Web-based Activity Formats Mark Lee University of Notre Dame Australia Based on: March, T. (2001). The six web-and-flow activity formats. Mark Lee University of Notre Dame Australia Based on: March, T. (2001). The six web-and-flow activity formats.

Topic 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) / Examples: / China on the Net: html html / Exploring China - Scrapbook: ook.html ook.html / Examples: / China on the Net: html html / Exploring China - Scrapbook: ook.html ook.html

Knowledge hunt / Basic strategy: / Gather 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 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) / Example: / The treasures of China: nt.html nt.html / Example: / The treasures of China: nt.html nt.html

Subject 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) / Example: / My China - r.html r.html / Example: / My China - r.html r.html

Insight 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) / Example: / The otherness of the past / Globalization - flow.com/members/lhayman/globalization/refle ctor.htmhttp:// flow.com/members/lhayman/globalization/refle ctor.htm / Example: / The otherness of the past / Globalization - flow.com/members/lhayman/globalization/refle ctor.htmhttp:// flow.com/members/lhayman/globalization/refle ctor.htm

Concept 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) / Example: / No Fear o’ Eras (from Eyes on Art 2.0) - zantine.html zantine.html / Example: / No Fear o’ Eras (from Eyes on Art 2.0) - zantine.html zantine.html

WebQuest / 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) / Examples: / The Tortoise and the Hare / Australian Animals / Shocking Sharks - / What does it mean to be Australian? / Save an Australian Animal / Freaky Frogs - / Compare Proofs of Pythagoras' Theorem / Roller Coaster Madness - / More in the next lesson! / Examples: / The Tortoise and the Hare / Australian Animals / Shocking Sharks - / What does it mean to be Australian? / Save an Australian Animal / Freaky Frogs - / Compare Proofs of Pythagoras' Theorem / Roller Coaster Madness - / More in the next lesson!