Using Digital Audioin the Social Studies Classroom

Social Education 71(3), pp 120–124 ©2007 National Council for the Social Studies Sounds Good To Me: Using Digital Audio In The Social Studies Classroom George B. Lipscomb, Lisa Marie Guenther, and Perry McLeod In a recent edition of Educational Leadership, technology pioneer Marc Prensky and the difficulty in obtaining it. The issued the following warning regarding the state of education today: “Educators have digital revolution is rapidly changing slid into the twenty-first century—and into the digital age—still doing a great many this situation. things the old way. It’s time for education leaders to raise their heads above the daily grind and observe the new landscape that’s emerging.” 1 Prensky differentiates between Audio Streaming today’s children (digital natives) who have grown up around technology, specifically Even though much of the information video games and the Internet, and educators (digital immigrants) who have found that is currently online is protected by themselves in a rapidly changing digital world. As immigrants, Prensky holds that copyright, teachers and students can still it is not necessary for teachers to immerse themselves in every area of new technol- listen to numerous speeches, interviews, ogy, but feels that they should be aware enough to allow students the opportunity to songs, eyewitness accounts, and other incorporate some of these technologies in the classroom. historical artifacts through a process known as streaming. No sophisticated equipment is needed—simply a com- In social studies, in particular, this Background puter, Internet access, and a means to incorporation of technology presents Educators have long found ways to play the content for students (speakers, some unique opportunities. With such enhance their teaching by bringing in individual headphones, etc.). The fol- innovations as blogging, interactive map- music and other sound elements to the lowing examples illustrate how streaming ping, digital resources and others enter- classroom. From phonograph records to audio can be used in lessons concerning ing social studies classrooms, there is radio, cassette tapes to compact discs, a World Wars I and II. great potential for teachers, but it is hard variety of audio content has been a staple In the study of World War I, textbooks to know where to begin.2 This article in social studies classrooms.3 A number and other print sources often fail to cap- will focus on one familiar, yet rapidly of educators have encouraged the use ture the human element of life during this changing area of technology—digital of music as a means of helping students great conflict. The website “First World audio. We will provide examples of some relate to a moment in time.4 Waller and War.Com” has an entire section devoted of the materials social studies educators Edgington believe that music allows stu- to songs, speeches and descriptions of can use in the classroom, discuss means dents to connect with the people they are that era.6 Among these sound files, teach- of investigating such content, and explore studying and can “stir emotions in a way ers and students can hear several versions podcasting, a new medium for students that no book or lecture ever could.” 5 The of George Cohan’s “Over There,” a pop- to access and create their own interpreta- main challenge for teachers wanting to ular song in the United States after the tions of the past. use audio content in the past was the cost U.S. entry into the war. Students could associated with purchasing the material listen to this song while studying life on S OCIAL E DUCATION 120 the homefront during the war and use the price. The service has expanded beyond lyrics to examine motivations for young the United States with new online stores General Sites for people to go off and fight in Europe. in Australia, the United Kingdom, France, Similarly, streaming supports students and Japan. Once you have downloaded Streamed Audio who wish to examine American reaction iTunes audio files to your computer, you to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The can share them with up to five users. For Library of Congress (LOC) website the classroom, any downloaded audio contains hours of “Man on the Street” content can be played straight from the interviews in the days immediately fol- computer or burned to a compact disc. lowing the attack.7 By accessing the LOC site, teachers can provide short clips of Podcasts individual interviews to engage students Among digital audio offerings, podcasts in the realities of December 1941. While offer some of the most promising con- the sound quality of these recordings may tent for today’s social studies classroom. be distracting to students accustomed to Originally pioneered by former MTV clear digital sounds, the historical sig- “veejay” Adam Curry, these Internet American Rhetoric nificance of these recordings makes them broadcasts get their name because they (Top 100 speeches of all time) indispensable for the classroom. In order can be easily stored on an Apple iPod™ or www.americanrhetoric.com/top to help students who may have difficulties similar portable digital music player. They 100speechesall.html with these interviews, transcripts avail- can run as little as several minutes to more able on this site may be photocopied to than an hour in length, are available on American Slave Narratives add to their overall understanding. many websites, and can be downloaded to xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/wpa/wpa a computer or portable digital media player. home.html Downloading Audio There are podcasts on every conceivable Digital History: Historical Music While streaming audio has a number of topic including health, religion, sports, www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/audio/ advantages in its implementation, the and popular culture. Some podcasts even music.cfm major deficiency is that without Internet have a video component (vodcasts), and access or a fairly new computer, the con- can provide some additional insight for History Channel-Speech Archives tent cannot be accessed. For teachers visual learners. For teachers, perhaps the www.historychannel.com/speeches/ wanting possession of audio files, however, most attractive aspect of podcasts is that archive1.html there are a number of options, some legal they are available free of charge.9 and some not. For social studies classrooms, podcasts History Matters historymatters.gmu.edu During the late 1990s and early part of can be incorporated into daily instruction this decade, many teachers used Napster, in a number of ways: Library of Congress American Kazaa, LimeWire, and other file swap- 1. To supplement curricular goals— Memory Collection ping services to acquire free audio content. There are many podcasts out there that memory.loc.gov/ammem/browse/ However, this created an ethical dilemma. can provide social studies teachers with ListSome.php?format=Sound+Reco While some have argued that acquiring additional information on classroom top- rding such content is simply “fair use” in the ics. For example, Colonial Williamsburg classroom, others resisted, worrying uses its re-enactors to share information World War I www.firstworldwar.com/audio/ about copyright laws. Fortunately for about life in colonial America from prom- educators, there are a number of guide- inent figures such as Thomas Jefferson lines and resources available for helping and Patrick Henry to more common to make sense of this critical issue.8 citizens such as weavers, bakers, and For legal downloading, a number of blacksmiths. services including Napster, Rhapsody, 2. To update students on current AOL, and Walmart, offer digital content events—News providers, such as National for a monthly fee; but one service, the Public Radio, The New York Times, the iTunes Store (previously known as the BBC, and many others, provide report- iTunes Music Store) from Apple, has ing on news stories that are updated on a become the leader in this field offering daily basis. Specifically, CNN now offers the ability to download songs, books, tele- its Student News show as a daily video vision shows, and now even entire movies, podcast (vodcast). to computers and iPods for a reasonable 3. To inform students about the politi- A PRIL 2 0 0 7 121 Relevant Podcasts Key Terms in Understanding Digital Audio for the Social Studies Classroom iPod™ portable music player distributed by Apple; comes in various styles and sizes; newer versions contain video capabilities BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/radio/newspod CNN Student News, iTunes Store portal for digital audio and video; songs, audiobooks, podcasts, www.cnn.com/EDUCATION videos, and movies available here; credit card needed to establish an account and make purchases Colonial Williamsburg, www.history.org Podcast term derived from a broadcast that is compatible with Apple’s iPod C-Span, www.c-span.org/podcast RSS stands for “really simple syndication” which is a file format that allows National Geographic, users to subscribe to a favorite website, podcast, blog, etc. www.nationalgeographic.com/ podcasts Streaming a process or technique for allowing computer users to access large The New York Times, data files in a steady and continuous stream; useful applications in www.nytimes.com this process include Real Player, QuickTime, and Windows Media Player NPR Story of the Day, www.npr.org White House Radio Addresses, Vodcast podcast with video enhancement www.whitehouse.gov/news/radio cal process—The White House has made teachers have used similar activities in and interactions with Native Americans use of this medium to include weekly the past, never before has it been so in their newscasts. addresses (in English and in Spanish), simple for students to have their work so The students began their podcasting press briefings, and speeches as a means easily created and disseminated. The fol- project when they were about halfway of showcasing the role of the chief execu- lowing examples come from two teachers, through reading Dear Levi.

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