Teaching history in the 21st century : Thomas Ketchell at TEDxLiege

Thomas Ketchell, 25 years old, was born in St. Leonards-On-Sea (UK) but grew up in France and Belgium. After working in Australia for a year, he went on to clinch his BA in History & Chinese Studies. His desire to help the environment brought him to East Africa in 2010 where he built biogas systems. Biogas projects use cow dung to provide clean cooking gas in rural parts of Kenya, where forests are being cut down and wood for cooking is disappearing rapidly.
He went on to do a postgraduate in Business & Development, and ended up living and working in China. Whilst living in Beijing, he experienced the dreadful quality of the air on a daily basis. Wanting to alert people back home what it was like to breathe in this dirty air, he decided with his colleague Steven Chiu -- to re-enact on social media the 1952 Great Smog of London. The success of this re-enactment led to worldwide coverage, which encouraged both Steven and Thomas to co-found Hstry, which relives historical events through a first-person perspective to bring history to life. Hstry is now providing interactive storylines of historical events for both elementary and secondary schools across the globe in line with their vision to become the leading digital learning platform for history.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@myrnafran2384]

This is the type of presentation that is counterproductive to what I'm trying to do in my history classroom. I'm a millennial and consider myself to be very attune to the skills my students need to thrive in the 21st century. We use technology and Twitter and I do believe social media is an important teaching tool. But to suggest that textbooks have no place and that answers can just be Googled? I would question this man's credentials as a historian because of that comment alone. I would also guess that he has not spent one full year teaching history in a classroom either, or he would see the challenges that high tech classrooms can sometimes introduce. Critical reading and primary source document analysis are still an essential part of the study of history and developing these skills with my students is necessary no matter how much technology is at their fingertips. I struggle every year to find the perfect balance between 21st century skills and traditional historical reasoning skills. As much as we'd love a perfect system, I find that these two options are not always compatible.

[@lewisbilly12353]

You shouldn't use smartphones ot any media devices not strictly monitored. It degrades performance in your class for those whom use them, and even ones whom don't use them. Even them being present and unused degrades performance. Those anti-smartphone school board policies are built on solid research.

[@itzelalvarado7871]

I honestly love learning about history. But what I find a problem in is how history is being taught in school. I feel like we don't go into dept with stuff we should, but relearn and relearn about stuff that has been taught to us in elementary, and what frustrates and infuriates me is how my classmates don't even rember being taught about this. Another thing I don't like is how technology based or learning is, I've noticed teachers are more and more dependent on PowerPoints, and stuff they find in the internet other than helping the students grasp the idea. While I have no problem with being taught by PowerPoints, I don't think teachers should be so dependent on them, there's be cases when the internet problems and the teachers have no clue what they are going to do, and most of the time they even give us a free day, or a study day. Most people probably disagree with me but I honestly think we would be better off without technology, and we shouldn't be so dependent on it, and this is coming from a 15 year old.

[@sylvrdee]

Honestly - Yeah, using textbooks as a source is fine, but assigning homework from textbooks is ridiculous as they can easily google the answers (happened to me too many times, that I stopped assigning them as homeworks) for classwork - just to see students understanding, great. but again, only the critical thinking questions. I use the identifying questions and static questions as wrapping up lesson or exit tickets. its made me less angry at the cheating that takes place, and makes the students more likely to work for their class- to actually use their own brains and analyze the information presented.

[@savvysavages6931]

I'm preparing to teach history next year. I will utilize the spoken word.

[@Thaheadband33]

And your class will be as boring as every other history class and no one will get anything from it.

[@savvysavages6931]

I was going to read your comment JJ but it had all of those words and I just got bored and decided to do something else.

[@daltonater1212]

+JJ Keller Yeah, history isn't for everyone......but it's important to learn from our past mistakes.

[@Thaheadband33]

+Master- Baitor I love history. I'm getting my history endorsement. But to completely shun technology in this day and age is just shortsighted and will lead to a dull class.

[@savvysavages6931]

The best teacher I've had in the 21st Century used the spoken word. If you know how to tell a story, people, no matter how young, will listen.

[@mowthpeece1]

A history class teaches more than history. It teaches things that happened, yes, but also how to speak in front of a group (twitter ain't gonna do it), how to engage and exchange thoughts with people that disagree with you (HUGE and in no way does twitter work for this), how to apply the past to the present and future (how TF is twitter or social media going to teach you this? it involves THINKING), and how to write...because somewhere you're going to have to prove you actually LEARNED WHAT HAPPENED at some point in the past. I'm all for using tech to teach, but honestly, no wonder our youth don't know how to handle the simplest of conflicts in life. They aren't taught social skills! Social media is NOT SOCIAL, it's talking to a BOX.

