Social Education 67(3), pp.

154-157
© 2003 National Council for the Social Studies

Using Digital Video

to Study History
The middle school years
are critical to the cognitive, social, and
emotional development of students.
Hence, many schools implement various
“O this learning,
strategies to deal with the complexities
associated with this age group. Beyond
placing strong emphasis on high-qual-
ity learning in traditional academic
what a thing it is!” William Shakespeare
areas, middle school educators strive to
develop and support the whole child.
There are different ways in which schools classroom, and discusses the benefits and constructivist approach because students
address these issues, such as through the barriers to the use of such educational are actively representing, manipulating,
Character Counts Program, Canada’s technologies. and reflecting on a concept. Students are
PREPARE program,1 Sean Covey’s 7 participating in a learning environment
Habits of Highly Effective Teens,2 or by Educational Technologies as in which they, not the teacher, create the
placing an overall emphasis on the whole Mindtools knowledge. “Teachers can capitalize on
student using Gardner’s Multiple Intel- David H. Jonassen writes about the children’s natural enthusiasm for learn-
ligences3 and other learning theories. power of using mindtools as a signifi- ing by making their classrooms places
In addition, local communities cant part of the learning process. He where students explore important and
believe that a major function of schools notes that the term mindtool is a concept meaningful questions.”6
is to prepare students to be contribut- and not a simple definition. “Mindtools
ing members of a society that uses an are computer-based tools and learning The Power of Video as a Mindtool
abundance of technology, according to environments that have been adapted Video production can function as a
a recent Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll.4 or developed to function as intellectual mindtool that promotes critical inquiry
Therefore, middle schools are also inte- partners with the learner in order to and motivates students. It can serve as
grating educational technologies into engage and facilitate critical thinking a powerful visualization tool that helps
daily teaching and learning environ- and higher order thinking.”5 Mindtools learners convey meaning and make their
ments. This integration benefits the stu- use programs that tend to be available messages more easily interpreted by oth-
dents not only because they are learning to most schools, such as spreadsheets, ers. In addition, video production allows
to use the technology for learning but databases, and concept mapping pro- students to better understand concepts in
also because they are being trained to grams. When using mindtools, students the designing and producing of videos.
function in a technological society. learn with computers instead of about Producing videos forces students to
The social studies classroom is one computers or from computers. That is, grapple with the complexities of critical
area in which a rich mixture of edu- the computer application, the mindtool, issues in order to document them before
cational technologies can be used to performs tasks that it can perform better presenting the issues to others. This
enhance student learning. This article than humans can while the human is helps students understand the depth and
briefly focuses on the use of educational freed up from a computational burden breadth of a concept as well as helping
technologies as a mindtool for students, to be able to think critically about the them think about how to communicate
examines the power of using video, concept. Mindtools can act as devices their understanding of the material. In
describes the use of video in a combined that encourage and stimulate critical one study, fourteen- and fifteen-year-old
social studies and science sixth grade thinking. Hence, mindtools represent a science students took a video illustrating

By Colleen Swain, Rachael Sharpe, and Kara Dawson

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the concept of light, which was originally Practical Examples from a Florida technology in several projects and spe-
produced in Spanish, and wrote a script Middle School cifically used video for two instructional
in English for their peers.7 The study’s The examples described in this section units. The first unit took place during the
authors stated that when students use an are from a school in Gainesville, Florida, first two weeks of classes when students
existing video and then add a script, they which recently received a grade of “A” grappled with the questions of “What
“learn about the images or processes from the state for overall student achieve- is history?” and “What role do I play in
in the video by trying to explain them ment. Although students at this school history?” After participating in numer-
to themselves and others.”8 Video can have performed well on the state achieve- ous activities around the theme “What
also enable students to use video clips ment test, students and teachers do not is history?”, they created a personalized
of concepts such as science experiments, use technology on a consistent basis. The definition of history and collected arti-
which may be difficult to understand, faculty is striving to change this by using facts showing their own personal histo-
expensive, time consuming, or danger- school funds to upgrade the grade level ries. Students also began investigations
ous.9 Finally, a powerful use of video in computer labs. Overall, there has been into the lives of famous scientists. As
the social sciences is the use of video and continues to be a lack of resources for the students collected their artifacts and
documentaries to investigate critical teachers and students at this school. began crafting the presentations about
issues.10 These documentaries can help The teacher of a sixth grade combi- their personal histories and about the
students explore critical issues in educa- nation social studies/science classroom famous scientists, students began to real-
tion and the community by allowing for gifted and talented students came to ize that, just like the famous scientists,
typically marginalized students to share the conclusion that technology could they, too, could play a significant role in
their experiences both in school as well truly empower her students’ learn- history. Students gave their “History of
as in various settings. ing—not just from an academic perspec- Me” and “Famous Scientists” presenta-
tive but also in the students’ personal tions to the class. Because this was the
development. During the first semester teacher’s first experience in using digital
of the year, students used educational video with her classes, only three “His-

