What Does Freedom Mean to You? A Veteran's Oral History Project
December 10, 2010
10-11 a.m.

More information, participation requirements, program resources

What Does Freedom Mean to You? Through exploration of veterans’ stories, students from five high schools compiled original multimedia productions that answered this question. This unique, collaborative project provided an authentic venue for students to explore the concept of freedom through oral history. Below are the elements of this educational opportunity for students in grades 10-12, especially American History or Video Production students.

November 8, 2010, 3-5 p.m. - Teachers involved in the program participated in an innovative IVDL professional development session created by the Library of Congress, which helped them focus their students’ questions and research as they gathered veterans’ stories from their own community.

November 9-December 4, 2010 - Student Collaborative Oral History Project Work. Following the professional development videoconference, teachers and students worked together to profile one or more veterans from their community in a 3-5 minute multimedia production that explored the question: What Does Freedom Mean to You?

December 5, 2010 - Deadline to upload video projects December 10, 2010, 10-11 a.m. - What Does Freedom Mean to You? LIVE Videoconference and Webcast. The month-long project concluded with a live, interactive videoconference. Melissa Higgs-Horwell moderated the session. Paul La Rue, social studies teacher at Washington High School, Washington Court House City Schools, helped plan the curriculum and his students participated.

	Webstream (available December 10, 2010). Be sure to click on the What Does Freedom program link. And share the link with your friends, colleagues and family members! Anyone watching the link will be asked to submit their questions via Poll Everywhere.
	Location Poll. Watching the webstream? Use the link to submit the name of your school (if applicable), city and state. Or, text 47884 and your message to 37607.
	General Questions. Use the link to submit them via the Web. Or, text 48105 and your message to 37607.
	What Does Freedom Mean to YOU? Tell us what freedom means to you! Use the link to submit your answers. Or, text 48847 and your response to 37607.

Participating schools included Penta Career Center, Perrysburg; Pocono Mountain East High School, Swiftwater, Penna.; Wallenpaupack Area School District, Hawley, Penna.; Washington High School, Washington Court House; and Western High School, Peebles. Students from each school shared their 3-5 minute video projects and virtually met the veterans that inspired them. Other schools are welcome to view the recorded webcast of the conference and submit questions or comments.

Collaborating partners with INFOhio included eTech Ohio, MAGPI, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, OARnet, and the American Folklife Center, Veterans History Project and the Digital Reference Section at the Library of Congress.

Internet2^® is the foremost U.S. advanced networking consortium. Internet2 promotes the missions of its members by providing both leading-edge network capabilities and unique partnership opportunities that together facilitate the development, deployment and use of revolutionary Internet technologies. Internet2 empowers institutions and innovators from primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, libraries, and museums to collaborate in using new technologies, applications and content quickly and effectively. The Internet2 community participates in online social network sites and conferences that enhance communication and collaboration for members.