Social sciences
Social sciences and e-learning
Four mechanisms that facilitate effective learning
Effective pedagogy in social sciences/Tikanga ā iwi best evidence synthesis (BES) identifies four mechanisms that facilitate learning for diverse students in social sciences.
Each of these BES mechanisms provides a lens to examine current practice. Each is backed by evidence to inform what to do next.
- Connection – make connections to students’ lives.
- Alignment – align experiences to important outcomes.
- Community – build and sustain a learning community.
- Interest – design experiences that interest students.
Planning to use digital technologies – questions to think about
- Consider your social sciences programme – how are the four BES mechanisms reflected?
- In what ways are you using e-learning to embed the BES mechanisms into your social sciences programme?
- How are you ensuring that the ICTs you use suits the diverse learners in your school context?
Combining effective pedagogy and digital technologies
Acknowledge differing perspectives
Students need to be aware of how different perspectives influence social science thinking and actions, and that two different, even competing accounts, may be valid. Encourage students to reflect on what they encounter. All sources need to be examined.
Video allows students to examine different perspectives by listening to authentic voices and experiences, from the past and present. It can be used to present arguments or perspectives, recreate scenes, or record and reflect on learning.
Video tools
- Six types of classroom video projects – And 18 video creation tools – a blog post from Free Technology for Teachers.
- Global storytelling with a green screen and iPads – a blog post with practical examples form Tarrant Institute for Innovative Education.
- eTV – recorded TV programmes, live streams and on demand videos. Staff and students from educational establishments throughout New Zealand can subscribe to access this unique service.
- NZ on screen – NZ television programmes and documentaries collated into collections.
- Global oneness project – a collection of multicultural films, photo essays, and articles that “explore cultural, social, and environmental issues with a humanistic lens.”
Take education outside the classroom
Taking students to significant sites, marae, museums, and notable buildings helps to bring learning alive. Students place their learning in real-life contexts and use all their senses to learn about their local area. While visiting and exploring local areas is valuable, some social science contexts may require virtual examination.
Virtual tools
- Walking Access Mapping System (WAMS ) – a free-to-use, online tool that displays publicly accessible land across New Zealand to view high quality topographic maps and aerial imagery, overlaid with recreation information provided by partner organisations.
- Google My Maps and Google Earth – provide tools for illustrating stories in a geographic context.
- Educators technology – Online museums and sites for classroom virtual field trips.
- Google Maps scavenger hunt with QR code – create QR codes using Google Maps and QR Code Generator and then use these to create a digital scavenger hunt.
- StatsMaps – Statistics New Zealand maps including data relating to population, dwellings, and electorates.
- Earthly mission – 3D relief maps, created with data from NASA.
Use the news
Topical and current events can help students to make connections to the past and enhance the relevance of new learning.
News tools
- DOGO News – current events articles and lessons to share in Google Classroom.
- Kiwi Kids News – a safe, education and informative news website for New Zealand students and teachers.
Take social action
Social action gives greater depth and purpose to student learning. It allows students to use new knowledge and skills, and to explore them within a relevant context.
Social action tools
- DoSomething.org – an organisation whose goal is to support the work of young people who want to make a difference in their world. Students browse through a list of campaigns , public education, and activism projects. An American site, which is aimed globally with students from 131 countries, and can inspire New Zealand students to take action in their local area.
- Guerrilla Geography – guerrilla geography dares people to challenge preconceptions about places, engage in social and environmental justice, and form deeper, more active community connections. This is a National Geographic website.
- ePals – with participants in over 200 countries, this free service allows educators throughout the world to connect with one another in meaningful ways and collaborate. Projects and challenges are available to reinforce the connections made.
- GridPals - Use Flipgrid to connect with student across the world.
Key resource
Future focus in the social sciences
Secondary teacher Richard Brudvik-Lindner explains how he uses a future focus to help students think about their learning in a different way, resulting in improvements in achievement and engagement.
Resources
Social studies resources: Multimedia, virtual field trips and webquests
This section has online projects and programmes, virtual field trips, forums, multimedia interactives, digital learning objects, webquests, and some useful websites.
10 Amazing Google geo tools for your classroom
How to use Google geo tools to help students learn about new places, solve problems, and tell stories.
Six timeline creation tools for students compared: A chart which compares the core features of six online timeline creation tools.
A free online collection of virtual field trips to locations in New Zealand and Antarctica. The trips take an inquiry-based approach within science, social sciences, and the arts for both primary and secondary schools.
Walking Access Mapping System WAMS
A free-to-use, online tool that displays publicly accessible land across New Zealand to view high quality topographic maps and aerial imagery, overlaid with recreation information provided by partner organisations.
Statistics New Zealand maps including data relating to population, dwellings, electorates, etc.
ANZAC Day resources
Ngā Tapuwae Gallipoli website
Ngā Tapuwae Gallipoli guides you through the Gallipoli campaign, with historical insights, audio stories, and interesting articles bringing to life New Zealand’s experience at Gallipoli.
Anzac Day – Lest we forget
Information and resources to support your classroom learning programme from NZC Online.
New Zealand History Online – Anzac Day
Resources, classroom ideas, and a media gallery.
Anzac Day Te Rā o Ngā Hōia
Collated resources to support teaching and learning about ANZAC day from Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture & Heritage.
Returned Services' Association
Historical information and upcoming commemoration events. Messages of remembrance can be left on a virtual remembrance wall.
New Zealand On Screen
This Anzac Day collection brings together over forty titles covering Kiwis at war. Iconic documentaries and films tell stories of terrible cost, heroism, and kinship.
Christchurch City Libraries – Anzac Day
Information about Anzac Day and lists related books, resources, and websites on this children's page from the Christchurch City Libraries website.
New Zealand WW100
The official New Zealand Government website about World War One commemorations covers local and international commemorative events, encourages the sharing of family stories, and looks in depth at the experiences of New Zealanders during the conflict.
First World War map
Locate events mentioned in the First World War timeline on this map from New Zealand History Online.
School reading resources
- Parts 3 and 4 of the June 2014 School Journals have a focus on the First World War and Part 2 has an article about First World War animal mascots.
- Junior Journal number 48 features an article about a tortoise who is a veteran of the First World War.
- Ready to Read has teacher support materials and an audio recording of the Ready to Read text Dawn Parade.
