Category: General

Here is another educational site. BrainPop consists of a large number of Flash animation movies on a large number of educational topics. You can subscribe for unlimited access or watch 2 per day for free.

The National Science Teachers are sponsoring a web site (WebWatchers) focused on the identification of quality web resources (you can receive WebWatcher training) and the use of the Internet in instruction. The magic word (standards) is mentioned.

The “WebQuest” has become so popularized that the term is used to describe nearly any Internet exploration project that includes a goal, a product, and list of online resources. This in no way is the fault of Dr. Dodge or anyone working closely to clearly define and refine WebQuests.

I know the webquest was not the first proposal of this type. Apple Computer distributed at least one book of similar projects that were called Online Adventures and I see the phrase still generates hits in an Internet search. Now, I also know other variants are still emerging.

Tech Forum has a a model called “The Project Page” (see
Presentation – Jakes “Creating Virtual Workspaces”). The structure for a project page consists of a scenario, task, resources, product, and assessment. I must say that my definition of a WebQuest may be inaccurate because this is pretty close to what I would list. There must be some details that I am overlooking.

To some it may not matter what such projects are called. The general concept is certainly practical and useful. However, the new WebQuest Portal has taken the position that now all web explorations qualify as WebQuests and the discussions that should follow concerning design features and issues of quality should prove interesting.

While we and others talk a lot about how various types of technology can be “integrated”, it is sometimes difficult to give educators the real feel for what this is actually like. Here is what such an experience would look like from Cindy’s perspective (this is what she did yesterday).

Middle school students in Grand Forks do a field study of macroinvertebrates. They are bused to a state park nearby and collect specimens from a stream. The specimens are identified, counted, and photographed. The instructors may explain the purpose of the lesson a little differently, but to me it is basically an ecology lesson focused on how characteristics of the environment (running water, water quality) determine the type and quantity of organisms living in that place.

What do the photographs add? The collection is “permanent” and specimens can be returned to the wild. There is an external record that can be examined after returning to the classrooms.

Cindy uses iPhoto and her .Mac account to organize and display some of the “artifacts

The American Psychological Association has joined the discussion of teacher preparation. APA’s position is critical of the “soft science” that has typified recent research (the 1990s) and urges a return to student performance outcome studies of the 1970-1980s. “Legislators and the public have become interested in results again (p. 51).

I started blogging using a product from Pyra called Blogger Pro. This was an inexpensive subscription service that was an upgrade from the free Blogger product. I was recently notified by Pyra that the Pro version was being discontinued and the extra capabilities were being made available for free. They are sending me a sweatshirt in compensation for the subscription fee. If you are interested in creating a blog, we have always recommended Blogger.Com and now the potential of this service is even greater.

Wonder how online services can be offered at no cost? Me too! Often the answer is that the service incorporates ads in some way. This does not seem to be a big part of the Blogger strategy. Blogger has been purchased by Google and the connection with Google is somehow responsible for the change in policy.

The Chronicle of Higher Ed recently sponsored an interactive discussion with Dr. James Gee, author of What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy. See my previous post 8/23 describing this book.