[@lewisbilly12353]

Well also, kids are just gonna get distracted, even in college. It will be the lame boring thing the teacher is making you do to be fun an edgy, instead of making the class engaging because the teacher is engaging. Tech is a tool, not a crutch. Twitter is only a crutch, it cannot engage students, teachers engage students.

[@raulpooney4567]

Fantastic comment 👍

[@hasrizalabduljamil]

Thanks for sharing Thomas. I just finished reading Teaching World History in the 21st Century: A Resource Book by Heidi Roupp and decided to find some strategies using technology and social media for teaching history, and from there I found your presentation on Ted. Even though I am not pretty sure what sorts of collaboration you managed to initiate in your classroom, but I take that as my room to exercise my own creativity as a history teacher. I will be teaching Muslim Nations in 2016 and hoping to assist my students in their learning and making studying history enjoyable, fruitful. Thanks again.

[@danne579]

I had a hard time as well following what type of collaborations were made.

[@jacobtucker1824]

The reason why teachers have difficulty including powerful stories like the London Smog or the independence of Congo is because of the pressure of state standards. One look at a list of standards shows that they are too focused on rote memorization and not enough on critical thinking skills.

[@erikeve8465]

I also use technology in the classroom. I teach in a computer lab and we use Google Apps for education for class. I absolutely love the interaction and collaboration that the kids now possess. A lot of the things that you said are true.....I did go big and it does work..... I am proud of the kids that I have taught....

[@aleenashafaat2295]

I am also a history teacher.. Personally I believe that yes the innovations should be made and technology should be used in the classroom to make it more interesting and appealing to students especially for history subject. But this isn't just the way.. Reading in real and analysis building and writing the arguments are more polished and practical ways to upbringing historical thinking.. And to develop an interest in specifically history subject.. One should make the students realize it's importance... The students should be give time and space to grasp all history and should be told that the grip on the subject comes with time. Gradually..

[@lewisbilly12353]

YES! Also, I think history often heavily relies on the ability of the teacher to make the class interesting, and not necessarily relying on technology, but using tech as a tool for your class, not making it the class. His lecture sounds like he is selling all of those boring corporate technological implements that kids immediately identify as such and get bored of. What kid wants to use Twitter for history education? Like it is hard to wrap my head around it. Imagining this being put in my college class I am not interested in, math for example, I would just be doing this lame thing to get it over with. I think kids might be the same.

[@user-yj8dw1jy9d]

As a history teacher in 北京beijing, I am breathing the dreadful air and typing these words, having two years experiences of history-teaching, I am always try to let my class come back to life, use advanced techs, still feel frustrated, hope you can have demo class rather than just a speech to deliver your ideas. for the truth is class is totally different from the speech.

[@TheKnight-zf5eb]

Are you still teaching History? I would like very much to read more about your experience on teaching History in China. I'm becoming a professor soon (Brazil), with a deep interest about the ways History are learned all around the world. Thanks!

[@huyminh832]

Said always easier than done. I think every teacher knows that and want to make it alive. But just put it into context, it's probably impossible in some ways.

[@konradulm]

You gave me some good ideas and I think we should use all the tools we can to teach but.... When students have access to their smartphones in class many of them will be off task playing games and texting friends. Access needs to be tightly controlled if you want to have your students perform and learn. If seen many different school policies for cell phones and schools with strict policies have a vastly better learning environment.

[@lanebatts26]

Exactly right. This guy obviously has never been a "real" school

[@Thaheadband33]

No one is saying give them free reign. But being closed minded to the suggestion is how we stagnate, as we have (at least in America).

[@hoasjhdfiadsf]

nah. Guy should actually trying teaching before attempting to become another "entrepreneur educator"

[@freezii625]

As an aspiring history teacher I think is this so amazing and great inspiration.

[@lewisbilly12353]

I would advise caution in using smartphones in class. You cannot monitor what they are doing on them. Unless you have a 100% focused class, this is a recipe for disaster. This guy has never taught a class of regular students with smartphones or he would know that.

