Cutting-Edge Technology Teaches Lessons about World War I

During the upcoming National History Day Finals, The Doughboy Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to World War I education, will be on hand to demonstrate the power of augmented reality (AR) to immerse history lovers in WWI. Using the Foundation’s Augmented Reality Apps, attendees registering on June 11 for the National History Day Finals week can explore life-sized WWI-era aircraft and giant timelines right in the registration hall at the University of Maryland, College Park.

“It can be a challenge to engage students in lessons about events that happened more than a century ago,” said Theo Mayer, chief technologist/program lead for the Doughboy Foundation. “Making the subject experiential and interactive through smartphones and tablets that use the power of AR brings the subject of World War I to life for today’s students.”

While National History Day participants will get a personal introduction to the WWI Teaching Resources, educators anywhere in the country can use them to bring history to life. Using the resources, made available through Verizon Innovative Learning HQ, educators and students can immerse themselves in WWI history. They can experience the wide-reaching effects of the war by viewing it in the context of women’s rights, immigrants’ experiences, Black and Native Americans struggles, propaganda, and the Bill of Rights.

In addition to the augmented reality apps, the WWI Teaching Resources include a series of documentaries called “How WWI Changed America,” a 20-page eBook called “The United States in WWI,” a wealth of primary sources, student worksheets, and teacher guides.

“With so much edtech focused on STEM and STEAM subjects, we’re excited to bring these engaging, contemporary, resources to humanities and history education,” added Mayer. “Whether teachers are attending National History Day or planning their lessons for next year, we would be honored to see them take advantage of these immersive, free resources to bring life to a period of American history that continues to be deeply relevant today.”

For more information, or to access the WWI Teaching Resources, please visit Doughboy.org.

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