modulefive

.Module Five

."A brain which is actively involved and curious is likely to develop stronger connections than one which is merely a passive recipient of learning."
Lewis J. Perelman (founder and president of Kanbrain) Wired digital, Inc. 1997

.Overview

Welcome to Mod five
"The more meaningful, the more deeply or elaboratively processed, the more situated in content, and the more rooted in cultural, background, metacognitive, and personal knowledge an event is, the more readily it is understood, learned and remembered." Iran-Nejad, McKeachie and Berlliner, 1990

"As more schools are using computers to connect to the Internet, a wealth of ideas are being generated by great teachers on how best to integrate this particular technology into the classroom environment. Bernie Dodge of San Diego State University is one of these great teachers. His work with WebQuests is one of the most creative efforts aimed at reforming instructional practice. According to Dodge (1997), a WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activvity in which students interact with information gleaned primarilyh from resources on the Internet.

WebQuests may be labeled inquiry-centered or problem-centered learning by some, while others may view them simply as activities that provide students the freedom to learn by accessing multiple resources. However, they are characterized, WebQuests are reflective, fluid and dynamic. They provide teachers with the opportunity to experience learning as they construct their perceptions, beliefs, and values out of their experiences." (Beane, 1997)

WebQuests can be especially useful for teachers who are novices in the area of technology in that they offer prepackaged, self-contained lessons ready for implementation. The WebQuest site contains lessons, rubrics, and teaching tips. Click on 'find webquests' on the left of the page, to see the matrix of webqusts catalogued by grade and topic. Browse this site. "Webquests allow the teachers to make an easier transition into using Internet technology with minimal stress." (Meridia, WebQuests in the Middle School Curriculum: Promoting Technological Literacy in the Classroom, 7/99)

.Readings

.There are literally thousands of pre-made WebQuests for you to start working on before trying to create your own. In this mod we will explore the theories behind WebQuests and learn their basic stucture. We will also visit a few samples of WebQuests. Later, after we create our web page, we will make our own basic WebQuest, so keep your eyes open for ideas that you would like to incorporate into your WebQuest, and sites that you would llike to link to and incorporate into your Quest. (Remember, when you find sites that you like and want to remember, just click on favorites or bookmarks and then add, at the top of your screen, when you are browsing the Internet. It is also good to know the basic Building Blocks of a WebQuest. Look over this link. Click on each building block and see how the different parts work. there are 12 basic kinds of tasks behind WebQuests, such as "solving a mystery" or "compiling data in a journal." Take a brief look at each of these in the WebQuest Taskonomy.

.Surfing

.In this mod, we will surf each of the Building Blocks above, and also each of the 12 links in the Taskonomy.

Optional: at the Webquest page, check out the Forum, and the Announcements, I have a couple posted there.

Compose a 150 word essay and send via email. This essay should include your insights on some of the links visited and the readings. Feel free to include remarks about any of the optional sites visited.

type "mod 5- comp. int.- your name" into the subject line of the email. Remember not lto do an attachment, type it into the body of an email.

.Assignments

Optional: click here for a WebQuest for grownups; it's fun and interesting too!

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