Class 33: Introduction to WebQuest

Both your reflection page of iMovie and your reflection on a reviewed WebQuest are due today.
It's registration time for our undergraduates so you might want to know about EDIT 5500: Technology Enhanced Learning Environments that will be offered T/Th 12:30-1:45 during Spring Semester. It is one of the core courses for the Technology Integration Certificate Program.

Today will be a quick review of Webquests. I want you to have enough information to complete the project and have enough time as well.

Generally, a good WebQuest topic should have some inherent complexity, such as controversial issues, multiple perspectives, unknowns, etc. The topic needs to have your students take information in and transform it, using their own judgement and creative problem-solving techniques -- a LoTi level 4 or higher -- the learning should be authentic. Certain topics tend to lend themselves more to the WebQuest format than others.

All WebQuests follow a set structure with an Introduction, Task, Resource, Process, Evaluation, and Conclusion.

What is a webquest?

A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented online tool for learning, says workshop expert Bernie Dodge

• This means it is a classroom-based lesson in which most or all of the information that students explore and evaluate comes from the World Wide Web.
  
• Beyond that, it can be as short as a single class period or as long as a month-long unit; usually involves group work, with division of labor among students who take on specific roles or perspectives; are built around resources that are preselected by the teacher.
• Students spend their time USING information, not LOOKING for it.

***I require that your project is longer than one class period and is to be completed by students working in teams!***

What are its main characteristics?

There are six critical components in a WebQuest but I also require you to include a teacher resources page.

Introduction:

1. Provides background information and motivational scenarios like giving students roles to play provides an overview of the learning goals to students
2. The infusion from other media (prints, posters, models) and guest lecturers (other faculty members, parents, business leaders, experts, etc.) adds real-world components to online investigations. This is very important because depending on technology alone to convey the meaning of a lesson tends to create a sense of unreality.
3. Adding "introductory" types of information and material throughout the duration of the WebQuest keeps students fully engaged.

A sample of introduction

Task:

1. A formal description of what students will have accomplished by the end of the WebQuest.
2. To create a task the teacher must find resources for a particular topic on the Web.
3. The teacher must devise an activity for the students that incorporates the information from the various sites.
4. Developing this task -- or the main research question -- is the most difficult and creative aspect of creating a WebQuest.
HINT: A task should be visually and aesthetically appealing, inherently important (global warming, acid rain, welfare policy, etc.), and fun for the students.
5. A successful project can be reused by the teacher several times (either with a different class or the next semester).

A sample work of Task description
Process:

1. This is a description of the steps learners should go through in accomplishing the task, with links embedded in each step.
2. The demonstration takes the students through the process step-by-step and reinforces written directions.

A sample work of Process
Resources: (sometimes they are also called "credits")

1. This section of the WebQuest consists of a list of the resources (bookmarked Web sites, print resources, etc.) that your students will need to complete the task.
2. WebQuests are enhanced by materials that supplement the online resources. These can include things like videos, audio cassettes, books, posters, maps, models, etc.

A sample of resources page

Evaluation:

1. Each WebQuest needs a rubric for evaluating students' work. The standards should be fair, clear, consistent, and specific to the tasks set.
HINT: Many of the theories of assessment, standards, and constructivism apply to WebQuests: clear goals, matching assessments to specific tasks, and involving the learners in the process of evaluation are all concepts from earlier workshops that apply here.
2. During the introductory stage of the WebQuest, it can be very helpful to point out three types of student examples: exemplary, acceptable, and unacceptable. The range between exemplary and acceptable work may be great and will spur the students to strive for excellence, while the demonstration of what constitutes unacceptable work will set clear minimum standards for all to achieve. The goal is for all students to have a good experience of the project.

Sample of Evaluation page

Conclusion:

1. This step allows for reflection by the students and summation by the teacher.
2. Setting aside time for discussion of possible extensions and applications of the lesson honors the constructivist principle: "We learn by doing -- but we learn even better by talking about what we did."
3. During the concluding section of a WebQuest, you can encourage your students to suggest ways of doing things differently to improve the lesson.

A sample work of Conclusion page

Teacher Page:(Remember, the audience for this document is other teachers, not students)

The teacher's page section of a WebQuest provides additional information to any teacher who might want to use your WebQuest in their own classroom. This page is helpful in providing data needed for lesson plans. It should include:

1. A brief explanation of the WebQuest. Ex. What are the student's researching?

2. The selected Georgia Performance standard and grade level for the designed WebQuest.

3. A list of the prerequisites and materials needed for the WebQuest.

4. What skills does a teacher need in order to pull this lesson off? Is it easy enough for a novice teacher? Does it require some experience with directing debates or role plays, for example?

5. List here the sources of any images, music or text that you're using (with permission, of course). Provide links back to the original source. Say thanks to anyone who provided resources, help or inspiration.

