Making History Local, Digital and Relevant: The GeoHistorian Project Mark van ’t Hooft Thomas McNeal 2011 NCSS Conference Washington, DC

Origins We started investigating the use of cell phones for video conferencing in 2005 as an alternative to traditional forms of video conferencing. It was asynchronous, with predetermined interview questions, and roving student reporters who videotaped answers with a mobile phone. We experimented with live video-streaming, and a couple of years ago we started experimenting with QR codes.

The GeoHistorian Project The GeoHistorian project was created to: Give students the opportunity to become local historians and create digital resources for their communities; Demonstrate how resource sites near and far (in this case a local historical society and historical sites) can be valuable learning resources; Investigate cell phones as an educational tool outside of the classroom; Demonstrate how digital content can be used to amplify learning on location.

Partnerships Honors College

Implementation April-May 2011: –Walls Elementary, Kent, OH –2 fifth grade teachers –35 students October-November 2011: –Davey Elementary, Kent, OH –3 fifth grade teachers –65 students

2. Historical Research 1. Digital Storytelling 4. Audio/Video Editing Creating Digital Stories about Local History Smilies from Your Digital Story QR Code 3. Story Writing

What Happens to the QR Codes (and the Stories)? He scans a QR code from a marker at the depot with his mobile phone Related student-created, historical content (audio, video, images) is downloaded to the phone A tourist visits the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad Depot in Kent, Ohio

Prior to Beginning the Project Identify historical sites and determine: –Public accessibility –Possibility to install QR code marker –Availability of historical resources Work with local historical society or similar organization to gather historical resources for each site (esp. images) Set up a “work space” for student groups to create and save their work (paper, digital) Secure necessary technology Involve parents!! (letter home, field trip permission)

Resources We Used 4-week curriculum Historical sites and related historical content Private project wiki as a repository for resources and student research ( Photo Story 3 (or other digital story/video editing program) Site to store videos (YouTube) QR code creator Materials to create markers (trophy shop, city)

Week 1: Digital Storytelling Introduce the project Discuss –importance of stories –unique characteristics of digital stories Give students an opportunity to create and share a digital story

Week 2: Research Historian = detective Historical site research (includes visit to site) Historical research skills (photo, document, and artifact analysis) Share research findings

Week 3: Storyboards Scripts and storyboarding –Brainstorming/pre-writing –Writing –Peer review –Editing –Sharing Scripts and storyboards checked for accuracy by local historical society

Week 4: Digital Stories How to create digital stories using scripts and storyboards Create and share digital story Upload videos Create QR codes

Following Week 4 … Create and install QR code markers at various historical locations. May need to work with local authorities or site owners Advertise your project, e.g. through local historical society, library, media

Lessons Learned Plan ahead!! Good stories take time to create, especially during the recording phase Organization of research and transition to storyboarding Curriculum flexibility (fieldtrip, school schedules) Advertising the project

QR or 2D Codes A QR Code is a matrix barcode (or two- dimensional code) with embedded information such as text, an address, phone number, or URL (multimedia!!). The codes can be read by camera phones with a QR code reader.

Bar Codes Come in Many Shapes and Sizes … QR Code Sema Code (Data Matrix) QuickMarkShotcode Aztec EZcode

… and Can Be Put on Any Surface!

Using QR Codes in Education /watch?v=M70AtlLy_ns watch?v=ayW032sKtj8

Creating QR Codes: What Do You Need? Smart Phone with QR code reader QR code generator Digital content and a place to upload it to (e.g. flickr, YouTube or a mobile website such as wirenode). QR codes

Digital Content Considerations Link to existing content or make your own. Smart phones from different carriers all have different operating systems and require different video and audio formats. Formats for video and audio clips –Windows mobile - Windows Media Video (WMV) –iPhone - QuickTime (MOV) –Android – Mpeg4 (mp4) –Audio - WAV, short for Waveform Audio File Format –Or upload to YouTube or similar site

Selected QR Code Generators qr-code-generator/

Selected QR Code Readers software/ (great list here) Readers can usually be downloaded directly from the Internet to your phone and should be free. Tapmedia (does regular bar codes too)

Try It Out! Around the conference room you will notice a number of QR Codes Use your phone (download a reader first) or iPod Touch to scan the codes to see the embedded content. To download a reader to your phone: –Go to on your mobile phone. –I-nigma will automatically identify your handset type.

Questions? Mark van ‘t Hooft Thomas McNeal

Links DVC Project: GeoHistorian Project: Google Goggles: - texthttp:// - text Kent City Schools: Kent Historical Society: Kent Parks and Rec: Mobile Barcodes: code-software/ code-software/ SIGML 2010 Contest Video: Wirenode: WWII Memorial video: