Digital Timelines

In history classes chronological, thematic and spatial dimensions constantly converge. For students it is not always easy to get an overview of events and see the historical frame of reference. The traditional didactic instrument that has been used by teachers and historians to overcome this is the timeline. However, this important instrument, especially in its analog form, has certain limitations, both practical (format for example) and didactic (lack of interactiveness). The IPG and the history department investigated the possibility of developing new and interactive digital timelines that aid teaching and research.

www.tijdlijn.ugent.be

The aim of this project was to adapt existing digital, open-source applications so that they could be used, by students and teachers, to organize information chronologically, thematically and spatially, in a flexible and dynamic way. As a test case we chose to use this application for the course ‘Modern and Contemporary History’ which is taken by approximately 300 bachelor level history students at Ghent University as well as by numerous other students from different fields. The time line had a double goal:

(1) A teaching instrument.

The main idea behind the project was that the visualization of ‘items’ (data) on a timeline helps students to better understand and grasp the material. Transforming linear text from a book into ‘items’ on a timeline involves an intensive process of selection and interpretation. In a way, the activity of constructing the timeline is more important that the result. The goal is not to create the 'ideal’ timeline, rather it is to determine how to best guide students in the construction of timelines and enhance their learning process.

(2) Unlocking educational material

The second goal of the project was to research how visual material (pictures, maps, image and sound fragments, documents) could best be integrated into the timeline.

Available to everyone

www.tijdlijn.ugent.be is a free online tool to make your own timelines, open to everyone. The timeline tool is a teaching instrument in the first place. It allows the user to visualize chronological, thematic and spatial dimensions of history and construe a historical frame of reference. (read Waarom een digitale tijdlijn?). 

The timeline tool was developed as a learning instrument for bachelor students of History. Yet, the online tool is available for all teachers, courses and other individual users. Besides being an instrument of learning, the timeline tool can in theory also be used for other ends: to present history in class or in the auditorium or to process and visualize research data. 

Organization

This project on digital timelines was an Educational Innovation project of the faculty of Arts and Philosophy at Ghent University. The project was supervised by professor Bruno De Wever and teaching assistant Tom De Paepe. In her capacity of scientific collaborator, Fien Danniau was responsible for the practical execution of the project as well as for the content. The project ended in the spring of 2013.
Duration: 2012-2013

Contact

Fien.danniau@ugent.be
www.tijdlijn.ugent.be