ABSTRACT
Local history gives students the opportunity to examine primary and secondary sources in their own community. Local history investigations can transform the classroom from a teacher-centered to a student-centered classroom. These inquiry-based lessons are also characterized by an emphasis on higher-level thinking, as students analyze primary and secondary sources related to local history topics. Students can share their historical findings using technology. Frequently, they can even produce the first Internet webpage, digital video, or podcast on the local history topic that they have researched. Readers will see examples of how students can use techno-logy to explore the history of their very own community. The list includes oral history, historical buildings, and historical images. Students can create mashups where they capture an image of a historical site in their community and then write details about the site on the Google Map that they are creating.
