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As a student, history was always one of my favorite subjects, but I know that is not always the case for most students. Over the course of my education at UCF, I have learned that students learn much better when they believe the content to be meaningful and relevant to their lives. They learn better when teaching strategies and assessment tools are engaging and interesting. Unfortunately, most secondary classes, particularly history classes, are pretty much considered the opposite of engaging or interesting. My roommate is a 10th grade World History teacher, and she says that students have a difficult time relating to historical events and figures, especially given how these subjects are typically taught in our current school system. Students read the textbook and then are usually given a quiz or a test to gauge their retention of the information.
In this day and age, every teacher should be incorporating technology and digital media into the classroom, regardless of the subject. When utilized effectively and properly, these tools and resources can greatly change and positively impact how we teach history. We should be encouraging our students to take an active and participant role in the historical research process, building upon their inquiry and critical thinking skills, and engaging them in the process of DOING history. The use of and incorporation of technology and digital media within a historical context can be referred to as digital history.