Student opinions on the place of digital media in history education

Kamuran Özdemir

African Educational Research Journal
Published: September 28 2023
Volume 11, Issue 3
Pages 530-540
DOI: https://doi.org/10.30918/AERJ.113.23.087

Abstract

The age of digital media has gradually changed our habits of accessing information and the knowledge we have. The learning habits of students and the way they access information have also changed. Reflecting on this fact, the main purpose of this research is to determine the reflection of this change in history education and students. The main problem question of this study was “What are students' views on the place of digital media in history education?” The study group of the research consisted of 25 ninth-grade students who were determined randomly and on a voluntary basis. The researcher conducted this study in his/her classes. Therefore, he/she knew the students' educational and social backgrounds. However, since students from homogeneous classes with similar success levels and grade point averages were included in the study, according to the information received from other teachers, students’ success level was considered equal in practice. Additionally, students are admitted to this high school, where the study was conducted, based on a national test. For this reason, the study was conducted with students with equal success levels. Study data were collected using a semi-structured interview form designed by the researcher. Firstly, what the students who made up the study group understood from digital media was questioned. Then, the place and role of digital media in history education were questioned, and the benefits of using digital media tools, such as software, digital photographs, digital images or videos, websites, social media, digital data, mobile applications, blog articles, and electronic books, newspapers, and magazines, in history education, were tried to be determined. Since instant access to information was considered the main goal, it was determined that students confirmed the accuracy of the information they got by asking their teachers. In this study, it was determined that students mostly used digital media to watch videos about course topics. Ease of access to information was seen as the most important benefit of using digital media tools in lessons. It was concluded in the study that encourages students to use their digital gains for their education rather than using them in an uncontrolled way would be important in terms of directing the utilization of time and energy correctly.

Keywords: Digital media, digital literacy, history education, history course.

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