What I've Learned
When asked to decide on a project to create for use in one of my classes, the first thing that happens is that I begin to feel overwhelmed. It is not because for lack of experience, as I am often creating projects for my classes. It is due to the enormous amount of topics that one can choose from that are relevant to the class. I begin to get a feel for how big the internet is, and therein lies the feeling of overwhelming helplessness. I discovered that this project is something that is student driven. Through discussions with my students, I was given insight into what was important to them. In doing this, I was able to limit the scope of the project to a more manageable size. I also discovered that the topic itself can be too broad to cover in one lesson. I initially looked at a project on internet safety. However, after some research, it was apparent that this was too broad. Eventually, I whittled the project down to the more manageable topic of cyberbullying.
Also, since this project incorporated Web 2.0 tools, the problem of what programs should be used arose. If you haven't looked online, there are thousands, if not millions, of Web 2.0 programs that could be used in the classroom. Deciding on what to use can be daunting, but it can be done. I was very thankful for Carolyn's list of the top websites that she had found. This helped to provide some programs that worked well with my topic. Through these ideas, I was able to discover similar programs that were equally beneficial. Also, I had to make sure that these programs are not blocked by my school's server. (This is something that I urge all educators to check out.) I found that box.net, an online storage site, is blocked at my school. This rendered my podcast useless when I was planning on using it for a demonstration in class.
Refine your search techniques. I learned that mine could use some work. While I was able to find information through Google just fine, I had a harder time using scholarly sites like ERIC and MeL. Often, both search environments provided results that did not meet my requirements. While Google can provide a wealth of information, sorting the results into sites that are beneficial can be a tedious task. I found myself bookmarking more sites that I needed for the task. As the TechQuest began to take place, fewer and fewer bookmarks were used. Eventually, about 6 sites served as a core group that had the most impact on the project. My tip to future TechQuest creators is to target specific sites/sources, and build a comprehensive list of bookmarks. As you work, weed out the bookmarks that are repetitious; keep those that benefit you the most.
Finally, start planning early. While I felt that the TechQuest came together quite well, there were portions that did not turn out as planned. My incorporation of our local cyber crimes officer, taught me to place phone calls earlier to ensure that he can speak to the class. Due to a rousing game of phone tag, I was unable to get Officer Whiteford to speak to my class during the initial implementation of part of the TechQuest. If you are planning on incorporating speakers, it is best to start early when arranging for them to speak to your class.
Tips for Others to Benefit
When you are collaborating with others to create a project, here are some tips that may help you and your group:- Use Social Bookmarks - There are many different sites to choose from. Two of the most popular (at least the two that I hear of the most) are Diigo and Delicious. I have used Delicious for other CEP classes and have enjoyed using it, as it is very user friendly. For this class, my group decided on Diigo, and I have become hooked on it. The toolbar allows you to do much more than what Delicious has to offer. However, the ability to share and create annotations for bookmarks (features shared by both sites) allows for group members to really help each other out.
- Use Communication Tools - Tools such as Skype allow for group members to effectively collaborate their ideas. While my SIG used Skype's chat feature to communicate, it does offer the ability to communicate via microphone and camera.
- Be Clear On Your Instructions - I had my students view a video, and then enter a discussion forum about the video. I designed the forum to be very open-ended...big mistake. The students needed guidance in order to produce a thoughtful discussion. Better directions would help keep them focused.
To Change, or Not to Change...
As mentioned earlier, I would start the planning sequence at an earlier date. While not having part of the project ready for implementation was not detrimental to the TechQuest's success, it would have served to strengthen the lesson.Additional projects like this that deal with internet usage and safety would benefit from a teacher's resource page. Sites such as Diigo provide groups of instructors the opportunity to share resources. This would allow others to pull from the resources that created a TechQuest, and to use these resources to reach other students. In doing this, more and more students will become aware of these topics and hopefully they will develop into better digital citizens because of it.
Finally, I would create better instructions for the students. Like any lesson plan, you can see the faults after you have implemented the plan. I had thought that students would take a discussion forum and really explore the issues that they had just viewed in a cyberbullying video. However, the entries were pretty lackadaisical. To be blunt, I was disappointed. However, when the class talked about the forum, the verbal discourse became very involved. This was the discussion I was looking for in the forum. I came to realize, as we talked about the video, that the students needed guidance in the forum. They need to know what I am looking for, and how they can reach that point. I need to include directions to guide them into thoughtful discourse.
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