FCHS Oral History Project

The Floyd County High School Oral History project is a unique learning experience Buffalo in the snow
being undertaken by a diverse group of youth, ages 16 to 18, from Floyd County High
School.

The Floyd County High School Oral History and Technology Project is a place based
education initiative grounded, past, present, and future, in Floyd County,
Virginia. The history, the culture, the technology, the writing skills, and the organizational
and managerial lessons are all rooted in this place. The project is a
unique blend of tradition and technology. Technology is the lure to bring students to their
community history through the stories of its citizens. However it is these stories that give
content for the student use of technology to organize, manipulate, and publish. The process
gives students a sense of place and thus of themselves. Each interview we perform will be
stored at The Old Church Gallery in an archive for future reference. The purpose of the
archives is to help teachers or community members initiate similar projects, and learn
about their county's history.

The key to this project is the philosophy of place based education. Community and place
should be central to the education of a student. The Rural School and Community Trust
lists several components of a pedagogy of place. They include:

Learning occurs most effectively when an individual is able to relate what
he or she already knows to new information. Constructing new knowledge takes
place when a student is actively engaged in grappling with, discovering, experiencing,
or manipulating something of personal interest;
Real, authentic work that impacts, and, preferably, improves one's community
best prepares students for life beyond school, and
Respect is integral to learning. A student who respects and is connected to his
community and place is a more complete person and thus feels better about
himself. This individual becomes a better learner and the community interacts
with its schools in a more positive and supportive manner.

This project subscribes to the belief that technology is the key to the future. It is more
than a tool; it is, in fact, a new way of thinking and viewing the world. Students learn
technology by solving real problems in real time. A student should decide what he wants
to do with technology, and then figure out how to do it. Meaningful work translates into
lifetime learning. When technology is used to celebrate community it becomes anchored
to place and a friendly neighbor, not an alien presence.

To download a PowerPoint about who we are and some of the things we have done, click here.