Vietnam Memorial Learning Adventure

2018 NETA Awards - Digital Learning Object

From: Alabama Public Television

Project Budget: $81,897

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Learning Adventure created an oral history to help middle and high school students understand the relevance of the Vietnam War. It also demonstrated the power of oral history to help understand the past while connecting to people in your community. In the pre-produced segments high school students offered their perspectives while accompanying an Alabama Vietnam veteran and a history teacher as they: 1) visited the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC; 2) visited a sculptor who helped design and build the Memorial; and 3) interviewed the brother of a POW who worked to get his brother’s name added to the Wall.

In the live segments students participated in an oral history with a Vietnam veteran.The live premiere of The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Learning Adventure was a 50-minute, multi-segment interactive webcast. In their classrooms and via Web technologies, viewing students: 1) placed the war in the context of the personal experiences of the war’s participants; 2) connected with memorial visitors’ experiences, the personal losses and the impact of war upon families, communities and the nation; and 3) learned about the importance of oral histories and how to conduct them.

What Did the Judges Say?

Powerful and moving use of multimedia that fulfills its goal to engage students via personal stories from the Vietnam era.

I really liked that they involved students in the production, and that there were live and recorded portions that were designed based on key learning objectives. Excellent execution of a well-thought-out project that has local impact and community ownership. Extensive planning and coordination was reflected in the end product—clearly leveraged multiple collaborations. Very efficient use of limited funds to generate content and reach.

Using student hosts was a very effective way to guide the experience from a student perspective, making a challenging topic accessible via digital media to students across the country. I love how there are connections to our national awareness of the Vietnam era’s importance and to the importance of today's students having solid knowledge of that time and the events.