[@whiteyT6]

I appreciate the passion he has in this topic, but it's very empty. What exactly do you want to see? I hear collaboration, but collaborating on what? Bringing history to life? Your idea on the smog was great, bringing that to attention and showing the negatives from then and making those connections to today, but you lost that when you started going on these tangents about Belgium and the Congo. Yeah its history, but the collaborations/connections you are trying to make are very abstract.

[@anhphamngoc6766]

Here's his successful project. It's not so empty yea

[@lewisbilly12353]

@@anhphamngoc6766 success measured by wat? It is hardly a controlled lab experiment.

[@CoJampee]

I like how he pronounced "Renaissance".

[@sarahluttrell8209]

I am doing a research paper of how teaching history needs to change to raise engagement among high school students. I loved what you said. Do you have any peer reviewed resources I can use to back your claim??

[@carlboniface9969]

I'm trying to get my head around this presentation. So kids who don't like history are suddenly going to wake up because smart phones are turned on during class when the exercise is boring. It has nothing to do with the fact that in order to learn the student has to engage and make the effort to concentrate? So by having technology and allowing the student to interact it will make the student more likely to engage and start or get involved in discussion forums with other students in other locations. In an ideal scenario that could be the case, but then we do not live in a perfect world so I prefer to go with live interaction via the teacher who is paid to provide an interesting while vibrant environment that enhances learning ability. Though the idea has some merit, I believe too much benefit is afforded social media and the negative consequences actually outweigh the benefits. I use it a lot, and quite frankly I’ve noticed my productivity is going downhill.

[@lewisbilly12353]

It sounds as if he has never had to deal with distractions in a class. Like he has never taught before.

[@SadafKhan-nv4ee]

i am a history teacher and i thank you for this talk

[@lewisbilly12353]

You shouldn't as the research shows he is identifiably wrong.

[@cajun221]

Great, but give more concrete examples... There's nothing solid here... Just a bunch of theories.

[@nelsontragura1441]

You can't have them all. Why not give your own Ted Talk then?

[@jamesnorris5778]

I am currently an aspiring History teacher (Hopefully at the high school level). I agree with a few things said here. I believe that that beauty in history is seeing how far we have come. How did the FDA come about, and what were the issues that existed that prompted the need for such an agency? The common method of teaching is something like..."The FDA was created in (Insert year here"...and memorize. That's great, but that seemingly useless fact does little to explain the importance of the agency and its creation. It would be impossible to fully understand the need for government regulation of certain industries without first studying the problems that existed in the past when said industries were free of regulation. JUST think of the implications that can have considering we are teaching the voters of tomorrow. Of course....this is just one example. End of rant.

[@ursulapierre8946]

I'm only watching this to help me go to sleep because it's 1am.

[@jasminekennedy6262]

Ursula Pierre 😂😂😂

[@helpiamstuckonthismanshead3385]

Same

[@seyramkartey3726]

can I get a paper on this talk? i would like to use it for one of my academic papers

[@lewisbilly12353]

I would caution against that, he provides few academic sources, and also lacks practical knowledge of teaching.

[@joseoswaldochavezvillar5597]

Does any of what you say have a baseline or comparative studies of history teaching? He says a lot without showing data that supports his proposals.

[@gillowens24]

my cousins uses a ipad in secondary school Do you agree with it ?

[@gavinlynch-frahill7979]

You don't need technology to tell a powerful story. With verbal debate it is easy to get shy students involved. You don't need Twitter to get students to talk. It's not just knowledge you are imparting but developing people who are confident. Social media bullying is a huge aspect in all schools. Google does not give the answer for what is your opinion on something. You give a good idealistic argument but it is not practical.

[@Thaheadband33]

How is it not practical?

[@Coggy69]

This. Thank you !

[@jaydisarray3602]

Seriously recommending Minecraft to teach kids

[@lewisbilly12353]

Not to mention you are giving an unmonitored distraction device and asking kids to use the most toxic social media.

[@austinconstantino2148]

Why do Ted Talk speakers all sound like they need a glass of water?

[@mowthpeece1]

They're nervous.

[@admashburn2543]

In light of recent studies about the dangers of social media, this talk has not aged well.

