How did Gutenberg change the world?
The Arab Spring, Black Lives Matter, the 2016 Presidential Campaign, are all recent events, which were driven by social media. Though Twitter was only recently invented, the movement of technology-driven mass communication began in the mid-1400s when Johannes Gutenberg invented movable type and the printing press. This inquiry unit focuses on the technology of mass communication, beginning with paper, typeset, and the printing press, and ending with social media apps like Twitter. Students analyze the connections between mass communication technology and the dissemination of ideas that promote social, cultural, political and economic change.
IEEE REACH creates free units of study, following the Inquiry Design Model, that engage your students in an exploration of the interaction of technology and history. Our C3 units span the spectrum of history from Athenian triremes to military drones, all while honing historical thinking skills like document analysis and persuasive writing. Every unit is the product of professional research by historians of engineering and technology adapted for high school students by experienced educators – and everything we offer is free to teachers and their students!
Technology is an integral part of history. It didn’t start with STEM – it’s been there all along. No matter your level of technological understanding, you can bring the stories of technology and engineering into your history classes with IEEE REACH. Registration is easy, fast, and everything is FREE! Create an account today, and bring technology and history together in your classroom – just like it is in real life!
To download this unit, or any of the free REACH resources, click on the link below and share with your class today!
