IWitness endorsed by ISTE, TeachersFirst: Award-winning website gains traction in education world

Thu, 12/20/2012 - 12:00am

After being honored as one of this year’s “Best Websites for Teaching and Learning” by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), the Institute’s IWitness website continues to receive major education endorsements.

Currently in beta, IWitness provides teachers and students with online access to more than 1,300 searchable interviews with Holocaust survivors and eyewitnesses, along with learning activities and a video editor for creating classroom lessons and video projects. Originally unveiled at the United Nations in January and was honored by the AASL in June. Now, IWitness has received the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)’s Seal of Alignment for Proficiency, indicating that it supports ISTE National Education Technology Standards. Additionally, The Source for Learning now includes IWitness on its TeachersFirst website, a “rich collection of lessons, units, and web resources” reviewed by experienced educators.

“This is one of the most thought-provoking offerings I have seen pass across my computer in months,” said Candace Hackett Shively, Director of K-12 Initiatives for The Source for Learning. “As a 27-year teaching veteran, it excites me to see such a powerful ‘voice’ for history that is so distant for students today.”

By integrating testimony-based education with the development of digital literacy and other 21st-century competencies, IWitness encourages critical thinking and self-reflection, and helps students get a sense of their own place in history and of the profound impact their words and actions can have on the lives of others. As of December 1, 2,331 teachers and more than 6,100 students have registered for IWitness. Register