Although the power and reach of the Internet has been well-established, history and Social
Studies teachers continue to search for archival and inquiry-based modules that can
effectively be integrated into their existing curriculum. The availability of extensive visual
and personal narratives about the experiences of Spanish Civil War volunteers can provide
students with opportunities to research and interpret primary source materials that have
been only narrowly available over the last 60 years. Rather than conduct Internet-wide
searches on the Spanish Civil War, this module brings the stories and images of an
extraordinary period of history directly to the classroom and to students.
However, the availability of historical materials is only half the battle. Although more than
90% of middle and high schools in the United States are connected to the Internet, the
professional development of teachers in using this enormously powerful resource remains
incomplete. Moreover, humanities teachers often lag behind their colleagues in math and
science, in terms of having access to resources which broaden and deepen historical thinking
and communication skills. Ironically, at precisely the moment when the Internet can now
offer history and Social Studies teachers unparalleled access to resources, they are finding
themselves limited by the lack of time for creating integrated online curriculum, as well as
the impact of the high stakes testing movement.
In contrast, this online module provides teachers and their students with access to both rich
resources and practical teaching tools for their classroom. With this module, teachers have
the option of using specific lessons, archival resources, or historical background to fit a
variety of social studies curriculum frameworks. The module can be tied to wider studies of
the Second World War, the Holocaust, or the emergence of anti-fascism movements during
the 20
th
century. In this manner, students can develop an understanding of both the cause
and impact of the Spanish Civil War which delves far more deeply into historical specifics
than most survey textbooks allow for.