[@et734]

I’m going into education of History specifically and idk if I like the concept of making teachers use complicated technology and social media. Pen and paper is best

[@justinthompson8735]

A lot of talk. I am inspired as a history teacher. Sitting here ready for the Renaissance like *shrug*

[@VT-mw2zb]

The most interesting thing about history, to me, is not fact, figures, or things that happened. Or stupid technology to make it more "immersive". It's the process of historian piecing together the past through primary evidence. How to read a 10 centuries old scroll and figure out what happened? What do these archaeological evidences mean? We all know not all modern books are equal, so how do you rank the veracity of primary sources? When you read a line in a history book about what happened, what were the primary sources? Those are really the most interesting things, yet no schools taught that. They taught the secondary and tertiary sources. Only at university levels they teach how historians worked; and even so, quite sparsely.

[@Thaheadband33]

Why is technology stupid? How does technology impact our ability to read a 10 centuries old scroll and figure out what happened? It doesn't, it enhances it. It connects us to other schools of thought, apart from our own assumptions.

[@VT-mw2zb]

JJ Keller I ragged on the technological "advances" that supposedly make learning history more "immersive". Which really is unnecessary. What you are saying is technology facilitates communication, cross-referencing, and discussion. Which is really not teaching or learning. It's research. As a researcher, I agree. But it's not really good for teaching. What I think teaching need to do is to teach the student to use the tools and the brains available to do research on their own; not to use technology to spoon feed the students.

[@Thaheadband33]

You seem to have a very rigid definition of teaching. Where do you get the idea that teaching can't involve discussion and research? It absolutely should. Teaching shouldn't be one leader standing at the front of the class telling everyone else what to think, or even how to think. Studies show that that is not how people learn best. It should be collaborate and dicussion based, especially if that means students will be more engaged. Kids in lecture settings sit there and get absolutely nothing a lot of the time, and those that do get something retain it only as long as is required to pass the test, and then forget it forever. That's lazy, pointless education.

[@VT-mw2zb]

JJ Keller I've already said the best thing about history is the research and teaching should encourage student to do so. HOWEVER, what I ragged on about is the idea of technology being used for the "traditional" teaching (aka: your argument that I have a rigid definition of teaching)

[@jonathanlovesadventure7838]

Developing historical thinking was the main reason I switched from business to history. Developing primary source research an analysing skills is the best part about history. Having an open debate about why and how is what makes history alive. We can use twitter as a platform for students, but the way we teach history to high school students needs to be changed. We need to develop historical thinking and research skills. No other subject comes close to the endless possibilities of historical analysis and research. I wish I was teaching history right now. It is the subject I love and will continue to love all my life. I love German and want to continue to work on my Chinese. I am teaching English right now, and I just wish I was teaching history. I hope that American schools can see the value in history and what we do as historians. We do not need the teacher who has a free period to teach history. History at the high school level needs to be taught by passionate historians.

[@antonlombard7945]

How prescient, 5 years later!! Nostradamus in the making

[@35183116]

this is nothing new. students have had a problem with history for many years. yes technology can be good, but to much technology can be a negative.

[@johndeagle4389]

4,000 people died as a direct result of the smog. He says 12,000. Listen to 1:06.

[@lewisbilly12353]

Maybe he should focus on teaching an accurate and critical view of history. Teach what history is, a process, instead of entertaining with apps.

[@zzzheydon1422]

You want a Congo student to be able to collaborate with a student from the Netherlands? How can you reform education when some people don't even have the pen and notepad. Innovation is important I agree and whilst history should be taught to be more engaging and social media can be a method to achieve this you could have at least referenced how some people receive no education at all or never learn about their history. Think about the history we learn in schools - from my experience nationalistic and not a 'global history' - this is in my opinion a more important reformation that needs to take place. If you want to reduce people becoming disinterested in history teach them history that is relevant and relateable like your example of the London smog and how that relates to Beijing in the modern world. This does not need social media to do this the more important in my view is the content of history being taught rather than the exact methods used even if social media can be a useful tool in some circumstances

[@phaedrussmith1949]

Yes, unless it has enough “Bing-Zing-Wammy-Wow!!” it’s just boring! The “Bing-Zing-Wammy-Wow!!” factor is like an addictive drug, and like drugs builds up a tolerance so that the user needs more each time to get the same endorphin high. Kids in school are not necessarily bored because they do not have enough spectacle and entertainment-educational factors, they are board because the compulsory school system lacks authenticity and relevance. It’s to create a standardized citizenry, and regardless of what the nice young man speaking says, the new boss like the Larry Page’s of the world - are just like the old boss. No doubt the promises of Henry Ford and his ilk sounded pretty darned innovative and good to the proles of the early 21st Century, too but they don‘t hold up well. Nothing changes, the oligarchs just change the words and methods used to accomplish the same thing.

