Greetings! Another dance of joy! I actually created a web quest! A little magic dust and an undefinable amount of work went into this creation. I avoided doing a WQ last semester in TwT because Dr. S. allowed us the option of doing a treasure hunt or a web quest and, while I had come a long way, I wasn't ready to take on the WQ challenge! No such evasion luck this time. I had to do it and, (when will I learn?!), it wasn't at all as bad as I feared! In fact, once again, I really enjoyed something I had dreaded! Naturally, it couldn't all be smooth sailing! Posting the WQ to my web page turned into a multi-hour ordeal that required the magic touch and unbelievable patience of Brett, one half of the saintly duo at the Curriculum Library! Anyway, it's finally up and running. You can view it from my web page or, if you have the time, take a look right now! It stars the little guy below...
Is my WQ perfect? NO! Did I want it to be? YES! But, I am working very hard on my goal of learning to let go and move on and that includes my WQ. I did my best in the time I had, with the knowledge I had, and this is it! Aside from letting go, the hardest part for me and, I know, for others, was coming up with an idea that included roles. Which brings me to the question; is having web quests as, largely, collaborative tools, the best way to go? I don't think so, and here's why:
Collaboration is not easy. Like everything else, it must be learned but, in my experience, it is rarely taught. Children are basically expected to get together and just "work it out". This usually amounts to ongoing conflict and/or unequal sharing of work that robs precious learning time. If the goal or objective of the WQ (or any activity) is to promote cooperative learning, fine. However, if the main objective is more cognitive than affective, collaboration does not seem the best way to go...(unless you've really trained your students on how to collaborate effectively). Web quests are such an exciting and rich learning tool. I question whether students experience all the benefits web quests offer when they are working on one collaboratively.
From my observations as a parent, substitute, and field work observer, collaborative efforts look good in theory, but fall short in reality. Case in point: at MSMC, collaboration is given a full semester's teaching at the graduate level, meaning that even educated adults have something to learn on this topic! And we do. I found that course invaluable. Yet, we expect 6 to 10 year old children to get into groups and 1) complete a task and, 2) do so collaboratively when they have none of the tools or training to do the latter. And, even worse, we tell them that they will be graded on their ability to "get along" in a group! This pressure pushes the primary objective, the task, to the background as the children become involved in personality issues that even adults have trouble handling in groups.
I have been required to work collaboratively in almost every course I took at MSMC. I did not take the collaboration course until much later and wish I had taken it earlier. In fact, I wish everyone had taken it earlier. It should be one of the first required graduate courses. Why do I say this? Because I absolutely hated it every time I had to work in a group! Dealing with the different personalities took center stage and stayed there. The task, itself, hovered somewhere in the background. I had none of the skills and training I would later receive which would have helped enormously in these groups. This is my second class, since my training, in which I've been required to do a collaborative task. I loved this one! Maybe it was just a lucky draw of good people, but I know that I went into it feeling more empowered and sure of myself in getting the group to focus on the task in a positive manner. I still have a long way to go but I had some knowledge and tools to work with. This is what our students need to feel.
So, what to do? To start, we must make make a concerted effort to teach collaboration, using the same tools and knowledge we were given at MSMC, but pared down to the elementary level. We must start small and build and we must be consistent in our efforts. It is not enough to say "work it out" or "tell (name) that I said to..." That is not teaching. It is simply unfair to expect students to do something that they haven't been taught. So, that is why I am not a big fan of collaboration on important learning projects, like web quests. What do you think??? Do you agree or disagree? Please leave your comments or answer in your own blog. I'm curious as to other's feelings on this topic!
Moving along, we did our direct instruction ppt presentations last night and I was blown away by 2 things. 1) The creativity, time, effort, and content that was evidenced by all the groups. Every single one offered invaluable information on this topic. which leads me to the second thing that blew me away: 2) How can there be so many principles and characteristics to just one strategy??? And I have to write a lesson plan utilizing this strategy! This was one of the main reasons I was able to let go of my web quest...I'm more frightened of the DI LP than the WQ, especially because the AS is due to be presented next week! Sorry, I just couldn't resist playing with all the acronyms! But, seriously, the lesson plan is big deal to me because I've written very few and none to this level of expectation (and scrutiny!). And, a lesson plan is something I will be creating and using every day, unlike the web quest. So the DI LP is center stage in my mind right now. However, I must admit that, mixed in with the fear and pressure, there is excitement . Somehow Dr. S. taught me to feel this way about learning in her TwT course and it continues in this class. (No, that is not sucking up! It's the plain and simple truth!). Learning is exciting to me in these classes. I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out why I feel this way in these classes and not in others and I think it comes down to this:
1) Dr. S. is extremely demanding and challenging but equally encouraging and supportive. This combination is motivating-creating a desire to succeed that is stronger than any fear of failure. This is a tough balancing act that I think requires a lot of practice-but I know it's a key component!
2) Dr. S's classes are unusually hands on and inquiry based in nature. There is the excitement of finding out the unknown and presenting it to others. The use of technology only enhances the excitement. I love using the computer as my main inquiry tool. It makes learning easier, more fun, and more immediate--just what the digital generation ordered!
I know there is more to Dr. S's technique, but I need additional time to observe and reflect ! I am motivated by the fact that whatever it is she does--it works!! Ergo, I want to figure it all out in order to apply in my own classroom, with my own students.
So, the web quest is over but a new quest is on--Exactly, how do I get my own students to feel the same excitement, motivation, and desire to succeed that I feel in Dr. S's classes? I will keep you posted!
Until next time...
