1. Using Online Learning to Study the Holocaust
ASSURE Case Study
Using Online Learning to Study the Holocaust
Presentation Developed By:
Christine Campbell
Mike Dillon
Jeff Pierce
CMP 555: Designing and Producing Educational Technology
Karen Wright, Facilitator
July 10, 2006

2. Steps in the ASSURE Model
The case study will be analyzed using the six steps of the ASSURE Model. Those steps are:
Analyze the learners
State the objectives
Select methods, media, and materials
Utilize media and materials
Require learner participation
Evaluate and revise

3. Case Study Information Instructional Technology and Media for Learning
The case study can be located in Chapter 8 of the e-book:
Instructional Technology and Media for Learning
The information for case study was taken from the e-book and the premise of the case study is as follows:
“High school social studies teacher Mr. Plosnik wants to develop a lesson for his students to study the Holocaust and its implications for their lives today and in the future. He wants to dispel misinformation his students may have about the Holocaust. One question he wants to address is, ‘Could the Holocaust happen again?’” (Smaldino et. al., 2004)

4. ASSURE – Analyze Learners
The lesson is designed for students with the following characteristics:
Juniors and seniors
Variety of interest levels in the material
Variety of background knowledge about the Holocaust
Different academic skill levels
Different computer skill levels
In general, the lesson is designed for a mainstream classroom that has students with a range of learning needs, skill levels, learning styles, and so forth.

5. The entry level competencies include:
ASSURE – Analyze Learners
The entry level competencies include:
The students have read about Germany’s role in World War II.
The students have studied the historical events of World War II.
The students have read about current events that can be compared to the Holocaust of the 1940’s.

6. ASSURE – Analyze Learners
The following learning styles will be addressed over the course of the lesson:
A wide range of learning styles will be used.
Many of the students prefer to search for information independently and discuss their findings with each other.

7. ASSURE – State Objectives
Objectives are divided into three categories:
Cognitive:
Students will review information from the given Website and answer questions from a workbook. These answers will be formatted for grammatical correctness, and quotes will be properly referenced.
Students will locate 3 sites on the Internet relating to the Holocaust and select video clips, images and sound clips that reflect their personal interest.

8. ASSURE – State Objectives
Objectives are divided into three categories:
Affective:
Students will speak and write from the position that the Holocaust could have been avoided, and was not an inevitable event.
Stereotypes will not be included in any discussion or writing.

9. ASSURE – State Objectives
Objectives are divided into three categories:
Technological:
Students will use the Internet as an educational resource and a research tool.
Students will use search engines to find websites and navigate the World Wide Web.

10. The teacher used the following methods:
ASSURE – Select Methods, Media, and Materials
The teacher used the following methods:
The teacher consulted with a college professor familiar with the Holocaust.
Students were provided with a teacher-created workbook.
The discovery method was used along with the workbook.

11. The teacher used the following media:
ASSURE – Select Methods, Media, and Materials
The teacher used the following media:
Over 240 websites, containing video, photos, songs sung by prisoners and allowing virtual tours of important Holocaust locations
Materials in the school library and the media center

12. The teacher used the following materials:
ASSURE – Select Methods, Media, and Materials
The teacher used the following materials:
Teacher-created workbook
Internet Websites
Computer
Library and Media Center Resources

13. ASSURE – Utilize Media and Materials
The utilization of materials was conducted using the following four steps from the ASSURE model:
Preview Materials
Prepare Materials
Prepare Environment
Prepare Learners

14. ASSURE – Utilize Media and Materials
PREVIEW MATERIALS
Teacher and consultant college professor previewed many materials to ensure they were appropriate for the students.

15. ASSURE – Utilize Media and Materials
PREPARE MATERIALS
The teacher created a workbook for the students which included:
Questions
List of resources and Internet sites
Suggested activities

16. ASSURE – Utilize Media and Materials
PREPARE ENVIRONMENT
The teacher:
Spent more time in Computer Lab
Scheduled lab time for the class
Checked Internet connections and availability of websites

17. ASSURE – Utilize Media and Materials
PREPARE LEARNERS
The teacher let the students know their thoughts and opinions mattered.
Students were to think deeply and critically about historical questions regarding the Holocaust and answer them using given resources.

18. The students participated in the lesson in following ways:
ASSURE – Require Learner Participation
The students participated in the lesson in following ways:
The students answered questions in the a teacher-created workbook designed to focus thinking about basic information regarding the Holocaust.

19. The students participated in the lesson in following ways:
ASSURE – Require Learner Participation
The students participated in the lesson in following ways:
The students explored learning resources on the Internet independently and discussed their findings with other members of the class.

20. The students participated in the lesson in following ways:
ASSURE – Require Learner Participation
The students participated in the lesson in following ways:
The students used the Internet to take virtual tours of the Anne Frank house and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

21. The students participated in the lesson in following ways:
ASSURE – Require Learner Participation
The students participated in the lesson in following ways:
The students selected images of the Holocaust and explained the significance of the images.

22. ASSURE – Evaluate and Revise
Assessments were provided by the class workbook and a quiz was given to evaluate the level of understanding of the objectives.
The students created their self evaluation of what they had learned based on the original objectives.
It is important when teaching about the Holocaust or other extreme tragedies to create an atmosphere where the students have empathy and provoke thought and discussion. Discussion on the Holocaust can be used to discuss issues such as the genocide in Rwanda and in the Darfur Region.

23. ASSURE – Evaluate and Revise
It is always important to revise the assessment prior to the next time the lesson is used.
Allowing the student to make comments and provide input will enhance the learning experience for future classes.

24. Use of Media in the Case Study
The case study dealt primary with the use of online resources as part of the lesson. This media was used:
To gather information about the Holocaust
To locate images that reflect the nature of the Holocaust
To spark student interest in the issues associated with social crises
To help students relate to information they obtained in their searches

25. Use of Media in the Case Study
The case study dealt primary with the use of online resources as part of the lesson. This media was used:
The Internet served as the primary online media. However, the Internet provided access to written, visual, and audio artifacts and information related to the Holocaust.

26. References
Smaldino, S. E., Russell, J. D., Heinich, R., & Molenda, M. (2004). Instructional Technology and Media for Learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall Inc.