[@RetroCountryRules]

“Kids want to use social media so let them.” “They just Google the answers anyway.” In an already dumbed down nation & voting populace, I am afraid we have educators like this. To keep students from Googling answers you simply require them to answer open-ended questions. See, there are these things called “divergent” questions which are ungoogleable such as “what is freedom?” which require critical thinking/independent thought. I would love to know what % of his students using social media platforms to “learn” quickly complete his easy as pie task, then click back over after 20 seconds as soon as he turns to help attention-getting student to message their friend Makenzie about what they’re doing that night, or to sext their boyfriend. Smh. Really?

[@RetroCountryRules]

Yet I am not against using technology. It is amazing if used properly. But our young citizens cannot and will not solve their problems using some non-rigorous & simplistic form of social studies curriculum. Our voting block already cannot form conclusions outside of what their repeatedly told to think.

[@lewisbilly12353]

Also, everyone thinks they are an expert because they google things, despite google not really being an expert opinion. Also, most are not gonna google "hsit of the ottoman empire" and read it all. They google specific facts out of context. Context that hist class would have given.

[@Elijah__Don]

Teacher: so do you know this random fact in history? Student: uhhhhhhh Teacher: wow u don’t know Student: why can’t we just search this up on the internet? Teacher: uhhhh

[@agustidelgado9750]

Elijah Don 😂😂😂

[@aleenashafaat2295]

Yes this is valid point.. If students have google to see info on.. What's the need of the teacher then.?

[@lewisbilly12353]

@@aleenashafaat2295 Because of the low quality of info, and the lack of contextual knowledge in google. Also the lack of an analytical process to determine the validity of info. Also, I do not know if you have been to college, but analyzing academic sources is extremely important for college on top of understanding the context of them. Same goes for science. You wanna know how mitochondria work. But you have no idea what ATP is, or how electrons work, how natural selection works, what fermentation is, or how water works to cut hydrogen atoms off. But, you wanna understand the electron supply chain? Science teaches you the basics so you can look up the electron supply chain and possibly understand it. Same for facts in history, and also knowing that calling history a collection of facts goes against what hist even is, a critical analysis of historical sources.

[@Savannah-lr9vl]

I saw stuff from the history

[@4orza489]

anyone here from school XD

[@john197039]

History students need historical thinking skills not 21st Century skills.

[@Thaheadband33]

Why are they mutually exclusive? That's just restrictive, outdated thinking. There's no reason we can't utilize modern tools to learn about the past. Clearly the status quo isn't working for most students, they are either bored, or don't pay attention or get anything out of it.

[@john197039]

JJ Keller Technology is a crutch poor educators hobble around on rather than engaging their students. Yes students are bored but I assume you've observed how many history teachers actually teach the material? The problem is not having enough technology. The problem is boring teachers who don't make the material relevant to the students.

[@Thaheadband33]

Nonsense. Technology is a way to make the material more engaging. That's what the entire video is about. Did you even pay attention? Your one size fits all, prescriptive bullshit is what's wrong with education.

[@john197039]

JJ Keller In your argument you've called me old and outdated. You've questioned my comprehension skills and used profanity. Are you a shining example of the type of thinking we should expect from your modern classrooms?

[@jenniferknechtmann1936]

True, they are not mutually exclusive, but the Ted Talk speaker acted like they were. He also was void of really any substantive ideas too other than use twitter to discuss history in class and collaborate between students of different nations. Regarding twitter and social media as a tool for learning, it has its place in education, but in and of itself it is not going to make the subject anymore interesting to an individual.

[@pinomiraglia8256]

💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫

[@pepperino-hotterino]

Minecraft not Mindcraft!

[@prakashsingh51]

Any Indian history context

[@lkuhl2003]

This individual is like many pushing for technology in schools - He's not a teacher.

[@thattimestampguy]

MINECRAFT

[@christophersalinas2722]

It’s sad that you have very few jobs as a historian,

[@lewisbilly12353]

Well, he kind of ignored the history part. History has a process, and technology can kind of help but it does not change that process much. Analyze primary sources.

[@jimsbond03]

Most people in the comment section has cultural lag. The reason for his rebirth in teaching comes from your boring expository lectures. Of course old people won't accept the fact that they are BORING!

[@jasonfenton8250]

James Leo Mayol Quite an ego you've got there!