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Peer Review

Histropedia - The Timeline of Everything

Reviewed:
Dec 14, 2019 by Sociology
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Ratings

Overall Rating: 4.2 stars
Content Quality: 4.2 stars
Effectiveness: 3.8 stars
Ease of Use: 4.5 stars
Overview:

Histropedia is an interactive tool for creating and exploring historical timelines using data and information published by Wikipedia. The site includes access to published works, music, and videos of people, events, and concepts from a created timeline. Direct links to Wikipedia’s Library and YouTube are accessible on the site. Users may also save and share timelines created.

Type of Material:
  • Historical timeline development tool
  • Collections and learning object repository with reference materials
Recommended Uses:
  • In-class
  • Homework
  • Individual and team assignments
  • Lecture

Since these timelines can be saved, they can be shared with fellow team members or by the instructor.

Technical Requirements:

High speed internet and ability to obtain graphics

Identify Major Learning Goals:
  • The learner will be able to cross-reference timelines, events, notable people, and concepts or theories including sociological theorists for research and inquiry.
  • The learner will be able to evaluate the historical relevance and impact of events and notable people within a particular period.
Target Student Population:

Grade School, Middle School, High School, College General Ed, College Lower Division

 

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

Course or subject terminology and fundamental concepts, historical events, and persons

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:
  • Presents historical events, concepts, and notable people on a visual timeline
  • Provides links to published works, music, and videos pertaining to the topic
Concerns:
  • Fact checking is required for information provided
  • Links to supplementary sources vary and are not consistent or readily available for each event, concept, or person
  • The site offers a basic framework for study; however, additional resources and readings should be adopted to offer a comprehensive course or subject learning experience

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:
  • Useful supplemental material and resource with direct access to other online materials and information
  • Layers events, concepts, and people in a period
Concerns:
  • The site does not function as a stand-alone resource
  • Instructors and students will need to use additional learning materials and / or other external resources to re-enforce discipline specific content related to specific course learning outcomes

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:
  • The site is easy to use
  • The content is engaging with the integration of online collections, information, music, and videos
  • Related links are useful and assist learners in identifying primary and secondary sources that coincide with subject matter
Concerns:
  • Timelines are difficult to see and use on smaller devices
  • It is challenging to access a particular event, concept, or person with multiple layers on the timeline
  • Not all linked online sources meet accessibility requirements (i.e., YouTube videos)
  • Not clear if it was updated since 2014
Other Issues and Comments:

This website may be considered as a supplemental resource for courses including special topics to demonstrate historical significance and impact of events, concepts, and people in time.

Creative Commons:
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