Mentor Melaw Antoine from Canada, second from right, instructs students Noelle Sosaya, of Albuquerque, N.M., left, Emily Lindsay, of Rio Rancho,
N.M.; and Louise Fox, Chico, Calif., right, on the use of a digital video camera at the College of Santa Fe in Santa Fe, N.M., Monday, June 17, 2002.

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tory of Me” presentations per class were students were required to make technical now gained a comfort with video pro-
recorded. The video clips were used in decisions such as transitions, titles, and duction, and in many cases, they will
conjunction with the student-created sounds. Although these technical deci- be able to act as teacher and guide to
PowerPoint presentations on famous sions do not deal with the academic topic, their own teachers. Because of the high
scientists. Through class discussions, students had to take these questions into motivation and the freedom to create,
students talked about how these famous consideration when determining how students quickly took ownership of these
scientists began as “normal” people. Stu- their decisions would influence their videos. “The excitement for the subject
dents began to see how they, too, could peers’ learning. An example of the video matter will make them remember this for
play a role in history. Student Pow- shows can be found at [Link].ufl.edu/ a very long time,” the teacher said. These
erPoint and video presentations were faculty/swain/[Link]. projects benefited the students not only
shown to the other classes as well as at Several strategies were used to assess with the understanding of an academic
Open House for parents, families, and students understanding of the concepts. topic but also advanced their develop-
friends. A sample of these videos can be First, students viewed the VHS tape of ment of inquiry-based skills as well as
found at [Link].ufl.edu/faculty/swain/ their digital movies several times in class. increasing their exposure to technology.
[Link]. Obviously, the first viewing was for pure Finally, because a CD-ROM with the
This initial use of video in the class- enjoyment. By including a concept map videos was sent home with students,
room combined with the other instruc- of significant points about each group’s an additional benefit was the increased
tional activities helped students create a video, however, future viewings allowed interest and communication between the
schema of “What is history?” Students students to learn about the stages of early teacher and parents. This produced posi-
also began to understand they play an humans studied by each class. Second, tive comments from parents.
active role in history. This project also students created a concept map for the
allowed students to see the power of other classes to aid in the viewing of the Conclusion
using video to present their own stories videos. The concept map was set up with The two illustrations of the use of video in
to others. By using video, some students a series of questions that students and this sixth grade social studies classroom
were able to present their histories in the teacher determined were important provide middle school educators with
real-time through class presentations regarding each group of early humans. a glimpse of the power associated with
and later to others not attending the for- Third, after viewing and discussing the this educational technology. The trans-
mal presentations. This project started videos, students were given a picture to ferability of knowledge, problem-solving
to encompass the spirit of what Levstik determine which stage the picture rep- skills, and critical thinking required in
and Barton promote when using critical resented; students had to defend their these projects is extremely valuable. The
inquiry projects to enhance meaningful answers by using supporting evidence, project combines an academic subject
and engaging learning environments.11 explaining each object in the picture. with technical skills, as well as highlights
As a result, students were eager to use Finally, students reviewed their class the interconnectedness between science
video as a learning tool for the next segment again and wrote a paragraph and social studies.
instructional unit. that analyzed the historical accuracy, Another powerful aspect of the use
The second unit using video allowed presentation of information, and other of video in this school is the impact it
students to create a digital movie detail- creative efforts. continues to have on administrators, par-
ing the different stages in the history of Student engagement in this project ents, and the neighborhood community.
early humans. Each class created a ten- was high. Not only did the students The teacher continues to receive positive
to twenty-minute video covering two learn a great deal about early humans, feedback from parents and administra-
stages—encompassing the concepts of they gained experience using video that tors about using educational technolo-
Australopithecus, Homo Habilis, Homo was extremely beneficial. Each student gies. They are pleased not only with the
Erectus, Neanderthals, Cro-Magnon, and received a CD-ROM containing all three use of technology but also with how
the Mesopotamians. Students in each movies to take home. Both parents and technology is helping students learn. G
block became the “experts” in their desig- students expressed pleasure about being
nated historical areas. The video created able to present and view this project again Notes
by each class was used to teach the other at their convenience. 1. Mary Lou Bowman and Annmarie Potts,
classes. Making the videos pushed stu- “The Building Blocks of Character Education:
Respect, Responsibility, Citizenship” (Master
dents not only to research their assigned Implications of Arts Action Research Project, Saint Xavier
topic but also to analyze and evaluate the Because of the scaffolding that took place University and Skylight Professional Develop-
information in order to know what to with the use of video production in the ment, ERIC Document Reproduction Service
No. 453), 112, 2001.
include, how to organize the information, classroom, these students are ready to
2. Sean Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective
and how to present the information to the make greater use of video as a mindtool. Teens: The Ultimate Teenage Success Guide
other classes. Students wrote the scripts, These students are in sixth grade so they (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1998).
designed the props and costumes, and can continue with similar projects using 3. Howard Gardner, Intelligence Reframed:
then performed the scripts. In addition, video in future grades. The students have Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century
(New York: Basic Books, 2000).

