Kali Alford

Dr. Julia Moore

Summer 2013
Online Supplemental Social Studies Elective Course for African Studies

Setting and Context

The capstone will be created alongside the instruction of my actual African Studies
Course located at Riverwood International School. The goal of the project is to create an online
resource for teachers to access information regarding the history of the African continent to
supplement current Georgia World History standards. The project can further be utilized to
ensure that future teachers instructing the African Studies course at Riverwood will have the
resources needed to offer a rich survey of the subject matter. Permission has been granted to
design this resource by the Riverwood Principal and Social Studies Coordinator of Fulton
County Schools.

Problem and Rationale

On a localized level this idea was created after I was given the opportunity to teach an
African Studies course at Riverwood International Charter School. There was not much structure
to the previous versions of the course in terms of cohesive standards or learning objectives. After
developing the course, I suggested offering the course at other high schools to build county wide
equity in Humanity courses offered to students. The idea to create an online course for students
and/or teachers to gain a better understanding of African history and culture in order to teach a
rich offering of the course at their respective schools.
In recent years there has been an increase in the amount of online courses. DaCosta
(2010) attributes this to advances in technology and an expansion of the access to different media
through the internet. The enhancements of many major course management systems on
instructional practices include collaboration and communication, content creation and delivery,
administrative tools, learning tools, and assessment tools (Online Learning, 2005). All of these

elements can aid tremendously in the instruction of the course or the creation of a stationary
medium to collect resources.

Objectives/ Deliverables
The objective of creating a program of online elective classes is to offer students more
choice to give them a more holistic understanding of the Social Science classes that they are
offered at their schools. Often in public high schools Social Studies teachers are hired to teach
US History, World History, and Economics. There is not much opportunity for or consideration
given to the idea of what other courses they can possess the capability to teach besides those that
are required by the state. It is my hope that schools can offer Social Studies elective courses to
complement required Social Studies courses. The courses would be offered through the Canvas
Learning Management System. It will consist of 10 modules comprised of online lectures,
videos, activities, quizzes, and formative assessments. The 10 modules are listed below:
Unit 1

Perceptions/ Misconceptions

The student will investigate the origins of misconceptions and perceptions of the African continent and the cultures therein between the
15th century and modern day.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Unit 2

Assess modern media, movies, and textbooks for bias and Ethnocentrism.
Compare and contrast the European depictions of Africans before and after the Renaissance.
Evaluate the importance of maps and the role of cartographers in the historical inaccuracies of the African continent.
Determine the purpose behind the creation RACE and identify the effects it had on the African continent.

Empires/ Contact with Europe

The student will identify the political structures and most notable African Empires that existed prior to major European contact.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Unit 3

Explain and examine people without Empire in pre-colonial Africa.

Describe and explain the empires of Ghana, Mali, Songhai and their culture, political structure, and patterns of growth.
Investigate the remnants of Great Zimbabwe and what evaluate the validity of current theories about the empire.
Distinguish and compare the various Swahili Kingdoms.

Religion and Gender in Africa

The student will explain and examine the spread of Christianity and Islam into Africa and the lasting impacts these religions had on
African culture.
a.
b.

Indentify and compare characteristics of various indigenous religions present in Africa.

Trace and tabulate the spread of Christianity and Islam throughout African from Southwest Asia.

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c.
Unit 4

Evaluate the effects Christianity and Islam had on indigenous African religions and the roles of women.
Captivity and Slave Trades

The student will analyze and examine the establishment of the Trans-Saharan, Trans-Atlantic, and Indian Ocean mass slave trade
systems and compare them to the prior institutions of servitude present in Africa.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Unit 5

Examine specific examples and practices of indigenous servitude systems present in Africa prior to mass slave systems
Describe the transition from gold and spices to humans as the main commodities in the Trans-Saharan trade system.
Examine the origins of the Trans Atlantic slave systems and evaluate the various roles that Europeans and Africans played in the
system as well as describe the practices of slave traders and the treatment of slaves in relation to the Middle Passage.
Describe the economic relations between the Swahili kingdoms of East Africa and nations in Indian Ocean and South Asia.
African Diaspora

_____

The student will examine various destinations of Africans in the slave trade, the cultural exchanges that have taken place, and the
cultures that have developed.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Unit 6

Examine the North American plantation system and the role of enslaved Africans.
Investigate various case studies of slave systems in Brazil and the Caribbean and the African response.
Examine the motivations of the various ethno-political divides that were created in Brazil and the Caribbean.
Identify and explain Africanisms present in Indian Ocean and South Asian cultures

Colonialism

The student will analyze the period of European colonization of Africa by examining the various perspectives of the colonizing powers
and the colonized peoples of Africa.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Unit 7

Describe the provisions and parameters for the partitioning of Africa during the Berlin Conference.
Examine the political, social, and economic motivations behind the European colonization of Africa.
Identify the various types of colonization practiced in African and investigate their role in the current state of various African nations.
Describe the treatment African people by colonizing powers and methods of subjugation.
Africa and the World Wars

__

The student will learn about Africas relevance in both World Wars and the impact of the wars on various regions of Africa.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Describe the methods of recruitment by the various colonial powers during World War I.
Examine the allocation of Germanys colonies following the conclusion of World War I.
Explain the significance and strategic relevance of World War II battles in Africa.
Investigate the ties of service in the World Wars to decolonization and colonization resistance movements.

Unit 8

Decolonization/ Freedom Movements

The student will explore various freedom movements throughout Africa that contributed to decolonization.
a.
b.
c.

Consider African Nationalism by examining the writings and perspectives of Kwame Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta, and Hastings Banda.
Compare and contrast the Pan African ideologies of the Eight African State African Conference, Casablanca Group, and the Monrovia
Group
Investigate the motivations behind, implementation, and response to the institution of apartheid in South Africa.

