Technology and the History Classroom

In this digital age it has become more common for technology to seep into the classroom where wanted or unwanted.  Many of today’s students have some ort of device whether it be a phone, tablet, or laptop. These types of technology should be utilized in a history classroom. For example, there are a ton of primary sources available online that students could analyze to get experience working with those kinds of sources. Virtual Reality has also become a good method of bringing technology to the classroom. Several museums have created virtual version of their displays that allow used to visit the museum from wherever they are at. There are really two versions of the VR museum experience. If a institution has the resources they can have students use virtual reality goggles to literally step into the museum without leaving the school. The other version is a 3D tour of a museum or historic building, these allow students to be guided through the institution by going to the museum website. Digital collections of artifacts also can help when studying a particular period since it would allow a student to look and read about an object from the time without having to travel to see it in person. The major drawback to students’ access to technology has to be the fact that they can be flooded with information. This is extremely relevant today with the outbreak of Covid-19. New channels are constantly reporting about the virus and its impact. This is a bad thing due to the fear it spreads but also in a way is a good thing for future historians. The constant coverage gives historians a multitude of digital primary sources on the virus. Also, the fact that each source reports it differently can help future historians show how news was reported by different agencies.