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4. Lowell C. Rose and Alec M. Gallup, “The
34th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll Meeting the Imam: A Social Studies Research Project
of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Imam Shamshad A. Nasir is a missionary of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam at the U.S.
School,” Phi Delta Kappan 84, no. 1 (Novem- national headquarters. This essay was first given as a speech at the “Day of Unity and
ber 2002): 41-46, 51-56. Interfaith Prayer” on September 11, 2002, at the Baitur Rahman Mosque in Silver Spring,
5. David Jonassen, Computers as Mindtools for Maryland.
Schools: Engaging Critical Inquiry (Upper
Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill/Prentice-Hall,
2000), 9. A couple of months back, I stepped out of my office at the mosque because of
6. Linda Levstik and Keith Barton, Doing Histo- something I observed. There were some people, four or five, making a video film of
ry: Investigating with Children in Elementary the mosque and taking some photographs.
and Middle Schools (Mahah, N.J.: Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates, 2001), 13. When they saw me, they rushed to their car. They started the car to drive away,
7. Mercedes Lorenzo, Brian Hand, and but I stopped them. I asked them to roll down the window glass. They were hesitant.
Vaughan Prain, “Writing for Learning in Sci- But I said, “No. I will not allow you to go unless I talk with you.”
ence: Producing a Video Script on Light,” I saw that they were high school girls, oddly-dressed and covered from head to
School Science Review 82 (2001): 33-38.
foot (in their own view they were respectfully covering their bodies). I asked them,
8. Ibid, 37.
“What is the problem?”
9. Matthew Kearney, David Treagust, Shelley
Yeo, and Marjan Zadnik, “Student and Teach- They said, “We are high school students and we have a social studies project to
er Perceptions of the Use of Multimedia complete for our school. We came to make a video of the mosque.”
Supported Predict-Observe-Explain Tasks to I said, “All right, come with me.”
Probe Understanding,” Research in Science
Education 31 (2001): 589-615. They were still scared. I said, “No. I will not allow you to go home today until you
10. Pauline Clardy, Cynthia Cole-Robinson, Ter- come with me and talk with me.”
rence Jones, and Gregory Michie, “Investiga- So I brought them to the office. They were a little more relaxed. I asked them,
tion of Critical Issues in Curriculum Through “What help can I give you so you can complete your project for school?” They said,
Documentary” (American Educational
Research Association, ERIC Document “We could add some dialog to the video if you have time to talk with us.” So we sat
Reproduction Service No. 452), 264, 2001. and talked for almost thirty minutes, and then I asked the question, “Why were you
11. Linda Levstik and Keith Barton, Doing Histo- running away like that?” They said, “We are not Muslim. We heard about Muslims
ry: Investigating with Children in Elementary on TV, on the radio, and we read in the newspapers that Muslims treat non-Muslim
and Middle Schools (Mahah, N.J.: Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates, 2001). women this way and that way.”
I said, “Are you still scared?”
Colleen Swain is assistant professor of They said, “No. When we first came into the mosque, we were scared, but not
educational technology at the University now.”
of Florida in Gainesville. Rachael Before the students left, I told them, “The doors of this mosque are open to all
Sharpe teaches social studies and
of you, regardless of race, color, or religion. And not just because of 9-11. Stop by
science for gifted students at Kanapaha
Middle School in Gainesville, Florida. any time. Sometimes I may be away, but if you call ahead, I will make arrangements
Kara Dawson is assistant professor of to meet with any of you. I want to remove any misunderstanding: the doors of the
educational technology at the University mosque are open to you.”
of Florida in Gainesville.
Iman Shamshad Nasir said he encourages teachers and students engaged in similar social
studies projects to contact their local mosques and arrange appointments.

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