Apply and Discover 10.1

What makes an effective webquest?  This week I have been viewing and evaluating my classmates' webquests and I am amazed by the creativity out there.  I am jealous that I didn't have this kind of engagement when I was in school.  However, it makes me excited for teaching and for the quality of education for my students today. I selected the following webquests because they included the big 3 elements for me:

• Easy to navigate (great visuals, bold headings, white space, etc.)
• Theme and task were presented with clarity
• Real-life application

I would like to share three of my favorites out of eleven that I viewed.  Maureen Hallihan's "Folktales for Second Graders" is to be commended for its great visuals, use of bold key words, and easy navigation.  I really enjoyed the creativity of the role as a reporter and she included some great extension activities to challenge those high end learners.  It also connects to a variety of learning styles:  auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic learners.  Check it out here:


 

For the webquest that includes all aspects of literacy, which include reading, writing, speaking, and viewing, I would recommend Michelle St. Amand's "2012 Iditarod Webquest" geared towards 7th grade ELA.  Michelle did a great job connecting reading and writing to an authenic experience.  In this case the students adopt a musher, follow their experience, and then write to the musher.  I also like how the assignments are tiered.  Michelle also includes all the pdf sheets at the bottom of the webquest page for easy assess to students.  Finally, there are extensions at the end for students to explore more, and trust me, with a webquest this engaging--they will exploring more on their own!  Great multi-discipline unit for years to come.  Make sure you add it to your unit or tell a friend.  Review it here and see what I mean:






Finally, with spring right around the corner, I would like to highlight Karena Allen's webquest "A Frog's Life Cycle"  focused at 1st and 2nd graders.  The focusing question engage students to think about what frogs need to survive--I wish I new this when I was a second grader, so my pet frog would have survived!  I am kidding, but there is nothing to joke about this quality webquest.  Karena includes many valid resources for the students to do research and again, this is practical real-life situations for students to explore.  I can hear the peepers now:

Apply and Discover 9.1

What does it mean to "provide equal access to the digital world"?

    Are you the one thing getting in the way of equal assess to digital technology for your students?
     I imagine one day a classroom in which teachers pass out not only the school's agenda book, but also individual hand held digital notebooks for all students.  It's difficult to fathom, but we will see it happen in our lifetime.  Until then, providing equal access to the digital world today is quite a challenge though.

     There is a disparity in this nation when it comes to high minority populations, rural areas, special needs, and with females (Shrum & Levin, 2010).  It is reported that 20% of students in the U.S. already have their own blog and 73% students own a cell phone in the high school (2010).  So, how do we provide access to all our students whether they are hispanic, female, live in the mountains, or are on the autism spectrum? 

     Change.  Change is certain.  Whether we teachers like it or not, our classrooms are changing.  We need to be instruments of change and not hang on to "well, when I went to school. . ."  The only thing we have is the present.  We have to cling to what is essential and what we know for sure: everyone is capable of learning through technology.  It's just a matter of time that every home in america will  house a learning tablet, that will eventually replace the beloved color TV.   

     Equal access also means changing the way we perceive technology as a learning tool.  Do we allow all access?  Or just those that have finished their work for the day?  Teachers need to view technology as a learning vehicle, not just as a reward to finishing one's work.  Or what about good behaving students?  Yes, they can go on the computer today!

     Are you the one thing getting in the way of equal assess to digital technology for your students?

Resources: 

Schrum, L., & Levin, B. (2010).  Leading 21^st Century Schools:  Harnessing Technology for

     Engagement and Achievement.  Thousand Oaks, CA:  Corwin.

picture retrieved from www.alltouchtablet.com