Words cannot express my shock and pleasure at finding www.freshfacs.com/links.htm; and the amazement doesn’t stop there!!! While there are countless on-line depositories intended for teachers, the options become limited as the scope narrows to subjects related to Family and Consumer Sciences. Freshfacs.com has been designed exclusively for FACS teachers. In fact, a list of FACS related websites is just one aspect of this site designed by a former FACS teacher.
As if all this isn’t enough to froth my broth....I was absolutely elated as I worked my way through link after link; never once arriving at a dead end. Never! Not once!!!!! Dozens of Websites, ready and waiting for me! Every single site, content specific to my areas of interest; nutrition, sewing, consumerism, kitchen safety and sanitation, food preparation, environmental awareness and more!!! The key to the success of this depository is the fact that it has been created for FACS teachers by FACS teachers. It is very obvious that the whole site is well maintained and that the resources listed (whether on-line or otherwise) are current and have been carefully previewed.
If I had to name one grievance with this depository, it would be that a number of the sites are commercial websites. In other words, sites that are owned by companies or organizations such as Dole, Lipton Tea and Starbucks, or the Farm Bureau of America and the US Dept. of Agriculture. While these sites do in fact contain related information, I question the reliability of the information and whether or not it is biased. For example, I personally believe that one can maintain a healthy, balanced diet without ever consuming a single ounce of (cow’s) milk. I believe further, that I could find substantial, scientific research to support this belief (on other web sites of course). You would never believe it, however, based on claims made by the Farm Bureau of America.
While having a long list of active web resources at one’s fingertips is certainly useful, it is important to realize that it is still necessary to take the time to explore and evaluate each site for its potential and limitations. thanks to freshfacs.com....I'm actually looking forward to the task!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Not so High IQ
Disappointing….best describes most of the Web Quests that I have explored. Even the ones that appear on the "Best of..." lists compiled for teacher reference left me wondering by what standard they are considered to be even acceptable.
In theory, the concept of an inquiry based web quest holds great appeal and reasons for classroom use are compelling. Unfortunately, of all the Web Quests I've recently reviewed, there was only one that I would actually consider using as part of my instruction. Truthfully, I would probably reconstruct it before using it myself.
So what are my gripes with the Web Quests I reviewed? Probably my greatest frustration was broken links. Often, time was spent tracking down resources (that were required to complete specified tasks) only to find that the link was broken or the resource no longer exists. I suspect that many of the Web Quests are crafted for the purpose of completing a graduate course assignment, used once or twice, and then abandoned. If the person who creates the Quest doesn’t maintain it then it becomes part of an info graveyard filled with lifeless data. The problem is; you can’t tell at the outset if you are going to run into broken links and considerable time can be lost in the process.
Some of the Web Quests I reviewed (chosen based on subject matter) were just outright stupid. Remember the “Gong Show”? It kept coming to mind as I read feeble attempts at wit intended to engage the user. Some of the sites were so ridiculous that I wanted to “gong” them before finishing the home page! Worse still were the Quests created by people (teachers?) who don’t seem to know how to use proper grammar or spell correctly.
Design flaws that I noted include: tasks and activities that don’t seem relevant to the initially stated purpose, too many concepts to realistically cover in a Web Quest format, and tasks that were partially completed or framed out to the extent that little thought was required on the part of the “Web Quester”.
There were two ideas that I came across that I did like and feel are worth mentioning. One of the Web Quests provided “alerts” that were intended to suggest to the user additional dimensions that could be pursued. For example, one of the alerts made the suggestion to look for new or unfamiliar terms, to record those terms and throughout the course of the Quest to record the meaning of those terms as they became more meaningful.
Another concept that I liked presented three levels of tasks for completion. The designer of the tasks made it clear that the first tasks were designed to address the “skill” level. (What is a food label?) While completion of these tasks did not require high level thinking, it did (I felt) serve to reinforce or establish prior knowledge. The next set of tasks was designated as being at the “concept” level. (Why is it important to understand a food label?) With these inquiries the user needs to rely on a foundation of prior knowledge and apply it to a more opened ended line of questions. Responding to the “concept” level tasks require the Web Quester to user higher level thinking. Finally, there was a task designated as being at the “application” level. (Plan a day's menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks utilizing the information you learned from the food guide pyramid and food labels.) Completing this task truly requires the synthesis of all levels of understanding of the topic.
I would like to integrate these ideas into my Web Quest.
In theory, the concept of an inquiry based web quest holds great appeal and reasons for classroom use are compelling. Unfortunately, of all the Web Quests I've recently reviewed, there was only one that I would actually consider using as part of my instruction. Truthfully, I would probably reconstruct it before using it myself.
So what are my gripes with the Web Quests I reviewed? Probably my greatest frustration was broken links. Often, time was spent tracking down resources (that were required to complete specified tasks) only to find that the link was broken or the resource no longer exists. I suspect that many of the Web Quests are crafted for the purpose of completing a graduate course assignment, used once or twice, and then abandoned. If the person who creates the Quest doesn’t maintain it then it becomes part of an info graveyard filled with lifeless data. The problem is; you can’t tell at the outset if you are going to run into broken links and considerable time can be lost in the process.