6. Include this: "We all benefit by being generous with our work. Permission is hereby granted for other educators to copy this WebQuest, update or otherwise modify it, and post it elsewhere provided that the original author's name is retained along with a link back to the original URL of this WebQuest. On the line after the original author's name, you may add Modified by (your name) on (date)."

A sample work of Teacher page

In Summary a WebQuest is:

1. A clear, concise introduction that provides necessary information and sets up the activity.

2. An interesting and concrete central task.

3. A collection of information resources needed.

4. A step-by-step description of the process to be used for the task.

5. Guidelines on how to organize the information acquired (questions that should be answered, etc.); this will be the backbone for the Web site students create.

6. A closing lesson that reviews what the students have learned and how it can be brought to bear on other subjects.

7. The teacher resources page includes the standards that are addressed, the appropriate grade level and directions on how the teacher can use the webquest for their classroom.

WebQuest Resources:
Some Thoughts About WebQuests
Building Blocks of a Webquest
The Webquest Design Process
Taxonomy of WebQuest Tasks
WebQuest Rubric
Process Checklist
Concept to Classroom
Searching tips
WebQuest Templates

Sample WebQuests:

Bernie Dodge's Top WebQuests
Middle School WebQuest Matrix
George Mason Univ. WebQuests
Maryland Tech Academy WebQuests
Other examples

Here are some questions to consider as you are working on your WebQuest (you do not need to turn in responses to these questions):
*Is your WebQuest topic authentic in order to engage your students?
*Is your WebQuest task challenging and doable?
*Do your learners need to think independently and critically during the WebQuest activity?
*Is collaboration between your students important for the successful completion of the WebQuest?
*What scaffolds (visual organizers, software tools, prompting questions and suggestions) are provided in your WebQuest?

Before Monday's class:

• You should have already found a partner for your WebQuest project.
• You'll want to identify your WebQuest topic. Use this websiteto help you in the selection process. It may be related to work you have already done in our class or work you are currently completing in other courses. It could even be something completely new in your content area. After you have some ideas together, review the WebQuest assignment so that you are clear on what is expected.

On Monday:
Spend the majority class time working on your WebQuest, making sure to check the project description and rubric to ensure you are including all required elements. Have at least 1/4 of your WebQuest completed by Wednesday's class.

Editing week--iMovie

I hope every group had a great fall break and has your project going very well.

This whole week is for editing your film. The editing studio is in 602. It has five editing machines in the room. Also you can choose to use the two editing suites in the RM 616, which is our classroom. We will first meet 616 and have you sign on the sign-in sheet then the groups with 4 or less members will go to 602 while groups with 5 persons stay in our classroom.

If you want to add sound track to your movie, the machines in 602 E have microphones but the machines in 616 don't, so if you are working with the machines in 616, you need to go to OIT to check out the microphones yourself.

You could still continue filming on Monday! But I strongly recommend you finish filming as soon as possible. Classes on Wednesday and Friday are required for editing. Next Monday, we will have a showcase. Your group needs to save your movie at the teacher station and present it to the class. Again, we will vote for a "Best Movie" group and each member in the winner group will get a price.

For editing, the only thing you need to use is the footage---the tape. And you could return your camara to OIT office when you start editing.

Important: If you don't have enough time for editing at class, you could reserve from OIT the room for the editing suites by yourself, so you can work outside class time. You will need your UGA ID to do this.

Class26-Digital story (iMovie)

Before the class beginning:

* We had great games from the PowerPoint game project! I am really happy to see all of your games, which are full of creatvities, fun and imagination! Please send me the link of your PowerPoint game (you need upload your PowerPoint game file to that page) if you haven't done it. If you cannot upload your game, then please email to me. No late work would be accepted without a latepass!
* Remember to initial the sign-in sheet as you enter the room.


Please read the project requirement carefully before you start your project.

Now let's look at a few examples of digital stories to gets your brains churning about your own ideas.

For additional examples of digital stories look at the links below

University of Houston

The Center for Digital Storytelling

The use of video in education has been around for a long time, but it is just in recent years that it has become simple for classroom teachers and children to create and edit their own educational videos. The Apple Learning Interchange gives multiple examples of using educational video for teaching content standards. Here is a teacher's refleciton of using digital storytelling in the classroom. Here is another teacher's reflection and her tips for digital storytelling group works.

Today we will begin digital storytelling using iMovie. You'll want to review the project guidelines for this project -- but keep in mind that you need not capture more than 5-8 minutes of raw footage. This will be edited down to 2-3 minutes of video. We will use iMovie for editing.

You will be working in small groups to discuss the topic that you want to use and create an original story about it. Your topic should be educational but not necessarily related to your own subject area. It can be:

• An interview
• A discovery story
• A personal reflection
• An adventure story
• ......

To get more ideas about a possible type of story that you will use in your video, read the Digital Storytelling Cookbook.

As the storycenter told, "Storytelling is meant to be a collaborative art. It is much more realistic this way, and much more fun." So please work with your group members and get everybody involved.


