Abstract:

The present study supports in praxis the relation between the essential changes in the quest and methodology of the historical science, the new approaches to teaching history, and the results of an international discussion regarding the integration of ICT/media in schools. The focus is on teaching history as an interdisciplinary field which: a) combines different topics and areas (history, geography, democratic education, drama, media literacy, languages), b) responds to current social developments and challenges, such as multiculturalism and new technologies, c) initiates students to the process of e-historical research, d) enriches school history with "new histories", such as history of inventions, history of feelings, history of democratic institutions etc., which are taught alternatively (group method, drama etc.) but are simultaneously expressed through new historical manners (movie making, digital comic), and d) aims at the development of critical thought, the stimulation and promotion of the child’s sentimental world.
According to the principles of “new history” and “media education” teachers of the Hellenic American Education Foundation created an innovative biennial project. This effort aims at an interdisciplinary, cross-cultural approach to world history and culture and puts the use of media in the center of the procedure. The main area of study in Year I (ten year old students) concerns great inventions in world history (a diachronic look in the past, present and future). Year II (eleven year old students) focuses on a comparison study of the Greek and American Revolution and Greek and American Democracy. The project that we will present (Year I study) was implemented in two Greek Classes and one corresponding English Class (EFL) in 5th Grade Elementary. Pupils of all three classes formed groups (of 3-5 individuals), selected and studied a technological breakthrough and created a two minute historical documentary or digital comic to present the invention and its implications on humanity. Final projects were posted on the School’s Course Management System (CMS). Evaluation of the project was based on active participation, imaginative approach and presentation of subject matter, electronic commentary from peers and teacher (team discussion), and through the completion of an evaluation form for the documentary or digital comic script.

Keywords:

Cross-cultural history, culture, “new history”, media, inventions, movie making, digital comic.