Embedding ICT in the History Curriculum

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Embedding ICT in the History Curriculum

• An overview of good practice in secondary schools
• Ben Walsh
• ben_at_bwalsh.uk.com

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We really are only at the start of embedding ICT
in History (BECTA 2005)
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Lots of reasons to take a positive view

• Great work being done by students
• Lots of pioneering work by dedicated enthusiasts
  (see todays programme)
• Many excellent resources
• Learning Curve
• Learn.co.uk
• British Pathe (www.britishpathe.com)
• Burnt Cakes (www.burntcakes.com)
• Schoolhistory.co.uk family
• Whiteboards and a range of software tools
• which are relatively easy to integrate

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Caveats and concerns

• Regular and meaningful access to ICT
• Reliability of computers, networks etc
• Training
• All valid concerns, but definitely not reasons to
  give up

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History and ICT Cautious optimism?

• Continuing investment in ICT hardware, ELCs
• Falling prices projectors, whiteboards, the
  first 100 laptop
• Genuine government commitment to embedding
• DFES ICT in Schools Unit
• ICTAC
• Historical Association / BECTA joint History
  teacher and ICT Co-ordinator conference

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So what about good practice? (1)

• There is plenty of good practice in History
  without ICT
• The best practice comes when using ICT gives us
  something extra in our History
• We need to flag up Historys potential to help
  build progression in ICT through
• fascinating contexts
• challenging tasks

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So what about good practice? (2)

• Engaging with the ICT agenda means some big
  questions
• Do we know enough about what ICT can do for us?
• Do we always make the most of all of the
  possibilities which ICT offers?
• How do we sell GCSE History to the student who
  likes it but wants to be a web designer and cant
  see its relevance?

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Making the most of ICT 1

• Do we use the word processor for appearance?
  Could we do more?
• Are we exploiting the unique features of the
  Internet?
• Its downsides Martin Luther King
• Content not accessible anywhere else Dunkirk
• Do historians really not do numbers?
• Popular interpretations
• Statistics and media literacy

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Making the most of ICT 2

• Do presentations challenge students to consider
• value of specific software tools - vocational
  links
• issues of purpose and audience
• Do we have the support, equipment and training to
  address these issues?
• The rest of today seems like a good start!