Our class schedule for iMovie:
Monday, Oct. 22: Introduction to the iMovie--hopefully it will be at the Mac lab (room 233#, Aderhold). You will get the tapes on this day.
Wednesday, Oct. 24: Check out your video camera and take footage. We will not meet in class.
Fall break--Hooray!
Monday, Oct. 29; Wednesday, Oct. 31st; Friday, Nov. 2: video editing; 602 Aderhold (the five-member group will work on the suite in our classroom).
Monday, Nov. 5: Movie day (Due date); 616 Aderhold (the five-member group will work on the suite in our classroom)

Class 25: PowerPoint Game--Game Day!

Hello all, as you already know, today is the Game Day! After two weeks' hard work on the PowerPoint game projects, now it is time for us to enjoy the game and share with others!
Please come to the class a little bit earlier to have your game set up on the computer.
I have already reserved room 618#, which is next to our classroom, in case that the Macs in our classroom still cannot work. But I will check tomorrow morning and will let you know before the class.
For those of you who sent me email saying that you will bring your own laptop, you can still do that if you wish, but you can also use the classroom computers, because we now have two classrooms for today's showcase.

We have 19 persons in each class and the class lasts only 50 minutes. So you will first get into four groups and then each group will elect a "best group PowerPoint Game". This will take about 15 minutes. Then the four "Group Best PowerPoint Game maker" will show the whole class your game on the teacher station. You will need to first introduce yourself and the game's name. Then you need to introduce your subject area and the educational objectives of your game. In the following you can talk about your story or strategy, game direction, the strengthens and how you will use it in the class. Every presenter will have 7 minutes for the presentation. During their presentations, the rest of the class will need to judge the quality of their games according to the score chart that I will distribute in the class. After all the four presentations, you need to vote for the "Best Game Creator".

For Friday, we will start talk about the iMovie project.
Plus, please send me your PowerPoint game and the URL for your PowerPoint game reflection page before the class starts on Friday. Thanks!

Class 24: PowerPoint Game-- Optional day

Hello, all, today as talked is an optional day. You can choose either come to the classroom or stay at home to work on your PowerPoint game based on the feedback that you have already received from your partners. Please notice that you can use today as a "makeup" day for your previous absences.
On Wednesday, we will have the game showcase. You will need to set up your game on the computer. For those of you who have been working on the Macs, please bring your UGA ID and check out a laptop before the class so that we can set up your game on a "working" computer. If you decide to bring your own laptop, please email me in advance. I am sorry about those unworkable computers, but let us work together to make our Game Day joyful!
You will vote for a "Best-game" in the class. I will come out a score-chart later and put it online.
I am looking forward your games!

Class 23: PowerPoint Game-- Peer Review

1. If you are not ready for peer review, then you will have 20 mins at the beginning of the class to continue working on it.
2. Find a partner!
3. If you and your partner are both ready, please come to get the review forms from me.
4. The review forms include two parts. Form #1 asks you to give suggestions and feedback for improvement, and Form #2 asks you to give the grade to the game.
5. You will use 15-20 mins to review the project and fill out the forms.
6. When you complete the forms, please give both forms to your partner.
7. Discussions with your partner are encouraged.

If your partner is not here, please use the electronic version of the forms and email it to him or her when you are done at class.

Please bring both forms back to me on next Monday. Thanks!

Notice: The only thing you need to do for now is to submit the electronic copy to my email Monday!

Class 21: PowerPoint Games-Bloom's Taxonomy

By now you should have created these slides:

• Title slide
• Story slide
• Direction slide
• Game preparation slide (optional)
  
• Game piece slide (optional)
  
• Credits slide
• Educational objective slide
• Feedback slide for correct answer
• Feedback slide for wrong answer
• The headquarter slide

As you continue working on your PowerPoint games -- it is important to focus on the instructional value of your game -- and value is added through good questions. What makes a good question?

Bloom's Taxonomy is an easy way to learn more about various levels of questioning. Even young children can use Bloom's Taxonomy to improve their work.Here's a video of a class of children who use it to design literature units. Use the resources from the Website : Thinking about thinking to help your understand what makes a good question.

Bloom's Taxonomy PowerPoint Presentation

After the presentation, you are going to take your three questions "up a level" on Bloom's Taxonomy. Use these improved questions as a model for all 25 questions to be included in your game. Don't forget that you can checkout textbooks from the Curriculum Materials Center in room 207, Aderhold, for more ideas for questions (just make sure you're not plagiarizing!)

For Wednesday:
Continue working on your game in class. I will be in oral defense for the Comprehensive Exams to be qualified as a doctoral candidate. Ms. Gretchen Thomas will help with your projects in the class.

You have a handout on scanning in gameboards if you choose to draw yours by hand. As you work -- review student samples and the PowerPoint Games Project Rubric to ensure that you are meeting the expectations of the assignment.

For Friday:
Please have all the components of your PowerPoint game ready for peer review on that day. Your review will be counted for 0.5 point in your final grade.