Rieke’s Weblog

Having a look at this website about multi-media didactics (link) illustrates the complexity of web-based projects in class rooms. The emphasis is placed on learning techniques and strategies of pupils of different grades. As far as I can see a distinction between those is very important, as pupils should neither be underchallenged nor overburdened.

Another aspect which I consider as highly important is the learning environment which is mentioned on the website as well. Throughout the whole learning process it plays a big role: while preparing the project and the individual lessons, while working with the pupils and when trying to improve the project.

Another topic provided is the development of web-based learning from 2001 until today. It makes clear that the basics are still the same but are now expanded by several new applications.

In addition to this, the page relates to several examples of web-based projects which helps the reader to get practical insight into multi-media didactics.

All in all, I would recommend this page to teachers who want to begin to work online with their pupils, as it offers interesting didactical points and several links to take a closer look on particular interests.

In their article “Wiki, Blog & Co.”, Klemm and Dorok deal with various online-applications. This post takes a closer look at their description of wikis and learning management systems.

What is a wiki?

The author starts with a definition of a wiki. According to him, a wiki is an online-application which can be used to collect and share information. This way of information-sharing includes many different authors who can both write their own articles and comment on other authors’ articles. An organised group-learing like this seems to fit educational purposes perfectly, say Dorok and Klemm.

How can a wiki be useful in school?

- back up results

- possibility for discussions

- involvement of wiki into lesson-goals

- development of creative writing skills

Which wiki?

Before working with a wiki, it must be decided how it is supposed to work and look like. There are different providers for wiki-software, most of which are free. The authors recommend Mediawiki as it is used frequently and has an established design.

LMS

In the past, the use of learning management systems (LMS) became very popular in terms of web-based learning. Especially universities use these systems to organise studies online. LMS provide various communication and cooperation tools, which can of course be useful. But after a first hype for LMS, users now consider criteria for LMS to a further extent. Two types of LMS can generally be found: it either provides a workstation for the learner where he can develop his own ideas and organise himself, or the LMS concentrates on one topic and gives certain tasks to learners which are supposed to be worked at.

The way LMS are used can be supportive for certain learner groups. Rather shy pupils may be more active online when their identity is protected by the Internet. Experience shows that in general all learners benefit from this type of learning. Still, there are some criteria which should be fulfilled to have a good LMS:

- low entry-barrier for pupils and teachers in terms of usage

- big community

- school-relevant topics, ressources and activities

- school-befitting structure

- German and international experiences

- reliable and secure use

- modularity

- standard conformity

- independent from external author-tools

- multimedia capability

Examples for wikis and LMS:

Wikis:

http://wiki.klemmsite.de/wiki

http://www.anglistikdidaktikwiki.unijena.de
http:// wiki.doebe.li/Guetersloh/WebHome

LMS:

http://www.rpi-virtuell.net

http://www.lo-net2.de

http://www.schule-bw.de/elearning/

In his article, Thomas March begins with that the change of the World Wide Web during the last decades should be considered when dealing with WebQuests and therefore he claims it is necessary to revisit WebQuests and their components.

Before he analyses changes, he states that a scaffolding structure that encourages student motivation and advanced thinking with integration of enriched learning resources is still the core element that forms a part of every WebQuest.

The change in the World Wide Web to a concept called “Web 2.0″ has the effect that there are not only text pages but multiple possibilities to express oneself online. For educational purposes this means that there is a wide range of opportunities to use in school but, as we already learned, that it is not always easy to distinguish the good from the bad and when it comes to research, pupils must be aware of the fact that anyone can post anything on the internet. Here, WebQuests can be a good exercise to cope with the internet and so March comes to a first conclusion: “WebQuests can serve as a framework to integrate Web 2 into school learning.”

Further on, March looks at other Web 2.0 applications like blogs and wikis and here, too, discovers advantages (free use, creative writing, intrinsic motivation) and disadvantages (in part tend to be too traditional).

In his conclusion, March points out that the popularity of WebQuests shows that their use in schools is legitimate. Additionally, he advises to watch carefully at the further development of WebQuests and other applications in the course of Web 2.0.

As far as I can see, March is right in saying that the World Wide Web and its educational opportunities changed a lot during the past decades. I find it important to emphasize the potential risks as well as the educational benefits, which as he says “outweigh the challenges”.

In Bernie Dodge’s Taxonomy of WebQuest Tasks, he defines several types of tasks for WebQuests and gives tips for their usage. In an introduction, he makes clear that a good WebQuests combines two or more tasks of the following:

Retelling Task

Dodge defines this task as the easiest of WebQuest tasks which does not ask for more than collecting information and presenting it in the WebQuest. It helps pupils to get in touch with WebQuests and to apply basic computer skills.

Mystery Task

Wrapped in a puzzle, this task is especially interesting for younger pupils but depending on the class can be used in later stages of school, too. To keep the excitement of the task, a solution should not be too easy to find, e.g. by just typing the question into a search engine. False trails can help to raise the level of difficulty.

Design Task

Pupils almost always like to create products that they can see and also show to other people. This is why a creative approach like a design task is popular and often chosen in school projects. What must be considered is that a design task should lead to a certain point where a product is created. This product should be useful and a description of it should give room for the pupils’ creativity.

Analytical Task

This tasks asks pupils to look closer at one or more aspects in order to find similarities or differences which then can be analysed. In addition to this, the analysis should include a critical debate concerning reasons and interpretation for certain results.

Bernie Dodges Taxonomy of WebQuest Tasks offers even more definitions of tasks which are worth looking at.