Webquests: Using the Internet Wisely

            Webquests are useful tools to use in the classroom that allow students to use the valuable information that the Internet offers without having to spend time searching for it. As many people know, a simple Google search can result in pages upon pages of unrelated results that a person must search through before finding what was needed. With a Webquest, a teacher has already done the background work to find useful sites for students to use so that they can get started immediately and remain on task. The sites used for a Webquest relate to the topic being studied while also identifying with current events. By searching through the various sites, students are able to relate what they are learning in the classroom to the outside world.

            There are five components to a Webquest: introduction, task, process, evaluation, and conclusion. The task explains to students what they will be doing and the process details how the task should be completed. As Bernie Dodge (2001) explains, “The key element of a great WebQuest is a great task. It’s all about what we ask learners to do with information.” There are a variety of creative tasks available for students to use. Ideas for tasks can be found at http://webquest.sdsu.edu/taskonomy.html. Through a creative task and valuable Internet resources, students are able to explore the world outside of the classroom. While completing the Webquest, students are developing inquiry skills while expanding on the classroom curriculum. These skills, along with using the Internet to explore valuable resources, create opportunities for learning that were not easily available to students in the past. Before the common use of computers, in order for students to complete a task like this they would need to spend hours in the library digging through stacks of books and journals. Now, through the use of Webquests, students are able to dive into learning about a topic without wasting time.

            The great part about a Webquest is that it can be created for any topic and for any grade level. Webquests can be used to explore a state’s history, to build a deeper understanding of a science concept, to correspond with a novel, or explore works by a specific artist. While the Webquest is very versatile and can easily be created to meet specific learning objectives, it does take an extended amount of time for a teacher to develop a task and process that will be interesting to students while also working to build problem solving and inquiry skills. Additionally, the classroom teacher will need to be somewhat flexible with her schedule to allow for students to take additional time to read through online documents and find a way for all students to have access to a computer.  With schools spending more money on technology and building 21^st century skills in students, computers have become widely available for students to use every day in the classroom. With the wider availability of technology in the classroom, teachers need to ensure that they have the skills to guide students.

Using iMovie in the Classroom

            Apple’s iMovie program provides teachers and students with an interactive, fun and digital method of presenting information.  When using this program, digital images can be uploaded or recorded and then edited to include titles, music, transitions, or voiceovers that result in a personalized video. Using this technology, teachers can develop their own movies to introduce a concept that will be taught or provide background information on a concept that will be explored, supplement the curriculum with a virtual field trip created with iMovie, or review concepts already learned and allow students to reflect on past objectives by viewing a video. With some instruction, students are also able to easily use the iMovie technology to enhance school assignments. Possible iMovie ideas for students, as outlined by the article Team Up with Digital Video and iMovie for Social Studies Excitement (Howard, 2001) include creating a virtual photo album to discuss family history, conducting research and recording an interview, and storytelling.  Other ideas could include creating an anti-bullying video for the school, a tour of the school/community, or recording directions on how to complete a task.  These teacher and student digital movie activities not only enhance the traditional curriculum, but also incorporate 21^st century technology skills, which will be crucial to students entering the workforce in the future. While using digital movie applications, students build skills that were often not seen in the classroom before the common use of computers. These skills, such as problem solving, communication/collaboration and creativity are beneficial in developing a student who is technology savvy. Additionally, students are able to develop real-life skills when planning/creating an iMovie. Skills such as planning, storyboarding, script writing, and editing help students to plan and organize their project while having control of the outcome.

           

            While using tools such as digital movie makers can be beneficial in the classroom, there are some drawbacks. For example, the iMovie application only works with Macintosh computers. While it is an affordable program and does come standard on many new Mac computers, similar movie making programs are much more costly. If students will be using the program, a significant amount of time will have to be devoted to teach students how to use the variety of features available. Also, the movies that teachers/students create take up a large amount of hard-drive space; so an external hard drive might have to be purchased. Along with the addition of an external hard-drive, it would also be useful to have a digital camera or digital video recorder. While many schools are now provided with funds to purchase new technology, those without funding will most likely be without many of these tools and unable to provide students with valuable technology skills. It is possible to contact outside resources (businesses or the PTA) for funding, but unfortunately new technology is often expensive would require numerous donations.

Why Blog?

