Storytelling, History, and Technology

Local Projects, a New York media design firm builds media installations for museums. Why is this cool and relevant to teachers? I am sharing Jake Barton’s TEDTalk with you because his work with Local Projects is a testament to how the integration of technology can influence and expand the way that we teach students to tell stories and examine history.

I enjoyed Jake’s TEDTalk for many reasons. First, his work is a living record of voices that tell stories about real life and history – in some instances, history that is just a few years old. I also think Jake’s work provides a venue for everyday people to be “active participants” in making history come alive (the best part for me is that it allows ordinary people to be teachers of history). Likewise, Jake’s work demonstrates some of the best integration of technology, history, and the oral tradition of storytelling that I have seen in recent years. Through his work with Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, the Eisenhower Presidential Memorial, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and, his latest project, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Jake Barton has created innovative walking tours that inspire generations of people to share their history with others.

As an educator, I cannot tell you how important this work is to future generations of students who will not only be able to go to these places and experience this amazing design media but they will hopefully be the generation to take Jake’s work and build even better technology for the future. I believe true technology integration is a tool/resource that enhances learning. Jake Barton’s designs are great examples of good technology integration.

Learn more about Jake Barton, principal and founder of Local Projects, at http://localprojects.net/. His work on the 9/11 Memorial and Museum was featured on CBS.

tlb