History Pin
History Pin is a public history platform designed to facilitate community storytelling. It is quite well suited for this type of pedagogy because mapping is an inherent feature to the platform, unlike WordPress or Weebly, which are designed more for blogging. Unlike Instagram, students can easily post and view entries from a desktop computer, reducing the barriers for students who don't have smartphones. Unlike various popular social media, using History Pin does not require students to commit their online identities to classroom exercises.
History Pin is just one possible platform for these types of assignments. Any potential platform should have the following:
History Pin is just one possible platform for these types of assignments. Any potential platform should have the following:
- A map interface that is automatically updated with each submission
- Support for image uploads, as well as video and sound
- Individual avatars and support for commenting on entries
Getting Started
Setting Up
Visit historypin.org and click "Join" at the top right of the screen. This will launch a pop-up where you can select how you want to create an account. I just used my email, but you can link your History Pin account to Twitter or Facebook as well. Once you join, you can fill out your profile.
Next, you'll want to create a group for your class. On the profile page, click "Start a Collection" to the right. Once you have created the collection, you can share the link with your students along with instructions on posting to it.
Next, you'll want to create a group for your class. On the profile page, click "Start a Collection" to the right. Once you have created the collection, you can share the link with your students along with instructions on posting to it.
Posting Procedure
Posting a pin is fairly simple, akin to posting a blog entry in WordPress. In the main screen of the class collection, click "Add a pin to ________." This leads to the posting screen, where you enter pertinent information.
Photos, videos, and sound can be selected and uploaded from a computer. If using the mobile site, you must be sure to orient the photo correctly in the camera roll or photo browser before uploading. Title and description are self-explanatory.
Photos, videos, and sound can be selected and uploaded from a computer. If using the mobile site, you must be sure to orient the photo correctly in the camera roll or photo browser before uploading. Title and description are self-explanatory.
One handy feature is link embedding. To embed a link directly in the post requires no special code, simply pasting the link on its own line. For example, what appears on the left in editing mode becomes the embedded links visible on the right.
Below the description fields, students can select the permissions associated with their work. (As an aside, this is a good opportunity to discuss intellectual property issues.) But the most important element that separates this platform from WordPress or Tumblr is the native mapping element. The map pin will default to the UK, but can be placed anywhere. The translucent circle surrounding the pin can also be resized to the scale of the site.
Things to Note
- Privacy. Currently, History Pin does not have support for making groups private. Students should be aware of this fact, and should not include excessive personal information in their profiles. By the same token, the public nature of the site gives it a degree of gravity - students are contributing to the public record.
- Academic honesty. It is theoretically possible for students to simply copy an existing entry as their own work. However, it is quite simple to trace the entry by leaving the "group view" and looking at the main site. The pin would appear in the same location with the same text.
- Clutter. Because History Pin is a public site, it is important to leave it in better condition than when your class project began. At the end of the term, students should delete any pins that aren't significant enough to merit permanent addition to the public collection. As above, this should have the positive effect of encouraging students to take their work seriously.
- Course management integration. It is quite simple to embed History Pin in a course management site like Canvas using the pink "Share" button in the right-hand column on the site, but beyond this there is no direct integration mechanism. This can lead to difficulties when it comes to assessing student work. However, students can submit the URL of their pin to satisfy an assignment in the course management site, thus linking the assignment to History Pin for rapid grading by the instructor.