American History Students Learn about Great Depression via Live Videoconference from Washington, D.C.
WHS & National Archives Use New Technologies to Offer Interactive Student Lesson
On Friday, February 19, juniors in Mr. Mueller’s U.S. History courses had the unique opportunity to videoconference live with the National Archives in Washington D.C.
Students in the class had recently been learning about the Great Depression and the New Deal. The National Archives offers many courses about U.S. history, including one solely on the Great Depression. The 85 students throughout the morning periods had the chance to learn live from the Archives about this period of American history.
Mr. Mueller’s student teacher, Mr. Caleb Grummert, helped organize the event. His former high school history teacher, David Rosenbaum, is an educational specialist at the archives who taught the course throughout the morning. In each class period, Rosenbaum presented unique historical pictures, artifacts, and documents related to the Great Depression. Many of the artifacts were associated with Nebraska, including a picture of Franklin Roosevelt meeting with the Governor of Nebraska and the Omaha Mayor in 1935. Rosenbaum also presented photographs of Roosevelt greeting supporters in Fremont, and pictures of Civilian Conservation Corps workers building roads in North Platte.
Launch the media gallery 2 player
Launch the media gallery 3 playerThe course was offered over one of three distance learning carts that Wahoo Public Schools owns. The cart allows students to see and hear the presenter and vice versa. It provided a highly interactive classroom, despite the fact that the presenter was over 1,500 miles away.
These camera, screen and conferencing systems allow educators to access videoconferencing programs offered by a wide variety of governmental organizations, museums, zoos and numerous other businesses/organizations. This equipment is all part of the Network Nebraska program, created in 2006 by LB1208 to link all educational entities in Nebraska to an interactive technology-based distance learning program.
The event was a great success and students very much enjoyed the activity. Future videoconferences are planned in U.S. History courses from the Archives and other agencies.
American History Students Learn about Great Depression via Live Videoconference from Washington, D.C.
| al muelleramulehog@q.comnorth plattelineman | Feb 25, 2010 | Just wanted to say how proud I am of my son Mr Mueller. He was allways a history student and so am I. I wish that I could have had all the tools that you provide your students. History is a great teacher that can have great bennefits for our future. |