Richard A. GairProfessor of Holocaust StudiesValencia Community College

Orlando, Floridahttp://faculty.valenciacc.edu/rgair

This presentation includes the following topics: Rationale: Why use the Internet? WebCT?

Other Technologies? Themes: What topics lend themselves to the

medium? Methods: Ideas to use in the classroom Technology: How advances in technology can

enhance Holocaust education and understanding?

Problems and potential issues Resources: Sites and Books Questions from the audience??

Allows for use of multi-media in teaching. Interactive medium. End-user decides what

to do and where to go. The Internet contains survivor testimonies,

video, sound clips, primary documents, virtual tours, animated maps, oral histories, scholarly research, news sources, e-books and editorial commentaries.

Students have a medium of self-expression and cultural exchange.

Students must use critical thinking skills to evaluate information.

http://faculty.valenciacc.edu/rgair/

http://faculty.valenciacc.edu/rgair/holocaust_sites.htm

User ID- 25901101629434PIN- 9584

Chronology of the Holocaust including Hitler’s early life and rise to power. Development of Nazi Party and racial

policy Military expansion of Greater Germany

and incorporation of Eastern Europe into Nazi controlled territory.

Conversion from de facto terrorism to genocide.

Liberation and establishment of the state of Israel

Geography of Occupation and Camps Progression of German military

expansion. The placement of slave labor, death, and

extermination camps. Location and layout of uprisings and

resistance movements (ie., Warsaw Ghetto)

Biographical information on rescuers, resistance leaders.

5 Million non-Jewish groups persecuted by the Nazi Party: Gypsies Homosexuals Jehovah’s Witnesses Mentally Disabled (T-4 program) Communists Christian Resistance workers.

The Armenian Conflict of 1915

“The Killing Fields” of Cambodia: late 1970s

Rwanda: 1994 Bosnia-

Herzegovina: 1995 Kosovo: 1999 Other human

rights abuses around the world.

The Internet can be used to illustrate traditional lectures on the Holocaust. Teacher Tube & You Tube

Students can conduct research to develop projects and papers on teacher-assigned topics.

Students can develop their own web pages and PowerPoint presentations using the Internet.

Students can work individually or in groups of two or three. Four is the maximum.

Provide links rather than having students search.

Photo Essay: Images of the Holocaust or of prejudice in today’s world.

Artwork in oil, pencil, watercolor, or other medium.

Interview with witness or expert. Recorded song, music or spoken word

(poetry)

Video (requires video capture equipment and server to stream video content)

Interactive Timeline-Concept Maps Movie Review- based upon teacher criteria-

see sample Formal Essay National Archives worksheets to examine

documents, artifacts, movies, photographs, art

Art Interpretation- During and Post Holocaust Art: Ex. David Olere, Samuel Bak, Joseph Bau

Poetry with illustrations- interpret and write

Ask the Professor- WebCt

Web Journal-WebCt Review of Websites-

Criticical Thinking Biographical Sketch of

Victims PowerPoint

PresentationTile from the USHMM

Use Inspiration software to help students understand concept webs of challenging topics.

Inspiration allows users to save their work as a web page (HTML). See my web site.

Use visual language and appeal to multiple intelligence to reach all learning styles.

Cooperative learning: Each student has a role within the group.

Create a rubric that assigns points for the quality of work created by students.Go to http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php

Inform students regarding assessment guidelines: grades for content and product.

Content:Historical accuracy and completeness.

Product: Originality, creativity, grammar and cohesiveness.

Product: Consistent use of graphics, color, font, images, symbols.

Graphic nature of content makes presentation difficult.

Religion and academic content sometimes don’t mix. Students must “unlearn” incorrect facts

“The Guide on the Side”

• Emphasize understanding, courage, moral decisions rather than graphic violence, death, and destruction.

Hate websites distort truth and cannot be used reliably as a source of information.

Students need a good basis of knowledge before beginning a project.

Copyright: Images and text must be in the public domain.

Weisenthal: Multimedia Learning Center Online http://motlc.weisenthal.com

The Nizkor Project http://www.nizkor.org Cybrary of the Holocaust

http://www.remember.org/