Textbooks commonly use timelines to visually display chronological information, allowing an alternative way for students to understand content. There may also be times when it is helpful for students to create timelines themselves to enhance or present their understanding of the material. The timeline can be used to contextualize the cultural, political, and historical events that surround the topic, helping them visualize and understand the course content within different frameworks. “Interactive timelines support visually rich displays of information—text, images, multimedia, hyperlinks, even geospatial data—using spatial arrangements, categories, and color schemes to convey meaning, which make them ideal platforms for achieving a variety of course goals and objectives” (Picard & Bruff, 2016).
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For example, students reading the novel All Quiet on the Western Front, set during World War I, will derive more meaning from the text if they can contextualize the story within the framework of the chronological events surrounding World War I. The whole class or smaller groups can collaborate on a timeline that will make those connections. The students can embed their own research in the timeline with links to images, propaganda, videos, newspaper articles, and even their own essays.
While there are many tools available for creating timelines, Google Docs is easy to use and accessible to all U-M students. It also allows students to collaborate in groups or as a whole class to contribute to the timeline. Timelines can be created using the Google Docs “Drawing” tool, which makes it easy to add and align lines, arrows, and text boxes. The timeline becomes “interactive” when students add links to their supporting resources. The Google Doc can also be embedded on a Canvas page, making it easier to access. For instructions about how to use the drawing tool, visit How to create, insert, and edit drawings in Google Docs.
Business Insider also has some helpful, step-by step instructions for “How to Make a Timeline on Google Docs.”
Interactive timelines can be an excellent way for students to contribute to course content and develop a historical and contextual understanding of the material. If you’re interested in using them in your course, the LSA Learning and Teaching Consultants will be happy to help you refine the assignment! You can email us at [email protected], or request a consultation here.
References
Picard, D., & Bruff, D. (2016) Digital timelines. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. Retrieved June 2021 from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/digital-timelines/
