I wish days had more hours and weeks were
longer so that I could do more. Right now the truth is that I can’t and
tiredness is taking its toll.
I started this 5th (and middle
week) by reading the texts on rubrics and assessment, PBL and WebQuests, both
the main texts and the additional resources and by Wednesday I had already
managed to leave my post on Nicenet, our faithful asynchronous discussion platform.
Rubrics have definitely been the most
difficult part. Not that they are more complex than what we have done before,
but it’s just that I’m not used to creating them. I have already shared with
you the link to my first rubrics and I’m pleased with them in spite of
acknowledging they are very straightforward; my / our concern is that they have
to be understood by our students and in my case, these are for a group of
12/13-year olds.
I have noticed that some participants are
going to use WebQuests in their projects. Nice that we can share so many links
of ready or almost ready to use links for WebQuests. About two years ago I created one you can find here (the links disappeared as the site underwent changes) which means I was
already familiar WebQuests and PBL.
Nevertheless, I am already outlining a new one – which, in fact, has
been in “lukewarm” (Portuguese saying), waiting for an opportunity to be
created. If interested, please check this
post, the basis for my new WebQuest, whose link I’ll share later.
While I consider WebQuests very rewarding and
challenging for students (and for teachers, too), I have to choose a NEW
technology tool for my project and that hasn't been that easy. On the one hand, I
have to think I’m designing a project for tweens and therefore it has to be simple
and doable also in what concerns my time. On the other hand, I have already tested so
many tools that I feel at a crossroads… and back to the beginning of my post: if only
I had more time!
Time to cheer up... Let me share with you a video that a good friend once shared to cheer me up - it worked and up to this day, it makes me smile every time I listen to it or watch it. Hope noone feels distressed...
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Hi Alex and Yuliya,
ReplyDeleteNice post and funny video. As for your question Yuliya regarding searching WQ database, taking questgarden as an example, you can search by title, subject, grade or genre. In zunal, you can search with curriculum, grade and title. If you couldn't find a typical title you can search for the nearest topic to your target topic. You can modify a ready made webquest as I did to match your outcomes and students. You can then share the WQ URL via mail, FB ,twitter or even if you have older students you can use Nicenet to discuss and interact.
Best wishes,
Amira
Hi,
DeleteRight, Amira, that's it, that's the way iit should be done when looking for something for some ideas - by topic, grade... it's not easy because there are thousands and don't forget that only ONE is for free in Zunal.
Greetings,
Alex
Morning Juliya,
ReplyDeleteAll six components of the webquests have the link to that webquest and on top you also have the URL that you are supposed to share with your students. What I did when I used my first webquest was sending the link to my students by email. Of course you can also write it down, but if they are going to use the computer to do it, why not send the link beforehand?
Hope I was useful,
Alex
hi Alex,
ReplyDeleteI liked your quote you posted. I do agree that PBL and WQ are hand with hand with learners autonomy. These activities activate them in order to search, explore, decide what to put into final project and what to ignore. And teacher? teacher should be part of it, to scaffold and motivate students. This sounds perfectly in the theory, will see in a few weeks when all the projects are done.
As I told you and Karim , this week I'm introducing project, WQ, and other details. The project will last for three weeks and finally will resulted on public video on "my hometown" topic. It will be good to meet online and arrange details about the project. maybe Skype (zeljko_kv)? Mail (teacher73yu@gmail.com)?
greetings from Serbia
zeljko
Hello Zeljko,
DeleteIn theory, yes, as you say. I just can't imagine myself doing that every single class at least all of a sudden. Not that I wouldn't like to: first, there's the question of time, 2nd there's the question of access (or lack of it in my case) to technology, 3rd I would have the schoolboard, parents, kids and other colleagues asking me what the hell is the course book for???? Changes do take time, to change mentalities take so much longer than anything else...
As for our common project, I'll reach you by email, ok?
Greetings from Portugal,
Alex
Hello Alex,
ReplyDeletePlease, not you. You are the Turbo of this course. We are halfway through; You can't send us any message of weariness. The video is great but it is meant to cheer up those who are on the verge of collapse. NOT YOU. We count on you. I count on you to collaborate on mutual project. We will make the headlines. Acouple of sleeples nights is awaiting us. So lubricate the engine and let's get started.
Karim
Hi Karim,
DeleteDon't worry because I'm not giving up! When I start something, I'll finish it.
I'm very pleased about our common project and will reach you by email so that we can talk it. Maybe we could even have a draft/doc on googledrive and work on it collaboratively.
Greetings from Portugal,
Alex
Googledocs sounds great
Deletedear all,
Deletegoogle documents sounds very good idea ! I'm in! who's going to create and share ? turbo - Alex ";) ?
I wish I were turbo Alex...
DeleteJust let me do this week's readings and post on one of the discussion threads and I'll be glad to do it, settled?
Thank you. You're awesome!
Greetings from Portugal,
Alex