History on Line (HOL)

The progressive affirmation of digital historiography is introducing a significant opportunity for revision of traditional methods of historical research, teaching and learning. The digitalisation of printed documents and texts allows them to be easily consulted at distance. It becomes possible to develop a studying and teaching of history approach based on the direct access to the sources, beside the more traditional methodology oriented exclusively to printed manuals, that explain the sources without making possible to view them directly. Objectives The project has the following main objectives: Facilitate the availability and reproduction of historical sources and interpretative materials (original documents, films, photos, classic text etc.) through their gathering and accessibility through Internet based Data Bases and specifically built up research engines. Promote integration between University history professors researchers, and students of different European countries involving them in a common effort for the development of an Internet Portal that will become the common point of reference for the innovation of materials and methodologies for history studying, teaching and writing. Offer new methods and e-learning materials for history studying and writing that exploiting ICT potential in terms of interactivity and accessibility of the materials, enhances an autonomous process of understanding history events and issues of the reader, through the possibility to verify the interpretation of the sources made by the writer, by accessing them directly. Target Groups The target groups are University history professors, researchers and students. Some will be directly involved in the creation of the project results. In each of the 7 countries involved in the project: Italy (2 partners), Germany (2 partners), France, Greece, Spain, Romania, Turkey, a team of at least 8 among University professors, researchers and students has been created. Activities The main activities of the History On Line project are: 1. Creation of the Project Portal technical structure and contents. 2. Creation of 2 Database collecting and making available sources on the History of Education. 3. Creation of a comprehensive transnational Webliography and Bibliography 4. Development of a training package, organised in simple and flexible e-learning modules, focusing on the theme on how to use ICT and digital sources for the studying of History. 5. Exploitation of the Portal, during which the workgroups will have the task to create an historical essay using the sources available on the Portal in order to suggest an historical interpretation of a chosen event. The essay will be created as hypertext and providing a direct link between the sources used and their interpretation. Expected Results The main project result is the History On Line Project Portal that makes available, with an user friendly interface, all the project results. The Portal is also a point of reference for the project management, making available for all partners the relevant documents and forms fot the carrying out of the project activities. The Project Portal is structured in 4 main sections: The Project – Containing all the information about the project, the documents and tools needed by the partners to carry out the project activities, the dissemination section giving evidence of all the dissemination activities carried out by the partners, the work in progress section giving evidence of the activities carried out by each partner. Building History On Line – Containing: A)The first Database focused on the Classics of education of each of the 7 countries. B) The second Database where each partner makes available the sources on history of education (e.g. School Manuals, School regulations, Educational system organization laws, Photos, Museum) collected. C) A complete transnational Webliography, collecting and presenting the existing websites focusing on History of Education. D) A complete Transnational Bibliography, collecting and presenting Bibliographical references on History of Education Studying History On Line – Hosting the training package developed by the partnership, focused on the exploitation of ICT for History studying, teaching and writing. Writing History On Line – Collecting the historical Essays that each partner will produce, in order to provide an historical interpretation of a specific theme, through the direct link and availability between the sources used and their interpretation.