Web-based Activity Formats

Web-based Activity Formats

Mark LeeUniversity of Notre Dame

Australia

Based on: March, T. (2001). The six web-and-flow activity formats.

http://web-and-flow.com/help/formats.asp

Mark LeeUniversity of Notre Dame

Australia

Based on: March, T. (2001). The six web-and-flow activity formats.

http://web-and-flow.com/help/formats.asp

Topic hotlistTopic hotlist Basic strategy:

Create a web page containing links to useful, interesting or peculiar sites on a particular topic

Organise into categories or sub-topics Variation: Create a “scrapbook” of web-based multimedia content

Use when: You (the teacher) are new to the Web You have limited preparation time You want to save students surf/search time You want to add Web resources to supplement a paper-based curriculum

Basic strategy: Create a web page containing links to useful, interesting or peculiar sites on a particular topic

Organise into categories or sub-topics Variation: Create a “scrapbook” of web-based multimedia content

Use when: You (the teacher) are new to the Web You have limited preparation time You want to save students surf/search time You want to add Web resources to supplement a paper-based curriculum

Topic hotlist (Cont’d)Topic hotlist (Cont’d)

Examples: China on the Net: http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/China/hotlist.html

Exploring China - Scrapbook: http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/China/scrapbook.html

Examples: China on the Net: http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/China/hotlist.html

Exploring China - Scrapbook: http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/China/scrapbook.html

Knowledge huntKnowledge hunt Basic strategy:

Gather 10 - 15 links to web-based resources Pose one key question for each resource Include an overarching or culminating "Big Question" to encourage knowledge synthesis

Use when: Students need to acquire a specific body of knowledge

Critical thinking is either not a goal is covered using other activities

Web-based resources are more current or reliable than traditional resources

Basic strategy: Gather 10 - 15 links to web-based resources Pose one key question for each resource Include an overarching or culminating "Big Question" to encourage knowledge synthesis

Use when: Students need to acquire a specific body of knowledge

Critical thinking is either not a goal is covered using other activities

Web-based resources are more current or reliable than traditional resources

Knowledge hunt (Cont’d)Knowledge hunt (Cont’d)

Example: The treasures of China: http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/China/chinahunt.html

Example: The treasures of China: http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/China/chinahunt.html

Subject samplerSubject sampler Basic strategy:

Present learners with 5-6 intriguing web sites organised around a main topic (that contain something interesting to do, read or see)

Ask students to respond to the web sites and their content/activities from a personal perspective, e.g.:

Their opinions/personal stances on the topic Personal interpretations of artwork Comparisons to personal experiences

Use when: You want students to feel connected to the topic You want to motivate students to explore the topic further Time is limited and you have a small number of great sites to share

You or your students are new to the Web

Basic strategy: Present learners with 5-6 intriguing web sites organised around a main topic (that contain something interesting to do, read or see)

Ask students to respond to the web sites and their content/activities from a personal perspective, e.g.:

Their opinions/personal stances on the topic Personal interpretations of artwork Comparisons to personal experiences

Use when: You want students to feel connected to the topic You want to motivate students to explore the topic further Time is limited and you have a small number of great sites to share

You or your students are new to the Web

Subject sampler (Cont’d)Subject sampler (Cont’d)

Example: My China - http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/China/sampler.html

Example: My China - http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/China/sampler.html

Insight reflectorInsight reflector Basic strategy:

Gather pages that you feel will perturb learners in such a way as to create a positive dissonance

Provide a reflective writing assignment requiring the students to “mull things over” and think about the topic in different ways

Use when: Creative thinking is more important than a uniform response

The subject matter benefits from being viewed through new perspectives

You want students to engage their emotions and minds in the topic

Reflection / reflective writing is a course objective

Basic strategy: Gather pages that you feel will perturb learners in such a way as to create a positive dissonance

Provide a reflective writing assignment requiring the students to “mull things over” and think about the topic in different ways

Use when: Creative thinking is more important than a uniform response

The subject matter benefits from being viewed through new perspectives

You want students to engage their emotions and minds in the topic

Reflection / reflective writing is a course objective

Insight reflector (Cont’d)Insight reflector (Cont’d)

