Top Ten Strategies for Technology in Social Studies Instruction

Take advantage of these ten powerful strategies for using technology to enhance the teaching of social studies topics.

1. Adventure learning provides students with opportunities to collaborate with other students, teachers, and experts — Students use a research-based curriculum as they study authentic real-time adventures taking place around the world. Students learn from the curriculum and each other as they are part of an unfolding narrative.
2. Virtual field trips help students learn about other cultures — The wealth of information and images available about other cultures enriches students' study of other lands and ways of life.
3. Send students on a geocaching treasure hunt with GPS devices — These motivating activities get students to spend more time studying geographical information and techniques.
4. "Live through" history with Muzzy Lane's simulated immersion experience — Students play the role of decision maker in historical situations in order to see the relevance of these events in their daily lives and to develop better problem-solving skills.
5. Do webquests to learn the history behind political issues — Students do Internet research to learn that current issues have historical roots in past events and debates.
6. Integrate geospatial technologies to study the earth, people, and the symbiotic nature between the two - Geospatial technologies such as Google Earth allow for real-world analysis as students study content such as history, economics, and geography.
7. Students learn economic principles with stock market simulation games — The complexities of the stock market become easier to understand when students' play the role of stockbroker, investing "their own" money and seeing the return over time.
8. Teach local and other history with electronic storytelling — Images and audio make the stories of lives, events, or eras come ~live for students and playa key role in helping students prepare oral histories.
9. Use software such as Voice Thread to allow for real·time collaboration around numerous forms of content — This kind of hands-on software allows students to post content (e.g. photos, videos, pdfs) and comment on each other's work in an online learning environment.
10. Use digital cameras to explore community-based history and current issues — Digital photography allows students to capture images from their vantage point, participate in the construction of knowledge, and learn how diverse perspectives can be shaped.