by How have digital tools made it easier to teach about and help our audience(s) engage with the past?
Technology and digital history have made it easier now more than ever to connect with history and engage with the past in ways that were not possible before. Digital tools such as data visualizations, interactive maps, and digital exhibits come to mind as tools that have made it easier to engage with the past and to share these stories through teaching. These tools can be used solely or in combination to create whole digital projects to teach about a specific event or place in history, which can be used in any classroom with access to the internet. These digital projects are also an opportunity for museums and historic sites to have their visitors engage with their historical content in ways that were not possible even 20 years ago. These digital tools can also help learners and visitors engage with the historical content in different ways, the tools open the door to reach all types of learners. Another way these digital tools aid in learners engaging with the past is through access. Now learners have access to many different historical stories with an internet connection. Learners can explore primary source material in a new way, by being able to access the material digitally. This digital access breaks down the barrier of accessing source material in the traditional way of going to an archive, which is not feasible for most people. Wherever someone has an internet connection, now they too have access to thousands of digitized materials. Teachers can use this access in their classrooms to share many different types of primary sources and how to use those primary sources to critically think about history. Digital tools have made it possible to explore and engage with the past in new and exciting ways to reach all types of learners.
