I created this semester incorporates both of these standard principles. Students are asked to evaluate the effects of changing scientific and technological atmospheres on the ideas of American citizenship throughout history. Using this information, they then look forward to the next 15 years to see how the constant scientific and technological progress will affect ideas of citizenship in the future. This also allows them to understand the more universal idea of the effects of science and technology on society as a whole.
Overall, webquests will be a vital component of classrooms for at least the next few years. It is impossible to know what advances will happen between now and 2025, but by equipping students with the tools and understandings to keep up with technology, we will be ready regardless of where it takes us.
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