Web-based sources are vastly different than printed resources, but in a good way. Resources found on the web can be found in which ever form you refer. You can find resources that contain the information all on one page, or information that is divided into sections that you can navigate between. But sometimes, you can find information that you navigate just like you would any paperback book. Google Books, is a great resources for those who want to find a book that the library does not have. Web-based resources offer many different tools to help make it easier for us to navigate through and access information. The web also allows us to share this information with others with just a click of a button. You don't have to journey to your local library, and search through an old-fashioned card catalogue to locate information. All you have to do is simply type in key words in your search engine, and thousands upon thousands of queries are at your fingertips. Many online archives, such as The Library of Congress, make it easy to navigate their page by providing an internal search engine. The benefits of digital history is the ease of access, the convenience of being able to sit in your pajama's and do research, and wealth of information that can be contained on the web. There are often opportunities to download the information to you ipad, iphone, or some other technology so that you can access it anywhere you go. However, I believe there are some downfalls to digital history. For instance, web-based sources I believe are geared more toward the younger generations, and people who have experience with technology and the internet. Those who are older, and who may not have much experience in these areas may find the web completely unhelpful when searching for information. I also think that sometimes we become so detached from online sources. Sometimes I think it is very beneficial to go to the library or the archives and touch an old newspaper, or old documents. I experienced some of this myself when doing research for my undergraduate thesis. I visited the State Archives to look for information regarding Camp Butner, and I remember how excited I was to open up a folder and be able to touch and smell the old camp newspapers, or old telegrams sent to Army officials. It was a very unique experience that the web cannot provide. I think that the web is good when these kinds of primary sources are out of reach, and you would have to spend a great deal of time and money getting to the sources. The internet speeds up the process, and saves money and travel time by allowing you to locate sources from all over the world in a matter of seconds. Of the 11 versions of Harriot's book, three really stood out. I really like the google books version because you get the convenience and ease of an online source, but in the form of a book. Google also gives you the option to pay a small fee to buy the book and download it to your computer or your iPad. I think the layout is easy to navigate, and you can read it just as you would a book. I also really liked the American Libraries Internet Archiver version because it allows the reader to choose which format they would like to download. You can download the PDF format, and you can also download it to your kindle. The site is clearly labeled, and there is a box that gives you the different format choices, labeled "View Book". Project Gutenberg also offers many different download formats, and also has links to Twitter and Facebook so that you can share the source with others. This site also has a tab for the full bibliographic information, which can help you format a citation quickly. These three combined many elements of which are appealing. They all three were easy to use and navigate, and they also offered other formats that could be downloaded to other devices.
I would like to support the claim that American Memory includes a useful structure of accessing and using digital historical resources. Some of the things that stand out about the structure are the internal search engine that allows you to search the entire collection, a link for teachers, and the "Collections by Topic" box that help the researcher quickly locate what they are looking for. There is also an "Ask the Librarian" link for those who may need a little extra help. I had no trouble navigating through the site, and the page layout was simple, and appealing to the eyes. It was not to busy or distracting, and everything was labeled in a way that helped me navigate the site with ease.
I would like to refute the claim that, "the presentation of an historical resource online is not very important...what's important is the content within." I believe the presentation is of the upmost importance with trying to view an online source. I know for me, if a source is not appealing, if it is confusing, or difficult to navigate, I will not waste my time trying to view it. Also, if you have to go through too much "red tape", so to speak, it becomes frustrating to the point where you will just give up. I believe the presentation is just as important as the content within. Simple is always better. If a site is too busy, with advertisements and other unnecessary information it makes it difficult to concentrate on the important stuff. An example of a layout I did not like was one of our readings for this assignment. Mapping of the Republic of Letters did not have the common preferred layout where you would just scroll up and down to access the information. You also had to scroll left and right, which made it hard to see where you left off. It made it a tad bit confusing, when it could have been laid out much more simply.
If I was in charge of a web-based presentation of the Constitution, I would make it simple, easy to navigate, and convenient. I would have the actual image of the Constitution with a transcript beside it. This will make it easier to read, and will prevent having to decipher words. In the transcript I would have words highlighted that would open a pop-up window for the viewer to learn more. I would have the names of people, places, and other pertinent information highlighted, so that people could learn more with just a click of a button. I think that this presentation would benefit those that just needed to gain some knowledge of the actual document, as well as those who wished to learn more information about the people, places, or other information within.
Here is the link to my activity in DocsTeach: http://docsteach.org/activities/6889/detail?from_activity=1
The activity I created in DocsTeach is called Propaganda on the Homefront and is an activity in which students will examine, analyze, and interpret various propaganda posters used in the United States during World War II. The students will answer several questions to determine what the central theme or message of the image was, what emotions the creator is trying to appeal to, what group the image is intended to affect, and if they believe the image was effective. I am a little frustrated with DocsTeach because there was not a activity template designed to create my activity. I wanted to use 6 images in this activity and have students examine all of them to learn about the ways in which people on the homefront contributed to the war effort, and to also have them critically think about the intended message in the image and how the creators hoped to achieve their goals with the images. I could only use one image in the activity, so if I were to implement this activity in the classroom I would find the other 5 images and have the students answer the same questions about those images as well. I would have to give the students a brief overview of the ways in which Americans were asked to help at home. There is actually a useful interactive tool on the SAS website that I would use to introduce the activity to students. It provides a brief, but full overview of how the war affected life in the United States, and provides information on war bonds, nurses, women workers, and scrap metal. I would expect students to learn about how the war affected the lives of those who were in the United States during the war, and also how everyone from children to adults, and even women contributed to the war effort. I would also expect students to use and improve their critical thinking skills in this activity. I would have students complete this activity in class. I would have each student answer the questions that correspond with the document in this activity. I would have them turn in their answers so as to assess their understanding of the propaganda. After they completed the first activity independently we would discuss the initial activity as a class. I would have the class form a circle with their desks and we would proceed with a group discussion about the usefulness of propaganda. This would allow students to share ideas, and to expand their initial thinking. I would also introduce 5 other propaganda posters used during World War II, and we would answer the same questions in our group discussion. Each student would be expected to contribute to the discussion at least once to get credit for participation. I have always liked learning about World War II, but how the war was viewed at home is often not covered in most history classes, so that is why I decided to create this activity. I think you could complete this activity in a day, maybe less, and I think it would greatly benefit students by expanding their knowledge of the war and allow them to practice their critical thinking skills.
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