NERC CONFERENCE 2012 “21 st Century Learning: The Role and Future of the Social Studies”

1. NERC CONFERENCE 2012“21st Century Learning: The Role and Future of the Social Studies” William James Walton, Sr. Wilby H.S., Waterbury CT

2. 21st Century Learning: Tools and Methods • Blogs: http://edublogs.org/ • Wikis: http://www.wikispaces.com/content/teacher • Stratalogica: http://www.stratalogica.com/NystromDigital/home/home.html;jsessionid=TUMgyjjzthXbEAkE2fGtqg__ • Glogster: http://www.glogster.com/ • Audacity: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

3. 21st Century Learning: Tools and Methods • Schoology: https://www.schoology.com/home.php • Edmodo: http://www.edmodo.com/ • Animoto: http://animoto.com/education • Mobile Apps: • Mastery Connect - http://www.masteryconnect.com/. • ABCDay - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/abcday-read-write-play-sing/id467036687?mt=8. • Socrative - http://www.socrative.com/. • Dropbox - http://www.dropbox.com/. • Evernote - http://evernote.com/

4. 21st Century Learning: Tools and Methods • Web tools: • ClassDojo - http://www.classdojo.com/ • Collaborize Classroom -http://www.collaborizeclassroom.com/

5. 21st Century Learning in Social Studies: Old School Methods and Techniques • The best ideas that I came across at the conference were not tech-based, but were strategies and proposals to improve student literacy of social studies content/texts • The Page Per Year Plan: Will Fitzhugh, The Concord Review • Democratizing the DBQ: DBQ’s and Mini-DBQ’s in Grades 4-12

6. 21st Century Learning in Social Studies: Old School Methods and Techniques • Differentiated Instruction in Social Studies • Use of video, wikis, blogs, games, etc. to enhance learning • Attention to different learning styles, use of alternative assessments • Infusing Literacy into the Social Studies: • Utilizing Library/Media Specialist for each theme/unit of study • Literacy strategies to assist on-level and below level readers to master reading of social studies text