Jessica Smith is proposing to update the civics curriculum with new textbooks that incorporate more interactive features like simulations and debates. While she acknowledges that classroom laptops would better prepare students for the 21st century, obtaining textbooks could help address the digital divide issue by providing a reliable daily resource. Her proposal is to balance the use of new textbooks with Web 2.0 tools to move beyond standard lectures, while still guiding students to meet competency requirements. She argues this approach would contribute to eliminating the digital divide at the school.

1. WHY I’M TAKING ONE STEP
FORWARD…
By Jessica Smith
BY MOVING TWO [DECADES]
BACK.

2. How I got through high school:
“Teacher Directions”:
1) Open book.
2) Turn to page ##.
3) Answer the questions in
the back.
4) Turn in.
5) Continue to page…

3. Textbooks today offer many more interactive
advantages, as the Civics text I am pursuing.
“This is a high impact program that covers
government, citizenship, and the American economic
& legal system” – Prentice Hall

4. About the book:
 Aligns to the SAS and Curriculum Framework
through PDE (Keystones).
 Favorite Features:
• Simulations and debates
• Interactive Constitution and Personal Finance Activities
• “Issues in Law” research activities
• Investigative State and Local handbook activities
• Essential Questions Journals
• Active Citizen Project (can implement with Accelerated Seniors!)
All of which challenge students to seek out, organize and analyze
information.

5. In addition, traditional materials are included:
 Differentiated worksheets
 Reading and Vocabulary guides
 Up to date information
 Provides reviews and tests which cover:
 Identifying frame of reference
 Points of view
 Summarization strategies
 Identifying cause and effect
 Sequencing
 Recognizing reliable information
 Making valid generalizations
 Etc!

6. Why should this be funded?
 Old Age  Failure of Technology
 In three years, the This is a more serious
current government issue.
books will be twenty.  Frequent problems
encountered:
 Students spend more  Full or partially blocked
time looking for their sites.
past teachers than  “GASD” domain is
doing assignments unavailable.
with them.  Dead batteries with so
much use.
 Not to mention how  Always Flash Player
problems
much has changed!
 #1 = LACK OF ACCESS.

7. Digital Divide
 Is our school contributing to this?
Textbooks won’t solve this, but could act as a “band-aid” resource that could be
accessible, and reliable on a daily basis.

8. Isn’t there an alternative to textbooks?
 Sure, I’d love classroom laptops 
 Prepares students for skills needed in the 21st century.
 Allows students to practice accurate researching
techniques.
 Improves media literacy.
 FREE material online.
 Etc, etc, etc.
This is where our focus
should be.
Want Proof?

9. My RILS experiment…
 I (rather rebelliously) signed out laptops for two
weeks.

10. Check out these results!

11. Don’t worry, I am aware I may be
unreasonable.
 What would my ultimate vision be?
 Rewrite the Accelerated Government and Economics
curriculum utilizing complete Web 2.0 tools:
 iGoogle
 Google Drive
 Google Sites (as an online portfolio, essential question
journal and personal finance portfolio)
 Schoology
 Prezi, and more.
 Move beyond the “Three Branches of Government”
 Active Citizen Final Project through a video and
digital portfolio.

12. Don’t worry, I am aware I may be
unreasonable.
 So my more reasonable proposal is to:
 Obtain the books and materials.
 STILL rewrite the Accelerated Government and Economics
curriculum.
 BALANCE the Web 2.0 tools with traditional text to move
beyond standard lectures.
 STILL implement the Active Citizen portfolio, but possibly
remove the video (accessibility) and make it a hard copy.
 Books will still guide students in reaching necessary
competencies, with me facilitating the process.

13. “Is she done yet?”
 While I am here to present my desire for these
textbooks, my message was indeed twofold:
 Resources are needed either way, but at the same time
 We cannot ignore our contribution to the digital divide.
“Today knowledge is ubiquitous, constantly changing, growing
exponentially… Today knowledge is free. It’s like air, it’s like
water. It’s become a commodity… There’s no competitive
advantage today in knowing more than the person next to you.
The world doesn’t care what you know. What the world cares
about is what you can do with what you know.”
– Tony Wagner, Creating Innovators (2012)

14. Thanks for watching!
 Email
 jsmith1@gettysburg.k12.pa.us
 Click here to view my full video of the Relevant
and Innovative Learning Scenario.
 Click here to view my blog on Emerging
Technologies.