Then & Now – Comparing Classrooms, Teaching and
Learning
Project Overview
This RWLO will focus on the use of internet resources to discover and to
describe American classrooms from one hundred years ago and to compare
them to the modern classroom. Students will explore websites that have digital
images of schools, classrooms, equipment, texts, and other educational
resources from one hundred years ago. Students will compare and contrast
those same elements from the classroom in which they are doing their field
placement assignments with the historical artifacts. The impact of facilities,
resources, and organizational schemes on student learning opportunities and
pedagogy can more effectively be understood by connecting similar elements
from the past with real-world experiences in classrooms today.
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Student Learning Objectives
For this RWLO, the student will be able to:
1. Describe teaching artifacts that were common in classrooms
approximately one hundred years ago.
2. Describe similar items found in today’s classrooms.
3. Compare and contrast similar items and describe the impact of
each on pedagogy and student learning opportunities.
4. Collaborate with other students to describe current classroom
practices and resources based on field placement experiences.
5. Describe strategies to maximize the impact of current classroom
resources on student learning.
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Procedure
Time: Approximately two hours and 30 minutes. 100 minutes of in-class time and
50 minutes outside of class will be used.
Materials:
 Computer with internet access
 Student directions guide
 Teaching artifact worksheet
Prerequisites: None
Implementation: This RWLO can be used in the classroom if each student has
access to a computer and the internet. Otherwise this RWLO will require
students to complete some components outside of class.
Steps:
1. As a class, brainstorm a list of the various resources used in schools to
enhance learning. (examples: books, technology, classroom design, etc.)
2. Present the websites containing historical teaching artifacts in class.
Provide an example of what to look for and contrast that element to
something in the college classroom.
3. Distribute the student directions and teaching artifacts worksheets and
discuss them with the class.
4. Students will investigate the websites and complete the teaching artifact
worksheet. It may be necessary for this aspect of the lesson to be
completed outside of class and brought to the next class meeting.
5. Students will share their completed worksheets in small groups.
6. Students will write a reflection piece comparing today’s student learning
opportunities with those of the last century. The essay should contrast the
impact of school facilities, organization, technology, instructional materials,
and other elements that impact instruction. Students will use their field
placement experiences from the current semester in making comparisons.
Students will describe uses of current facilities, organization, technology,
instructional materials and other elements in their classrooms.
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Content Material
Student Directions:
 Go to the websites listed on the teaching artifact worksheet. Explore the
photographs, drawings, and information found at each site. Browse the
websites for examples of what schools and classrooms were like, samples
of technology commonly used, the nature of textbooks in use, and other
important elements found in schools approximately 100 years ago.

Using the historical artifact matrix, select as many instructional elements
as you can. Your goal is to identify six or more different components. List
each element and describe it. You may add your own illustrations to
describe the artifact, but remember to adhere to copyright restrictions.
Next describe how this historical instructional element affected student
learning.

Next, use the field placement artifact matrix and select instructional
elements being used in your current field placement classroom. Your goal
is to identify six or more different components. You may want to select
items similar to those listed on your historical artifact matrix to make
comparison easier. List each element and describe it. You may add your
own illustrations to describe the artifact, but remember to adhere to
copyright restrictions. Now describe how each element affects student
learning.

Once you have completed both worksheets, you will share them in a small
group. Your discussion should focus on the affect of each artifact on
student learning then and now.