Unit 9

Cold War & Contemporary Issues

The student will examine the remnants of colonialism and investigate the roles of Soviet Russia and the United States in post-colonial Africa.
a.
b.

Investigate the Congo crisis (1960-1965) and United States response to Soviet involvement in the Congo.
Explore the influences and interest of Cuba, the Soviet Union, South Africa, and the United States in the Angolan Civil War

Unit 10

Africas Contribution to the Global Community

The student will consider Africas contributions to the global community and examine Africas current state in the global economy.
a.

Canvass African movements of art, music, and literature, present on the global stage and examine their continental influences.

b.

Reflect upon Africas place in World History and infer about the economic, social, and political future of the continent.

Standards
ISTE Coaching Standards

4. Professional development and program evaluation

Technology coaches conduct needs assessments, develop technology-related professional
learning programs, and evaluate the impact on instructional practice and student learning.
a. Conduct needs assessments to inform the content and delivery of technology-related
professional learning programs that result in a positive impact on student learning.
b. Design, develop, and implement technology rich professional learning programs that
model principles of adult learning and promote digital age best practices in teaching,
learning, and assessment.
c. valuate results of professional learning programs to determine the effectiveness on
deepening teacher content knowledge, improving teacher pedagogical skills and/or
increasing student learning.

5. Content knowledge and professional growth

Technology coaches demonstrate professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions in content,
pedagogical, and technological areas as well as adult learning and leadership and are
continuously deepening their knowledge and expertise.
a. Engage in continual learning to deepen content and pedagogical knowledge in
technology integration and current and emerging technologies necessary to effectively
implement the StandardsS and StandardsT
b. Engage in continuous learning to deepen professional knowledge, skills, and
dispositions in organizational change and leadership, project management, and adult
learning to improve professional practice
c. Regularly evaluate and reflect on their professional practice and dispositions to
improve and strengthen their ability to effectively model and facilitate technology
enhanced learning experiences

ISTE Teaching Standards

1. Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity

Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to
facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-toface and virtual environments.
a. Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
b. Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital
tools and resources
c. Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students conceptual
understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes
d. Model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students,
colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments

2. Design and develop digital age learning experiences and

assessments
Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments
incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to
develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the StandardsS.
a. Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to
promote student learning and creativity
b. Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their
individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals,
managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress
c. Customize and personalize learning activities to address students diverse learning styles,
working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources
d. Provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with
content and technology standards, and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching

3. Model digital age work and learning

Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative
professional in a global and digital society.
a. Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new
technologies and situations
b. Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and
resources to support student success and innovation
c. Communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a
variety of digital age media and formats
d. Model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze,
evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning

4. Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility

Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital
culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices.
a. Advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology,
including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of
sources
b. Address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing
equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources
c. Promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of
technology and information
d. Develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues
and students of other cultures using digital age communication and collaboration tools

5. Engage in professional growth and leadership

Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit
leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the
effective use of digital tools and resources.
a. Participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of
technology to improve student learning
b. Exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared
decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of
others
c. Evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make
effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning
d. Contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of
their school and community

Product Description
Narrative
A course consisting of ten modules will be created using Canvas Learning Management System.
Each module will be aligned to the above objectives and will include online lectures,
assignments, web links, and interactive videos. Eventually the course will be presented to the
county chair for Social Studies to be adapted to a system level for teachers to access. The course
can be used as an elective for students or a resource for teachers to add a richer telling of African
History to their World History Courses.

Time Frame

Month
NovemberDecember

January

February

March

Actions Taken
Development of course objectives and
familiarization with Canvas platform.

Hours
10 Hours

Demo with Canvas representative

2 Hours

Re-examine course objectives and pre-created

lessons after Canvas Demo

Total.12 Hours
5 hours

Collection and transfer of resources for

modules 1-3

10 Hours

Creation of module 1-3 in Canvas platform

7 Hours

Collection and transfer of resource for modules 4-5

Total.22 Hours
10 Hours

Creation of modules 4-5 in Canvas platform

7 Hours

Collection and transfer of resource for modules 6-7

Total.....17 Hours
10 Hours

Creation of modules 6-7 in Canvas platform

7 Hours
Total.....17 Hours

April

May

June

Collection and transfer of resource for modules 8-9

10 Hours

Creation of modules 8-9 in Canvas platform

7 Hours

Collection and transfer of resource for module 10

Total.....17 Hours
10 Hours

Creation of modules 10 in Canvas platform

7 Hours

Presentation with county Social Studies Chair

Total.....17 Hours
2 Hours

Total..2 Hours
Total Hours
104 Hours

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Resources
Computer
Canvas Learning Management System
Teacher Subscription
Canvas LMS Tutorials
Demonstration by Canvas Representative
Course Content and Resources

Evalutation
Narrative
The objective of this project is to create equity amongst Fulton County Schools course offerings.
This can be accomplished one of several ways: first, by extending the course to other schools in
an online format for students to take; and. secondly, by using the course as a professional
development resource for teachers to expand their content knowledge. Both of which will be
decided following a meeting with the Fulton County Humanities Chair. Evaluation of the
effectiveness of the courses would be completed utilizing the module assessment for students and
teachers, or completion surveys for teachers.

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Resources
Online Learning. (2005). Online Learning: Concepts, Strategies and Application [Electronic
Version]. Retrieved from http://www.prenhall.com/dabbagh/ollresources/resources9.html
Seok, S., DaCosta, B., Kinsell, C., & Tung, C. K. (2010). Comparison Of Instructors' And
Students' Perceptions of The Effectiveness of Online Courses. Quarterly Review of
Distance Education, 11(1), 25-36,59-60. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/613677591?accountid=11824