In the field of history, the Web and other technologies have become important tools in research and teaching of the past. Yet the use of these tools is limited—many historians and history educators have resisted adopting them because they fail to see how digital tools supplement and even improve upon conventional tools (such as books). In Pastplay, a collection of essays by leading history and humanities researchers and teachers, editor Kevin Kee works to address these concerns head-on. How should we use technology? Playfully, Kee contends. Why? Because doing so helps us think about the past in new ways; through the act of creating technologies, our understanding of the past is re-imagined and developed. From the insights of numerous scholars and teachers, Pastplay argues that we should play with technology in history because doing so enables us to see the past in new ways by helping us understand how history is created; honoring the roots of research, teaching, and technology development; requiring us to model our thoughts; and then allowing us to build our own understanding.
Type of Material:
Open (Access) Textbook
Recommended Uses:
For history teachers who want to use EdTech in the classroom. Good resource for those who are writing dissertation about EdTech. Teachers from other disciplines, particularly Humanities, but many of the concepts can be applied to other disciplines as well.
This reference can be used as self-paced materials as well as for homework assignments and in-class discussion and research.
Technical Requirements:
Can also purchase as print copy. High speed internet is required to see the materials avaiable on the website.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
The objective of using this website is to learn history with a new perspective related to utilizing technology with the purpose of broadening the website users’ around historical facts.
Target Student Population:
College and University Students in addition to pre-service and current history teachers. Faculty from other disciplines may find the site useful.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Browser. Can be used on a computer as well as on a phone.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
This could be used as a textbook at the college and graduate school level. It provides a vast array of perspectives on implementing technology in the discipline of history. Those using the material should have some type of foundation in teaching skills.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
There is a place to highlight and annotate the material in with others who are using the book thus providing perspectives from different members of the learning community. After reading the articles, teachers should be able to introduce some EdTech strategies into their own classrooms.
Concerns:
Users have to create an account in order to use the annotation tool. While this is not necessarily a big issue it presents an issue only for someone who wants to protect their privacy.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
It is very easy to read this textbook on-screen. It is easy to navigate from the table of contents as well as the links at the top of the page. The ability to read an entire article is made simple by having the user scroll down. The text is large enough and the spacing between lines makes it easy for on-screen reading.
Concerns:
These articles are fairly long and there should be a link to "return to top" for each screenful making it easier to navigate the page. Additionally, I would add some images or other media to break up the long pages of text. The book is only available in English.
Creative Commons:
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