Webquest 2.0, Swiffing the Older Version

I was interested in how "cutting edge" the concept of applying newer online tools to older online ideas really was. Not to say that webquests are really that old, but in today's spectrum, 11+ years on the technological shelf may end up collecting some dust.

In 2004, The NECC discussed "blogs" and "wikis", and their possible integration with webquests:

• http://webquest.sdsu.edu/necc2004/blogs-and-wikis.htm

Tools like blogs and wikis seem to have the ability to tie so seamlessly in with webquests. It's a very cool way of communicating, reflecting, and accessing prior knowledge on information gathered and applied through webquests. Not mention the possibility of being directly incorporated as a webquest task.

During the most recent meeting in 2007, the topic was again revisited:

"Whole Group Discussion:

Pedagogical thinking about web 2.0 tools as parts of WebQuests

• Not many examples yet, but more and more
• Dan McDowell – social studies – conflict between Pakistan and India – did their group writing work in a wiki
• Simulated diary of a time or place seems like a blog
• TeacherTube videos embedded in WebQuests
• SecondLife – prototype of a WebQuest about immigration – then went into SecondLife to “sit around the campfire” and discussion immigrant from their avatars’ point of view
• Sloodle – a combination of SecondLife and Moodle – the threaded discussion to keep it all manageable and keep kids from getting lost"

http://www.edtechconnection.net/blog/2007/6/27/necc-2007-webquest-movers-and-shakers-birds-0f-a-feather-ses.html

At first glance, I was sort of disappointed in the idea's progress over three years, considering the first three items of the 2007 meeting had already been discussed in 2004 (Dan McDowell seems to be getting double brownie points for his wiki webquest). Then the whole webquest chronology struck me. This idea has been a work in progress for over a decade. Modifications were still being made to it last Monday. In a world which seems to rotate faster each day, its nice to see that groundbreaking innovations can only occur so fast. As for me, the Rat Race continues...(What the heck is a Sloodle?)

Mo Technology, Mo Problems???

The problem today (according to Jason Fulford and Paul Sahrefor of Time Magazine) is not necessarily our instructional design, but our instructional emphasis. This quote really struck a similar chord with Merrill’s findings:

• “Teachers need not fear that they will be made obsolete. They will, however, feel increasing pressure to bring their methods--along with the curriculum--into line with the way the modern world works. That means putting a greater emphasis on teaching kids to collaborate and solve problems in small groups and apply what they've learned in the real world. Besides, research shows that kids learn better that way than with the old chalk-and-talk approach.” (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1568480,00.html)
  

The article’s timing coincided with a report called “Tough Choices or Tough Times” from the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workplace. Besides sounding like the modern day, “A Nation at Risk”, the magazine’s message gave me a very overwhelming feeling of being a hopeless nation making all the wrong moves. Will Richardson (Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for the Classroom), in a blog regarding the magazine article and report, gave a more reassuring perspective:

• “I'm not clear on what a new model for education looks like (a la School2-0.org), but I do know the changes are more fundamental than what the summary of the report seems to suggest.”
  http://www.districtadministration.com/pulse/commentpost.aspx?news=no&postid=18000

The option that Richardson suggests (through his book and blog), was briefly mentioned in the Time article, “How to Bring Our Students Out of the 20th Century”, but seemingly got lost in all of the despair. The “Read/Write Web” is a great educational tool to integrate collaborative and real world problem solving. Who knew that “web logging” could help our students keep up with other global powerhouses.

Oldie but a Goodie

M. David Merrill’s “First Principles of Instruction” is a fine conglomeration of history’s expertise in instructional design. However, he seemed to have very weary connotations towards using technology in the classroom:

• “[Mayer (1992b, 2001)] has also demonstrated that some combinations of multimedia compete for attention and therefore increase the cognitive load for the student.” (Merrill 49)
• “Often glitz, animation, multimedia, and games are justified as motivational elements of an instructional product. However, for the most part, these aspects have a temporary effect on motivation.” (Merrill 50)

I thought the article was an excellent analysis and synthesis of the common threads between instructional theories, but I also don’t blame Merrill for his careful (not to mention general) advice when using multimedia tools. Many teachers will often sacrifice educational value in simple approaches for games, videos and other software that may be thought of as cooler (or more extrinsically motivating) in the student’s eye. “Second, first principles of instruction can be implemented in any delivery system or using any instructional architecture.” (Merrill 44). So don’t throw away your overhead projectors just yet.

Research Project

When searching topics on the internet, I think it would be more beneficial to start out broad, and then advance your search until you achieve a comfortable quantity of hits.