The authors of the projects #Romanovs100 and #1917LIVE took part in one of the largest educational festivals in the USA SXSW EDU. During the seminar they spoke about innovative approaches to the presentation of the material, which increase the interest of his readers to the story. In addition, the project team noted the importance of using new technologies, including virtual and augmented reality in the educational process.
- © @Romanovs100
The authors of the projects RT #Romanovs100 and #1917LIVE held a seminar on one of the largest American educational festivals SXSW EDU held in Austin, Texas. They described how the social network and flow of information can inspire people to study history.
A chat with the team, running educational projects #Romanovs100 and #1917LIVE, came dozens of guests. It was about converting a regular learning material in a fun and interactive format, including with the use of technologies of virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR), and thus increase the interest in historical events.
“Amazing how much valuable feedback we have received from numerous educators, innovators, developers, which are suitable to our stand”, said creative Director of the project Kirill Karnovich-valua.
“People are struck innovative approach to the presentation of historical events in the framework of our projects, many people want to talk about #1917LIVE and #Romanovs100 in their classrooms”, he added.
Presented projects to tell about the revolutionary events of 1917 that ended the monarchy in Russia, but from different points of view. #1917LIVE — mass Twitter-project, people were microblogging behalf of a variety of real participants in the events: it is working, and the Emperor, the police and the Bolsheviks. #Romanovs100 dedicated to the personal life of Nicholas II and his family.
In both projects the main working platform became a social network that allowed us to place the story in a completely new space. Reconstruction of the events of a century ago took place at the user’s mobile device in real time, allowing you to feel their rapid dynamics.
“I consider myself a big fan of history, but about the revolution in Russia and the Romanovs I know little. Projects #1917LIVE and Romanovs100 definitely prompted in me a desire to know more. They also may have an impact on others who study history!” — wrote in his Twitter Director of one of the schools in Ontario Peter LeBlanc.
I’m a self-professed history geek but know little about the Russian Revolution or The Romanovs. The #1917LIVE & #Romanovs100 projects have certainly piqued my interest to learn more. I imagine they might do the same for other students of history!! #SWSWEdupic.twitter.com/sZujCq7Yz6
— Peter J. LeBlanc (@LeBlancPeter) March 5, 2019
The speakers included historian Helen Rappaport, and artist Marina Amaral, who stressed the importance of social networks and skillfully constructed narrative for modern education. In a world where we are increasingly surrounded by screens, we need something to catch people’s attention, so he has taken a personal interest.
“Give people so many reports that they loved the story, but after seeing old photos in color, which allowed them to stay in touch with events, I’m happy. But it also speaks to the availability of technology that can help us to feel these events more fully,” — said in a video message Amaral.
The artist painted archival photo for #1917LIVE and #Romanovs100. His works, she shares regularly on Twitter and noted that she repeatedly addressed as adolescents with a request to recommend history books and teachers who wish to use her work in the classroom for discussion, “which before were not”.
Historian Helen Rappaport for both projects was in charge of Twitter microblogging total of four daughters of Nicholas II. According to her, today’s youth may find the story boring, but this problem is solved by the resourcefulness in the presentation of the material.
“Can you read ordinary history books, in which events in Russia are considered from positions of the Emperor or of politicians, but I try to focus on the NARRATIVE without sacrificing the dynamics of the story hard for the submission chronology,” said Rappaport to the question of audience.
“When you look at these private family pictures of the Romanovs, see how in this family reigned affection and love to each other. Begin to discover their personal history. This allowed me a completely different look at the events that affect their lives. I’m not so much interested in the usual trappings of the monarchy device that you want to know what kind of people the Romanovs were in fact, what were you thinking about, striving for, what was it like in their daily private life. All of it filled to study their history a new meaning,” added Rappaport.
Project #1917LIVE, many awards, was held on Twitter for one year — 2017. Any user can join, to choose a historical figure and with her “experience” the revolution, making Twitter as if modern social media existed 100 years ago. By the end of the project all accounts, the community had 250 thousand subscribers, including students, historians, scientists and teachers.
“#Romanovs100 and #1917LIVE pushing the boundaries of how to “revive” history in the classroom and beyond. This is an incredibly complete projects in social networks, which refract the story in a new media form,” he wrote on Twitter directed and produced various documentary projects Lisa Lightborn.
#romanovs100 and #1917LIVE are pushing the limits of bringing history to life in and out of the classroom. Insanely comprehensive social media projects that “remediatize” history. #sxswedu#SXSWEDU2019@SXSWEDUpic.twitter.com/c7MGfOQakX
— Lisa Lightbourn (@lilight) March 5, 2019
This was followed by project #Romanovs100, which was already in four social networks and have focused the last decade of the Russian Empire through the lens of the Romanov family. The manner of presentation, format and content for each platform was his. Here you can find a short documentary video, original music, panoramic photographs of a century ago for mobile devices, the competition of creative works, blogs in real time from the faces of historical figures, VR animation, and AR-photo album.
The team thanks all who voted for these projects and made this seminar possible. Our bid was one of a thousand of which were eventually selected 280 on a variety of topics: from informal education to new technologies, civil activity of students and so on.