Anchoring a Social Studies Teaching and Learning Experience with Digital Video

Abstract

This chapter presents a technology integration model designed to help teacher candidates recognize the value of collaboration, inquiry-based instruction, and the use of technology to capture and sustain student engagement. Faculty from three courses collaborated to scaffold an instructional experience that included a field-based collaborative teaching component for early stage elementary teacher candidates. Using a Collaborative Recursive Model (CRM), which involved faculty teaching social studies methodology, instructional design, and a field experience course, candidates worked in teams to design a lesson that incorporated a digital video anchor created specifically to engage elementary students in the lesson. In addition to the technology-enhanced teaching experience, candidates learned how to create their own digital video resources. This experience was designed to help candidates recognize the value of collaboration, student engagement, and technology as a tool to support multi-modal learning. Results from teacher candidate reflections indicated that the CRM was an effective method for promoting candidates’ appreciation of collaboration as well as supporting the development of content and pedagogical knowledge.