Write a 2-3 page essay that addresses two aspects of your investigation.
o Compare and contrast the influence of your selected artifacts in
terms of their influence on student learning.
o Describe how you will use present day instructional artifacts in your
classroom to enhance student learning.
Referenced URLs:

Blackwell History of Education Museum www.cedu.niu.edu/Blackwell

PBS – School: The Story of American Public Education
www.pbs.org/kcet/publicschool
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Assessment
Students will be evaluated using the project rubric that follows.
Part 1 –
Description of
Historical
Artifacts
Part 2 –
Description of
Current Field
Placement
Artifacts
Part 3 –
Comparison
of Past &
Present
Artifacts
Part 4 –
Impact of
Resources on
Student
Learning
Writing
Mechanics,
Structure,
Organization,
and
Appearance
1
2
3
Describes fewer than
4 historical artifacts.
Inadequately
describes their uses.
Describes 4-5
historical artifacts.
Adequately describes
their uses.
Clearly describes six
or more historical
artifacts and their
uses.
Describes fewer than
4 artifacts from a
current field
placement.
Inadequately
describes their uses.
Describes 4-5 current
artifacts from a
current field
placement.
Adequately describes
their uses.
Clearly describes six
or more current
artifacts from a
current field
placement and their
uses.
Inadequately
describes the impact
of resources on the
teaching-learning
process and how that
has changed during
the last 100 plus
years.
Inadequately
describes the impact
of resources on the
teaching-learning
process. Includes
vague plans on how
resources will be
used in your
classroom.
Not well written with
frequent errors in
grammar, spelling
and/or punctuation.
Lacking in logical
structure.
Unprofessional in
appearance.
Briefly describes the
impact of resources
on the teachinglearning process and
how that has
changed during the
last 100 plus years
Describes in detail
the impact of
resources on the
teaching-learning
process and how that
has changed during
the last 100 plus
years.
Describes in detail
the impact of
resources on the
teaching-learning
process. Includes
specific plans on how
resources will be
used in your
classroom.
Clearly written with
correct grammar,
spelling and
punctuation and a
clear, logical
structure.
Professionally
presented.
Briefly describes the
impact of resources
on the teachinglearning process.
Includes some plans
on how resources will
be used in your
classroom.
Mostly well written
with only occasional
errors in grammar,
spelling and/or
punctuation.
Somewhat logical
structure. Generally
professionally
presented.
Total Score
(out of 15)
5
Your Score
Links to Course Competencies
This RWLO could be applied in the following courses: Introduction To
Contemporary Education, Introduction To Careers In Teaching, and others.
Specifically, this RWLO meets the following course competencies:

Demonstrate an understanding of the historical development of schools
and the nature of the relationship between the schools and the
communities they serve.

Demonstrate an understanding of the ways educational policies and
practices are influenced by sociological, political, and economic factors.

Analyze how an understanding of educational history might be used to
improve teaching today.

Describe important improvements that have been made in the United
States educational system over the past half-century.

Demonstrate how the knowledge of the history of education might be used
to improve contemporary education.
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Supplementary Resources

John’s History of Education http://historyeducationinfo.com/edu9.htm

19th Century Schoolbooks http://digital.library.pitt.edu/nietz

Iron Hill School: An African-American One-Room School
www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/58iron/58iron.htm

Teaching artifact worksheets – see attached
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Teaching Artifacts Worksheet – Historical
Directions: Following your exploration of the suggested websites, complete the
following table. Your goal is to identify six or more instructional elements, provide
a description of each, and explain the impact of each on teaching and learning.
Name
Description
8
Impact on Teaching &
Learning
Teaching Artifacts Worksheet – Field Placement
Directions: Complete the following table based on your current field placement
experience. Your goal is to identify six or more instructional elements, provide a
description of each, and explain the impact of each on teaching and learning.
Name
Description
9
Impact on Teaching &
Learning
Recommendations
Recommendations for Integration:
 This RWLO can be integrated during a discussion on the history of
education or a review of field placement experiences.

The RWLO has been designed to be completed in-class or out-of-class,
but works best if each student has his or her own computer to access the
specified websites.
Back-up:
 If access to the internet is not available during the session, students can
begin by completing the teaching artifact worksheet information about
artifacts found in their current field placement assignments. Exploration of
the historical artifacts would take place outside of class time. Students can
then complete the sharing component as well as begin the essay
requirement during the next class session.
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