To kick off the month of August, we're excited to share our latest Eduporium Featured Educator write-up. And, we're also excited to change things up a bit. This month, for the first time in Eduporium Featured Educator history, we're highlighting the efforts of two educators. Amanda Graves and Cathy Fernandez each work at the E.T. Booth Middle School in the Cherokee County School District (GA). They work together in a number of creative ways to help empower students to create technology projects related to social studies and history, specifically utilizing podcasting. Despite facing some challenges (like many educators have since shortly after the start of 2020), this pair of educators has found some inspiring ways of using EdTech tools in the classroom to enhance student outcomes!
Amanda Graves and Cathy Fernandez
Media Specialist and Social Studies Teacher, E.T. Booth Middle School, Woodstock, GA
Q&A:
Please share any innovative technology project(s) you've completed with your students or plan to complete soon.
As part of our study on the rise of Nazism and the Holocaust, students in Mrs. Fernandez’s social studies class surveyed those they live with about their knowledge of the Holocaust. They also shared what they have been exploring and studying in class. Each year, students have come back to class with an eagerness to share what they have learned from their families. Because of these interviews, we applied for and were awarded a grant to start a student podcast entitled “For the Record."
"For the Record” began in the spring of 2021. The goal of the podcast has been for students to create a digital history for connecting what they're learning in the classroom to their lives and to the greater community. Students have interviewed one another, ET Booth educators, family members, and community members. They've learned about their experiences and how they might relate to significant historical events. We also plan to incorporate additional content areas in future podcast episodes.
By helping to lead the production of this podcast, students have not only displayed mastery of content standards and beyond, but they've also developed interpersonal skills and digital citizenship and literacy skills in a collaborative environment. We certainly keep the importance of these skills in mind and know that they will serve students well beyond the classroom.
What is a challenge you faced or are facing with your technology use as an educator?
What resources have you used in your instruction or are in need of?
One challenge that we have faced as educators is facilitating student access to podcasting software. Currently, only teachers are able to access the approved software, which does not allow for student editing or publishing. We currently have a great location, microphones, headphones, and mixer, but have discovered the need for soundproofing resources as well because of outside sound interference.
What are some of the real-world skills you've seen your students develop through regular technology use specifically?
How can students apply them in the future?
We have seen them truly develop improved interpersonal skills through the interviewing process. They've also shown a willingness and ability to work together collaboratively to create their group podcasts. Despite our roles as educators, we have also stepped aside from time to time and watched as students have applied curriculum content to real-world scenarios. Finally, it's been amazing to be able to incorporate the use of student voice into our curriculum in a more direct and fulfilling way.
What interests you most about Eduporium's educator offerings?
We definitely love the blog on the Eduporium site, especially since it's updated constantly with great material for all educators. The different content provides us with a lot of helpful information on the technology tools that we can use to help transform education.
We thank both Amanda and Cathy for sharing their collective thoughts and technology experiences with our community! We certainly hope this great example of team teaching inspires other educators with similar goals. And, as always, we hope these features continue to enlighten educators and lead to them trying some new things in the classroom! Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more of the great things educators are doing with technology. If you’d like to apply to be an Eduporium Featured Educator, we’d love to have you fill out the application! Whether they're a STEM educator or not, we'd also encourage sharing the application with other teachers in your networks.