Creating Inclusive Dialogues with the Past for the Secondary Classroom : A Digital Humanities Class Project

Abstract

For this project, teams of students in History 288: Sophomore Seminar in Historiography and Historical Methods used Articulate Storyline software to design digital programs for the secondary classroom. Digital humanities projects have to date been primarily designed for and utilized by students and faculty in higher education. In contrast, these interactive programs are designed for middle and high school students to encourage engagement with primary sources and to provide inclusive and culturally responsive historical perspectives. Students engage in a dialogue with the past, listening and contributing to different perspectives on topics that align with standard secondary history and social studies curricula. These programs or “dialogues” are designed to be used individually and collectively within and beyond the classroom. The results of this project will be made available to the public for non-profit, educational use.