As our school transitioned to online education in the face of COVID-19, I as a Historian was striving with what it means to teach history online. I understand high-quality online teaching is quite challenging and demanding than its face-to-face counterpart. It demands more upfront outlining, training, further individualized feedback and support. But as I drove into the journey of online teaching, the change worked swiftly for me. I could now affirm that History classes are likewise adaptable to an online setting as many other subjects, specifically because the skills we as a Historians regard involves critical reflection—the capability to read closely, analyze and estimate evidence, engage in educated debate and investigation, and address analytically and persuasively. These features are promptly transferrable to the digital sphere.
I would love to share one of my success lesson throughout this time and which can be used and referred by many other subject teachers.
Writing a Newspaper Story!
With this online activity, students were authorised to formulate a piece of writing that heightens knowledge of key opinions and information, using effective introductory and concluding judgments, logical sequencing of opinions and transitional words. Students were able to design a structure that incorporates accounts arranged in a rational and historical continuity in ways that help the audience follow the line of thought. They were further able to comprehend and use available resources to discover pertinent information to accomplish the writing task.
Objective - Writing a newspaper column for the French Newspaper about the ‘Storming of the Bastille’ including the perspective of a supporter of a King and how would their impression of events differ from that of French people.
Scenario - The year is 1789 - you are in your 1st week of being a reporter and have been sent to Bastille on 14th of July and have beheld the event.
Prior to their activity, we had a review on the subsequent details -
1. Online Journaling using Google Doc to consider - ‘Who is a writer’ and ‘What does it imply to be a good writer’?
2. Reading an online newspaper article on Google News or BBC Online and addressing ‘Why reading newspapers is important’?
3. Online Scavenger Hunt with a time limit to locate a list of items in the newspaper i.e. headline, price, date, reviews etc.
4. Brainstorming and journaling - newspaper name, layouts, theme, price any logo etc.
5. Online research of the given event using multiple links and videos to guide of same and also evaluating the news article of that particular period.
Here’s what my students design -
This was published in an online magazine - INDIA SCHOOL NEWS
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