The aim of this research is to investigate the educational potential of AI-powered chatbots in Social Studies learning-teaching processes. The study was conducted using embedded design, evaluated within the framework of mixed methods research. The study group consists of 78 6th-grade students studying in three different classes, along with one…

New Jersey consistently ranks as one of the top-performing states in the country when it comes to education. Most recently, it was ranked third in the nation. A look at the state's standards in any subject shows the state works diligently to vertically align standards while also challenging students in order to better prepare them for the future…

School districts increasingly implement one-to-one initiatives with the stated goal of reforming education. While an emerging body of research exists that studies the barriers and supports to these top-down attempts at educational change, little research exists that examines the lived experience of teachers who demonstrate a strong sense of…

The year 2012 marked the 15th anniversary of Peter Martorella's (1997) short but influential article, "Technology and the Social Studies--or: Which Way to the Sleeping Giant?" The College and University Faculty Assembly of the National Council for the Social Studies marked its anniversary with a symposium reflecting on the article and…

This essay is a response to both the "Guidelines for Using Technology to Prepare Social Studies Teachers" published in this journal by Hicks, Lee, Berson, Bolick, and Diem (2014) and the rejoinder by Crocco and Leo (2015). The author agrees with Crocco and Leo's assessment that removing the principal regarding science, technology, and…

More than 15 years ago, Martorella (1997) asked what has now become a seminal question in the field of social studies and technology; that is, "Which way to the sleeping giant?" (p. 511). He suggested a number of roles that technology can play in the social studies classroom. Although these roles are certainly relevant in 2014, the roles…

In his 1997 article "Technology and the Social Studies--or: Which Way to the Sleeping Giant?" Peter Martorella made several predictions regarding technology resources in the social studies. Through a 2014 lens, Martorella's Internet seems archaic, yet two of his predictions were particularly poignant and have had a significant impact on…

Preparing teachers to implement a new curriculum presents a significant but important challenge. While formal professional development programs can assist in this preparation, finding prescribed experiences that meet the needs of all teachers can be formidable and indeed may not always be the best option for promoting change in practice. Decisions…

Digital technologies have changed the way students read and communicate. Subsequently, teachers must use technology to engage their students in learning. This article illustrates the value of using Web 2.0 tools (blogs, wikis, and digital media-sharing) in the social studies classroom. Additionally, a social studies teacher shares insights into…

One educational area that has greatly benefited from the growth of technology is historical studies. Since the initial development of the World Wide Web in the early 1990s, tens of millions of historical documents have been placed online. During that time the quality and range of historical documents available on the Web has steadily increased.…

In this article, the authors focus on the use of Web-based instruction in social studies methods courses. They examine in what ways Web-based instruction transforms both teaching and learning and explore the problems and possibilities involved with electronic classrooms, including Web-supported instruction. Their study is classroom…

The IADIS CELDA 2012 Conference intention was to address the main issues concerned with evolving learning processes and supporting pedagogies and applications in the digital age. There had been advances in both cognitive psychology and computing that have affected the educational arena. The convergence of these two disciplines is increasing at a…