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Geoffrey
Pierce
Elmira Heights
School District
09 Project
Summary
1. General Overview of the Proposed
Project:
I am proposing a Power Point slideshow on
United states foreign policy from 2001 to Present. This Power Point
project will be comprised of approximately 80 slides.
2. Clear Purpose and Objective:
The purpose of this project is to offer visual
descriptions of recent United States Foreign policy via a slideshow
that recent United States history. Objectives include creating a
link between foreign policy, US history and geographic location.
3. Stakeholders: grade level, who will
benefit, who will participate in this project.
This project will proffer a benefit for
social studies students at the 7-12 levels. Any students in 8th
or 11th grade social Studies will see benefits from this
project.
4. U.S. History Content Area
The US History content area is the post 9/11
era.
5. Outline Describing Content
I. US Foreign Policy 2001 to 2008
A. 9/11
B. Operation enduring Freedom
C. Missile Defense
D. Operation Iraqi Freedom
E. Guatanomo Bay
F. North Korea and Iran
6. Software to be used, internet
materials, contacts, etc.
Powerpoint
The Internet
Laptop Computer
7. Level of Student Involvement
Students will be involved in the historical
and geographic implication of the project. Students will be
excepted to identify the regions presented and apply US historical
content accordingly.
8. Evaluation process (include students
when possible)
Students will be evaluated based on their
ability to draw conclusions from both photograph and “bulleted”
information. In addition, students will be evaluated by identifying
and describing certain photographs.
9. Timeline: how you envision the
project being carried out between start up and conclusion
I am prepared to begin the project
immediately, and to complete the project by early July 2008.
TAH Project Reflection
As the United States History
instructor attempts to examine novel terms in contemporary foreign
policy conducive to exploration in the pedagogical arena, he or she
notices the inclusion of several new terms in widespread convention
in recent years. Pandemic, Homeland, jihad, improvised explosive,
War on Terror, insurgents, and Sunni Triangle have become almost
standard terminology in American social science pedagogy. The
problem is that history teachers geared toward the articulation and
alignments of curriculum often fail to recognize that the study of
contemporary photographs might lead to a better understanding of the
causes and effects of the changing world students of all levels
study. The intent of this reflective treatise is to conduct a
thorough analysis of instructional articulation and alignment
between secondary edification and the recent history of U.S. foreign
policy.
The endeavor to explore the manner
by which instructional articulation and alignment might be improved
was accomplished via the implementation of photographic evidence as
a common instructional tool. New York State standards have earned
the admiration of educational leaders (Melvin, 2007), while
technological applications are considered a transformational avenue
toward curriculum, teacher education, and social and behavioral
science pedagogy. The American History teacher benefits his or her
profession by frequently using contemporary photos as a teaching
tool.
Positive Areas
Students graduating from New York
State high schools are expected only to demonstrate an understanding
of U.S. History, though demonstrate is never described in
detail. The educational leader might be forced to concede that a
senior merely answering a foreign policy question meets the New York
Standard for certain aspects of the social studies curriculum. There
exists no language to imply otherwise. Exposing students to
contemporary photographs, conversely, forces the student to
demonstrate critical thinking skills that link modern evidence with
historical topics under exploration.
The lack of critical thinking
skills related to visual learning at the high school level are to be
expected given the diminutive importance afforded the social science
(Marran, 2005). Students who are never expected to think critically
in visual terms find themselves overwhelmed when they are expected
to do so on a state exam or in the finalization of a history
project. This could lead to frustration, failing grades, and
ultimately a disillusioned viewpoint toward U.S. history and related
social sciences. Maclellan (2004) encouraged critical thinking
skills, artifacts, and meaningful activities as part of the higher
learning process for learners. If these learning experiences
transpire at the high school level, such experiences should be
embedded in the classroom social studies instructional strategies
employed by especially responsible educators (Marran; Klein, 2001).
Suggestions for Improvement
Given the innovative and
transformational efforts made by public school districts to engage
in the instruction via technological applications, history teachers
might assume the fostering of academic mastery automatically
intertwines proficiency with technology and common instructional
strategies. This is an assumption that could bring setbacks. Many
educators are uncomfortable with technology and tend to focus more
on the auditory learner, often leaving the visual student behind.
Ultimately, the history teacher implementing current photographs
into his or her instructional tools fails his or her passion area if
an unwillingness to expose these strategies to other educators
prevails. In addition, teachers using widespread photographic
evidence should refrain from assuming students’ relaxed
body-language implies a lack of focus or learning. Students enjoy a
heavy visual element to instruction and such an affinity for this
teaching strategy should not be discouraged or mistaken for apathy.
References
De Blij, H. (2005). Why geography matters:
Three challenges facing America. New York:
Oxford University Press.
Dubinsky, J. (2003). Creating new views on
learning: Eportfolios. Business Communication
Quarterly, 66(4), 96-101..
Innes, L. (2003). MapTrix.
International Research in Geographical & Environmental Education,
12(4),
376-382.
Klein, A. (2007). Researchers see college
benefits for students who took AP courses. Education
Week, 26(22), 7.
Klein, M.F. (2001). Alternative curriculum
conceptions and designs. Theory into Practice, 25(1),
31-35.
Learning standards for New York State.
(n.d.). Retrieved June 20, 2007, from
http://www.albanyinstitute.org/Education/standards.pdf
Maclellan, E. (2004). How convincing is
alternative assessment for use in higher education?
Assessment and Evaluation in
Higher Education, 29(3), 311-321.
Marran, J. (2005). A reaction and response to
reflections on geography: The worst subject
taught?
International Research in
Geographical & Environmental Education, 14(1),
86-
88.
McNeil, M. (2007). Rigorous courses, fresh
enrollment. Education Week, 26(36), 28-31.
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