The articles Blog on: Building Communication and Collaboration Among Staff and Students (Poling, 2005) and Educational Blogging (Downes, 2004) outline the use of weblogs in the classroom. Through the use of blogs, students are able to communicate with classmates and teachers and are able to share their work and thoughts with the world.  The use of blogs in the classroom not only allows students to regularly publish their work but can also help start conversations between students when responding to posts. Students are able to read posts and learn of opinions besides their own and are then able to respond and share new information with each other. For teachers, blogs can be used in place of a class webpage and have the ability to easily pass links to students for viewing outside of the classroom.  Teachers can also assign blog posts as alternatives to typical written papers or journal entries. When students are able to post responses to classroom discussions via a blog, they develop a deeper understanding of the curriculum as well as build comprehension and communication skills. These opportunities for extension beyond the classroom walls did not exist before the widespread use of computers and new technology.

Blogs can be a wonderful addition to the language arts classroom and can be used with a variety of age levels. At the elementary level, blogs are typically more teacher driven, where students would provide feedback from a teacher directed prompt or topic.  For example, students could post responses to questions from a class read-aloud, post final copies of writing samples, or provide feedback for the teacher on specific classroom related questions.  For older students the blogging experience can be more student directed. Teachers can require students to write a certain amount of posts discussing a book read in class but students may post their own feelings/responses to the text. Additionally, part of a student’s grade could be responding to other students’ work and providing constructive feedback. Or, a teacher can simply post a link on his/her blog and have students provide reactions via a discussion thread.

While blogs can be an effective tool to build comprehension and communication skills in the classroom, guidelines need to be set with students regarding what is and is not appropriate to post. A teacher must discuss with students that what they post is public and can be read by anyone. Additionally, a teacher needs to protect the identity of students and teach students how to safely use technology (not posting last names or personal information). Also, a teacher must keep in mind that not all students have access to computers at home and need to provide other options for students who do not have easy access to technology. Alternative options could include allowing a student to blog during class time, before/afterschool or renting out laptops for student use.

Importance of Technology in the Classroom

With more and more technology being accessible to students in the classroom and districts developing 21^st century technology standards, teachers need to align core subject standards with technology. As mentioned in the popular YouTube video “Shift Happens”, many of the jobs teachers are preparing students for today are not developed yet. One thing educators do know is that these future jobs will rely heavily on the use of technology.

When technology is incorporated into the classroom, teachers and students can benefit. Teachers and students are able to communicate in a format besides the traditional one on one. Through the use of email or discussion boards, students can ask questions and teachers can clarify information. Technology use in the classroom often holds student interest better than a textbook and offers the most up-to-date information. Also, teachers and students can share information/links to broaden a topic currently being studied, whereas in the past a classroom was limited to the materials provided.

In the classroom, technology can be implemented to teach many of the core subject areas. For example, the website http://www.khanacademy.org/ uses videos to teach math skills ranging from simple addition/subtraction through calculus. The developer of this site, Salman Khan, collaborated with a school and used the videos as homework and class time for individual practice/remediation. Students were able to work at their own pace and practice skills that they were in need of. Classroom teachers could develop similar types of videos that specifically meet their students’ needs and these videos could provide additional support for students at home. Additionally, the article Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge: A Framework for Teacher Knowledge outlines how programs such as Geometer’s Sketchpad can help students to understand geometry through manipulating shapes.

In language arts, the availability of online books/e-readers can make reading a long novel less intimidating for students. The article Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction demonstrated how a high school student often did not complete his reading assignments because he felt that the books were too long. It is possible that an alternative format of the text would encourage the student to read. While it is important for students to learn the skills needed to write fluently, perhaps other methods of assessment could be used instead of writing a typical book report. These ideas could include creating a digital video that summarizes the book or participating in an on-line chat about the text.

The science and social studies classrooms can also largely benefit from the use of technology. When students are able to watch videos online and experience what an oil spill looks like and how it affects the environment, or listen to interviews from astronauts in space, or be guided through a program on how to dissect an animal, or are able to watch a new president be inaugurated, these are experiences students will not forget. The use of technology makes the concept come alive, much more so than reading from an outdated text book and completing a worksheet.

     While it is important for educators to involve technology in the classroom, these new methods of teaching often require additional time spent to organize/develop lessons. Districts may also have to pay to have staff members trained in how to use new technology (which would be an ongoing process since new technology is constantly available) and often times students do not have access to computers or the Internet at home. In situations where there is a digital divide and either schools or students do not have access to technology, the community needs to work together to find opportunities to incorporate technology in the classroom. This could be in the form of writing grants, applying for federal money, involving local business to donate used computers, or providing students with an opportunity to spend time at the local library/community center which does provide computers. While these drawbacks can make using technology more difficult, it is important to remember that students will need to develop technological skills to be successful in the future.