Abstract:
The purpose of this intervention was to examine the effects of delivering social studies
instruction with technology. A curriculum web contains resources needed by both
instructors and learners in order to complete a technology-based unit. The activities were
designed to improve attitudes towards social studies and strengthen abilities to think
critically. Each morning for six weeks, one fourth grade class participated for 40 minutes.
This study included observation, an interview, pre- and post-intervention surveys, a
multiple-choice test, and scoring rubrics. Participants researched persons and events
related to the American Revolution. While researching history with the Internet,
participants looked for cause-effect relationships. Participants completed semantic webs
to organize ideas and completed projects such as PowerPoint presentations and individual
Web pages for inclusion in a class Web site. Twenty-two of the original 24 participants
were able to complete each assigned project.
Findings suggest that attitudes towards social studies and the curriculum web instruction
itself were positive for all students. Very little evidence of critical thinking was found in
the written pieces created by the participants, but was evident in class discussions.
The results of the study were communicated to the learning community through an email
to the faculty and administration at my school. The e-mail supported Internet-based
learning as effective in improving attitudes and achievement patterns and encouraged
teachers to increase technology-based activities in social studies.