Student Producers: OneNote, Camtasia Studio, and the Authentic Project

Abstract

This past academic year saw the implementation of digital ink in OneNote notebooks into the 10th grade Modern World History: 1800-Present classroom. The main sophomore project involved creating historically and culturally accurate educational videos for the Boeing Company. Upon conclusion of the project, Boeing would have multiple educational videos about Middle Eastern countries to share with their employees and their families in preparation for their relocation. All students saw the benefits of using digital ink in their daily homework assignments, however the fruits of this new technology were not fully displayed until the completion of their large scale research project (Global Interactions: Boeing) at the end of the school year. This project motivated students to engage in a historical conversation with a reputable company and see a clear connection between history and the real world. OneNote allowed for a unique approach to peer collaboration as well as teacher feedback throughout this project. Students had the ability to draw concept maps, brainstorm, and connect major ideas with the simple use of their stylus. The students were freer to play around with the components of their visual timeline, knowing that they could edit and perfect as they went forward. Collaborating teachers saw major improvements in problem solving skills, peer feedback, and overall investment when using this pen and video technology. The authentic nature of the Global Interactions project combined with the use of digital ink allowed for an in-depth understanding and investment in the social studies curriculum and final video. The Whitfield community as well as The Boeing Company partners were immensely impressed with the end product and methods used. This project reflected the potential use of digital ink in the Whitfield classroom and inspired modern technological additions to previously outdated projects.