Lowering the Technology Barrier: Assigning Collaborative Web Projects Scott E. Siddall Denison...
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Lowering the Technology Barrier: Assigning Collaborative Web Projects Scott E. Siddall Denison University Copyright Scott E. Siddall, 2002. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.
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Transcript of Lowering the Technology Barrier: Assigning Collaborative Web Projects Scott E. Siddall Denison...
Lowering the Technology Barrier: Assigning
Collaborative Web Projects
Lowering the Technology Barrier: Assigning
Collaborative Web Projects
Scott E. SiddallDenison University
Copyright Scott E. Siddall, 2002. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.
October 2, 2002 EDUCAUSE 2002 2/17
InspirationInspiration
No one has enough time“What will happen when everyone has a web server?”Focus is on pedagogy far more than technologyWe learn from differences
October 2, 2002 EDUCAUSE 2002 3/17
Initial Pedagogical GoalsInitial Pedagogical Goals
Expose student to other ideas, audiences Increase students’ time on task and engagement Improve writing through peer-reviews Reduce time spent lecturing
October 2, 2002 EDUCAUSE 2002 4/17
How?How?
Promote active creation versus passive learning Develop student ownership and heightened
significance of work Emphasize the social aspects of learning –
collaboration …and reduce time invested in technology
October 2, 2002 EDUCAUSE 2002 5/17
Collaborative web projectsCollaborative web projects
What are collaborative web projects?Designed, created and owned by studentsA major activity of the courseBoth process and product – emphasis is on processInterdisciplinary, complex topics are engagingPublicly presented and open for feedback
October 2, 2002 EDUCAUSE 2002 6/17
Collaborative web projectsCollaborative web projects Technical preparations – templates, instructions, storage Discuss and encourage collaboration early Select topic or theme Establish specialized teams – both content and technical Storyboard the publication and design Content development; individual journals Discussion, linking, peer review, filling gaps – takes time! Publish and announce to solicit feedback
October 2, 2002 EDUCAUSE 2002 7/17
Collaborative web projectsCollaborative web projects
What they aren’tWeb posting of individual papersA group paperPages in a LMS such as Blackboard
October 2, 2002 EDUCAUSE 2002 8/17
Early ExamplesEarly Examples
Tragedy of the Coastal Commons 1995-96 The Family Farm 1996-97 * Large Dams in the Western US 1997-98
* Course led by colleague Howard Sacks, Kenyon College
October 2, 2002 EDUCAUSE 2002 9/17
I expected students….I expected students…. to be challenged by information resources, and to select
materials critically to learn socially sometimes, independently others, through
diverse means to publish for audiences other than the instructor to learn how to communicate well with electronic tools to learn how to collaborate, avoid the pitfalls of moral over critical
thinking to provide disciplinary context from the instructor to learn holistically - about relationships as well as information
October 2, 2002 EDUCAUSE 2002 10/17
More ExamplesMore Examples
Can the Earth Afford to Feed You? 1998-99 Denison’s Solid Waste Management Plan 1999-2000 Environmental Assessment 2000-2001 US Shellfisheries: Another Tragedy of the Commons
2001-2002
October 2, 2002 EDUCAUSE 2002 11/17
Pedagogical implicationsPedagogical implications Students engaged deeply with complex topics Learning improved (self-assessed) Writing improved greatly
Peer reviewsWriting to argue, inform, not for grade
My efforts changed – facilitator, not authority (less time!) Course evaluations were excellent Demystified web authoring; students took pride in work
October 2, 2002 EDUCAUSE 2002 12/17
Challenges of course webs Challenges of course webs
Making sure that content is top priority Changes in authority structure of class Overcoming students’ reliance on linear text Maintaining an online publication over time Developing referencing strategies Grading collaborative group projects – students
are wary
October 2, 2002 EDUCAUSE 2002 13/17
When NOT to use course websWhen NOT to use course webs
This specific method may be harder with large classes
More effort may be involved if complete subject coverage is a priority
Others?
October 2, 2002 EDUCAUSE 2002 14/17
Hawthorn effect?Hawthorn effect?
Factory workers quality of work improved when their setting was changed for purposes of assessment
Is something similar happening here? Will the effects last?
October 2, 2002 EDUCAUSE 2002 15/17
Examples from others’ workExamples from others’ work
North by South 1998 North by South 1999 The Farm School Project Blood, Gender and Power
October 2, 2002 EDUCAUSE 2002 16/17
Practical suggestionsPractical suggestions Make sure students know in advance what they’re getting into Prepare to relinquish control Work on patterns of collaboration early in course Collaboration takes time – allow for it Prepare web page templates; have students trained in their use Divide labor according to student interests Require journals of individual work Alternative technologies: weblogs and “wiki” may replace basic
web editing for content collaboration and presentation
October 2, 2002 EDUCAUSE 2002 17/17
This presentation and guidesThis presentation and guides
http://siddall.info/talks/educause2002/
And at the EDUCAUSE Effective Practices and Solutions database
