I decided to do my Inspiration Report on a proposal of a new program revolving around the power of storytelling. I found the concept fascinating and I wanted to see what it could be for a program. Then as I did my research I was reminded of my time visiting Colonial Williamsburg as a child and discovered their digital resources and how it could be applied to digital storytelling.
So I present to you all my Inspiration report
Connecting the Past with the Present through the Power of Storytelling -1
What an interesting use of available resources. Your concern about the current view of colonial times is certainly apt, but I think that it also provides a teachable moment to provide both sides of the story for inspection: “We have learned from the mistakes of our past.”
Hi, Kathleen! Colonial Williamsburg has been on my travel list for so long, and somehow I had never explored their virtual tours before! Thank you for drawing this to my attention and for the work you’ve done with your Inspiration Report. I would be so curious to hear more about how you would plan to market or advertise this to your students, because your event ideas sound like a ton of fun and a great opportunity for learning! Also, I am glad you mentioned the discomfort that some may have with discussing colonial history. I agree with @jeanna in thinking that a thoughtful and well-considered program schedule could help mitigate the discomfort while simultaneously drawing attention to the harsh realities of our nation’s past. Excellent work with this project.
Thanks @kmg333 for an informative post about digital storytelling as a means for students to learn more about history outside of the traditional classroom. As a school librarian, I can envision creating a LibGuide of sorts that connects to various sites with resources similar to those at Colonial Williamsburg that relate to the history curriculum in each grade at our school. Looks like I have some fun research to do!
On a related note, last week, some of our 8th graders visited Colonial Williamsburg on a school trip to Washington, D.C. from Oakland, California. I am very curious to learn from our students and chaperones how their experience with the live guides went (I’ve been out of town for a few days). I think it’s probably a different experience than when I visited 25 years ago.
This is such a cool report! I have never been to Colonial Williamsburg and it sounds amazing! When I was young, I loved learning in a non-traditional way like watching documentaries, hands-on experience, or even debating and having conversations with others. I had a hard time just reading a textbook and getting the information to stick. This is a great way to learn outside of the traditional classroom setting.