Some of the Web Quests I reviewed (chosen based on subject matter) were just outright stupid. Remember the “Gong Show”? It kept coming to mind as I read feeble attempts at wit intended to engage the user. Some of the sites were so ridiculous that I wanted to “gong” them before finishing the home page! Worse still were the Quests created by people (teachers?) who don’t seem to know how to use proper grammar or spell correctly.
Design flaws that I noted include: tasks and activities that don’t seem relevant to the initially stated purpose, too many concepts to realistically cover in a Web Quest format, and tasks that were partially completed or framed out to the extent that little thought was required on the part of the “Web Quester”.
There were two ideas that I came across that I did like and feel are worth mentioning. One of the Web Quests provided “alerts” that were intended to suggest to the user additional dimensions that could be pursued. For example, one of the alerts made the suggestion to look for new or unfamiliar terms, to record those terms and throughout the course of the Quest to record the meaning of those terms as they became more meaningful.
Another concept that I liked presented three levels of tasks for completion. The designer of the tasks made it clear that the first tasks were designed to address the “skill” level. (What is a food label?) While completion of these tasks did not require high level thinking, it did (I felt) serve to reinforce or establish prior knowledge. The next set of tasks was designated as being at the “concept” level. (Why is it important to understand a food label?) With these inquiries the user needs to rely on a foundation of prior knowledge and apply it to a more opened ended line of questions. Responding to the “concept” level tasks require the Web Quester to user higher level thinking. Finally, there was a task designated as being at the “application” level. (Plan a day's menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks utilizing the information you learned from the food guide pyramid and food labels.) Completing this task truly requires the synthesis of all levels of understanding of the topic.
I would like to integrate these ideas into my Web Quest.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Internet as Valuable Resource: Theory vs Reality
Surely the internet brings to our fingertips, at breakneck speed, an abundance of educational resources. While I would not dispute the value of internet resources for the purpose of enhancing education, I think there are numerous hurdles that can prevent it from becoming a consistently viable part of classroom instruction.
Since computers were first used in schools, there has existed a Digital Divide; the reality that not all students have access to the same level of technology in the home. As a result of this reality I have been reluctant to assign homework that requires the use of computers or the internet at home. Actually, the more I try to integrate technology in the classroom, the more I feel that the Digital Divide is not just a phenomenon that occurs between classroom and home use of computers.
Accessing technology at my school can be such a challenge that it creates a sort of Digital Divide within the school. Consequently, it prevents me from using the internet as a resource as much as I would like. In order to have access to computers for my FACS students I need to reserve, and use, the ones that are in the library. It is a rare occasion when those computers are actually available. Core classes (Math Language Arts, Science and Social Studies) get priority over ENCORE classes like mine. If I’m lucky enough to find a day or two that I can access the computers, it is even more unlikely that I will be able to use them for more than one class period. For example, I may be able to get the computers 1st period but not 2nd and 3rd. Since I teach the same subject periods 1, 2 and 3 and do the same lessons with all three classes, it doesn’t do me much good to have access to the computers for only one period.
Another hurdle that I struggle with is finding a balance between the time it takes to prepare my students for computer use in relation to the amount of time I can afford to take away from my Foods or Sewing curriculum. In the past, I’ve made the mistake of assuming that by the time students get to 8th grade they; 1) know how to do effective web searches, 2) have learned how to judge the reliability of sources, and 3)have an understanding of copyright and fair use guidelines. Like I said, assuming this was a mistake. Therefore, before I am able to do an internet based activity with my students, I need to spend a fair amount of time going over these concepts. I’m not a computer teacher. I typically struggle to cover all the material I am required to teach as it is. While my teaching of this material would no doubt be enhanced by using internet resources, the time it takes to do so…..well….I’m trying to find that balance.
Since computers were first used in schools, there has existed a Digital Divide; the reality that not all students have access to the same level of technology in the home. As a result of this reality I have been reluctant to assign homework that requires the use of computers or the internet at home. Actually, the more I try to integrate technology in the classroom, the more I feel that the Digital Divide is not just a phenomenon that occurs between classroom and home use of computers.
Accessing technology at my school can be such a challenge that it creates a sort of Digital Divide within the school. Consequently, it prevents me from using the internet as a resource as much as I would like. In order to have access to computers for my FACS students I need to reserve, and use, the ones that are in the library. It is a rare occasion when those computers are actually available. Core classes (Math Language Arts, Science and Social Studies) get priority over ENCORE classes like mine. If I’m lucky enough to find a day or two that I can access the computers, it is even more unlikely that I will be able to use them for more than one class period. For example, I may be able to get the computers 1st period but not 2nd and 3rd. Since I teach the same subject periods 1, 2 and 3 and do the same lessons with all three classes, it doesn’t do me much good to have access to the computers for only one period.
Another hurdle that I struggle with is finding a balance between the time it takes to prepare my students for computer use in relation to the amount of time I can afford to take away from my Foods or Sewing curriculum. In the past, I’ve made the mistake of assuming that by the time students get to 8th grade they; 1) know how to do effective web searches, 2) have learned how to judge the reliability of sources, and 3)have an understanding of copyright and fair use guidelines. Like I said, assuming this was a mistake. Therefore, before I am able to do an internet based activity with my students, I need to spend a fair amount of time going over these concepts. I’m not a computer teacher. I typically struggle to cover all the material I am required to teach as it is. While my teaching of this material would no doubt be enhanced by using internet resources, the time it takes to do so…..well….I’m trying to find that balance.
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