Example: The otherness of the past - http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/ca_150/

Globalization - http://www.web-and-flow.com/members/lhayman/globalization/reflector.htm

Example: The otherness of the past - http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/ca_150/

Globalization - http://www.web-and-flow.com/members/lhayman/globalization/reflector.htm

Concept builderConcept builder Basic strategy:

Provide links to an array of web-based resources that illustrate a concept, and allow them to construct the concept for themselves

Refine and consolidate concepts, e.g. through class/group discussion and debriefing

Use when: A simple definition is too abstract (“grey areas”) Examples of the concept are available on the Web At least a few critical attributes of the concept are easily perceived

You want to engage students in conceptualization (a form of higher-level thinking)

Basic strategy: Provide links to an array of web-based resources that illustrate a concept, and allow them to construct the concept for themselves

Refine and consolidate concepts, e.g. through class/group discussion and debriefing

Use when: A simple definition is too abstract (“grey areas”) Examples of the concept are available on the Web At least a few critical attributes of the concept are easily perceived

You want to engage students in conceptualization (a form of higher-level thinking)

Concept builder (Cont’d)Concept builder (Cont’d)

Example: No Fear o’ Eras (from Eyes on Art 2.0) - http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/art2/eras/byzantine.html

Example: No Fear o’ Eras (from Eyes on Art 2.0) - http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/art2/eras/byzantine.html

WebQuestWebQuest Basic strategy:

Devise an an inquiry activity that presents students with a central question or problem and related task

Web-based and other resources provide grist from which students construct meaning

The learning process is supported by prompting / scaffolds to promote higher-order thinking

End products of are often put out to the world for some type of real feedback

Use when: You want students to tackle big, complex or grey questions Students could benefit from cooperative learning The subject warrants a deeper understanding Students would benefit from a more authentic, real-world learning experience (PBL)

Basic strategy: Devise an an inquiry activity that presents students with a central question or problem and related task

Web-based and other resources provide grist from which students construct meaning

The learning process is supported by prompting / scaffolds to promote higher-order thinking

End products of are often put out to the world for some type of real feedback

Use when: You want students to tackle big, complex or grey questions Students could benefit from cooperative learning The subject warrants a deeper understanding Students would benefit from a more authentic, real-world learning experience (PBL)

WebQuest (Cont’d)WebQuest (Cont’d) Examples:

The Tortoise and the Hare - http://www.ictpd.net/bj/waitsc/ourwork/group2/index.htm

Australian Animals - http://cte.jhu.edu/techacademy/fellows/MENTZER/webquest/austan.htm

Shocking Sharks - http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/sessions/sharks/ What does it mean to be Australian? -

http://www.beenleigss.qld.edu.au/webquest/actualquest/actualquest.htm Save an Australian Animal -

http://www.ictpd.net/bj/waitsc/ourwork/group1/animals/ Freaky Frogs - http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/sessions/frogs/ Compare Proofs of Pythagoras' Theorem -

http://www.gowcsd.com/master/ghs/math/furman/pythagor/pythag.htm Roller Coaster Madness - http://www.esc2.net/TIELevel2/projects/roller/

More in the next lesson!

Examples: The Tortoise and the Hare -

http://www.ictpd.net/bj/waitsc/ourwork/group2/index.htm Australian Animals -

http://cte.jhu.edu/techacademy/fellows/MENTZER/webquest/austan.htm Shocking Sharks - http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/sessions/sharks/ What does it mean to be Australian? -

http://www.beenleigss.qld.edu.au/webquest/actualquest/actualquest.htm Save an Australian Animal -

http://www.ictpd.net/bj/waitsc/ourwork/group1/animals/ Freaky Frogs - http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/sessions/frogs/ Compare Proofs of Pythagoras' Theorem -

http://www.gowcsd.com/master/ghs/math/furman/pythagor/pythag.htm Roller Coaster Madness - http://www.esc2.net/TIELevel2/projects/roller/

More in the next lesson!