Freedom & Structure in Pedagogy: A Challenge for Teachers & Researchers Bernie Dodge, PhD San Diego State University Bernie Dodge, PhD San Diego State University

WebQuests: The Beginning  1993: $5M grant  7 Post-doc fellows  12 GA’s  Delphi study  Meta-analysis  Prototype testing n=500  1993: $5M grant  7 Post-doc fellows  12 GA’s  Delphi study  Meta-analysis  Prototype testing n=500

WebQuests: The Beginning

New WebQuest Server

Now  hits/day  470,000 “WebQuests” in Google  hits/day  470,000 “WebQuests” in Google

The New Portal

Parts of a WebQuest  Introduction  Task  Process  Evaluation  Teacher Page  Introduction  Task  Process  Evaluation  Teacher Page

What is Scaffolding? Scaffolding is a temporary structure which provides help at specific points in the learning process. It allows learners to complete a challenging task which they would not be able to accomplish without help.

How Do We Scaffold in a WebQuest? by…  Specifying the Task  Specifying roles and perspectives  Providing links and offline resources  Providing outlines, guides and templates  Guiding thinking through visual and other means by…  Specifying the Task  Specifying roles and perspectives  Providing links and offline resources  Providing outlines, guides and templates  Guiding thinking through visual and other means

Balance

Teaching Machines: An Educational Technology That Failed

(Sequence of a Teaching Machine lesson)

Why Did PI Fail? Cognitively  Learning involves molecules, not atoms Motivationally  Error-free learning is boring  Success after struggle is gratifying Cognitively  Learning involves molecules, not atoms Motivationally  Error-free learning is boring  Success after struggle is gratifying

Logo

Meaning What?  Let’s pay attention to motivation  Let’s assign challenging tasks with messy, authentic data from the web  Let’s focus on helping students teach themselves with the web rather than on our packaging ourselves as the source of information.  Let’s pay attention to motivation  Let’s assign challenging tasks with messy, authentic data from the web  Let’s focus on helping students teach themselves with the web rather than on our packaging ourselves as the source of information.

This WebQuest has ALL the right stuff!

What would a freer version of this WebQuest look like?

WebQuests and Weaning  Q: How does this way of teaching prepare kids to be independent inquirers?  A: Gradually!  Q: How does this way of teaching prepare kids to be independent inquirers?  A: Gradually!

WebQuests and Weaning  Q: How does this way of teaching prepare kids to be independent inquirers?  A: Gradually!  Q: How does this way of teaching prepare kids to be independent inquirers?  A: Gradually!

WebQuests and Weaning  Q: How does this way of teaching prepare kids to be independent inquirers?  A: Gradually!  Q: How does this way of teaching prepare kids to be independent inquirers?  A: Gradually!

WebQuests and Weaning  Q: How does this way of teaching prepare kids to be independent inquirers?  A: Gradually!  Q: How does this way of teaching prepare kids to be independent inquirers?  A: Gradually!

Fading the WebQuest Support  TASK: Gradually allow more flexibility in how and what to produce in the task  PROCESS: Gradually provide fewer URLs and expect learners to find more  PROCESS: Gradually move scaffolding of notetaking, information organizing, writing prompts, etc. from required to implicit.  CONCLUSION: Put more resources here for learners to explore on their own later  TASK: Gradually allow more flexibility in how and what to produce in the task  PROCESS: Gradually provide fewer URLs and expect learners to find more  PROCESS: Gradually move scaffolding of notetaking, information organizing, writing prompts, etc. from required to implicit.  CONCLUSION: Put more resources here for learners to explore on their own later

Degrees of Scaffolding  There’s an appropriate balance point. It depends on your learners. Spoon Feeding Sink or Swim

Researching These Issues  Engaging scenario  Complex task  Scaffolded process  Pre-selected resources  Detailed evaluation  Engaging scenario  Complex task  Scaffolded process  Pre-selected resources  Detailed evaluation

Researching These Issues Compare variations within the model

James Frazee Study  Title: WebQuest Design Strategies: A Case Study Measuring the Effect of the Jigsaw Method on Students ’ Personal Agency Beliefs, Engagement, and Learning

Researching These Issues DON’T compare WebQuest vs Traditional

Tablet PCs  Will come in many shapes

Digital Jewelry

The Future  Pervasive computing  Ubiquitous access to information  Need for everyone to know how to evaluate data and create new knowledge  Early practice at inquiry is critical  Pervasive computing  Ubiquitous access to information  Need for everyone to know how to evaluate data and create new knowledge  Early practice at inquiry is critical

Questions? Collaborations?