Week 10 - Webquests for E-learning

Today's lecture came in a nick of time as our group was just about to start executing the design for our webquest assignment. Prior to today's lectures, we met up to discuss about the various components to be included for the webquest. Excited about how this webquest was going to unfold, we failed to take into consideration the importance of including the essential elements for a clearly defined learning design.

After consultation with our lecturer, we had to organize our thoughts to ensure a clear procedural approach that consists of the foloowing elements:

1. An introduction

2. Task/ tasks

3. Process

4. Evaluation

5. Conclusion

6. Teacher's Page

We will be covering on the vanishing trades in Singapore, and this goes in line with MOE's learning objectives of the social studies cirricular - creating awareness of the heritage of Singapore among primary school students.

One of the biggest problems we face is the short attention span of our target audience. In addition, we have to face this problem whilst at the same time, fulfil the requirements of adhering to the various aforementioned components that are relatively structured.

In order to acheive this, we realised the resources used for scaffolding was of utmost importance to acheive our goals and objectives. These resources will then be used to develop interactive mini activities to ensure the involvement of our target audiences at various stages. 

Some of the information resources we will be employing includes newspaper articles, online forum threads, and various self-made videos to arrest the attention of our target audience (Primary 4 students).

We will be starting on our video shoot tomorrow and if all goes smoothly, we will be working on our webquest this weekend. More updates will be posted!

Instructional Strategies leading to Problem Solving & Affective Learning

9 Steps to Problem-solving process

A website which offers a summary for problem-solving process:-

http://csps.missouri.edu/proposal.php#rule

From least complex to complex:-

Puzzle Problem -> Efficient Solution

E.g. Crossword puzzle

Algorithm -> Correct Solution

E.g. Multiple-choice questions

Story Problem -> Correct solution

E.g. English comprehension (Questions are posed based on a comprehension passage)

Rule-Using Problem -> Information

E.g. Using of an online auction to search good and resonably priced gift.

Trouble-shooting -> Fault isolation

E.g. Getting an inactive Internet connection to working by running diagnosis tests from the computer's  "Network and Sharing Center".

Diagnosis-Solution -> Fault identification and treatment

E.g. Developing a set of instructional tools to teach students how to use photoshop in preparation for a design module.

Case method Problem -> Decision, action and argumentation

E.g. Resolving piracy issues with information privacy laws.

Designs -> Problem articulation, options, design, justification

E.g. Designing an public relations campaign for a client.

Issue-based -> Non-prescriptive 

E.g. Should pornography be legalized in Singapore?

Affective Learning (Example)

Synopsis: This is the story of Dick & Rick Hoyt, the most inspirational father and son team to race in an Ironman race.

Levels of Learning:

1. Receiving

Captures attention through:

- Well edited video with heart-wrenching segments of the actual Ironman race 

- Supplemented by a song with meaningful lyrics

- Ending with a bible verse

2. Responding

- For the youtube video, many people responded by giving comments about how this video had been an inspiration to them

- Showed appreciation by setting up a website using the names of this Father-son team

(http://www.teamhoyt.com/history.shtml)

3. Valuing

I've watched this video a couple of times since I've entered NUS. It never fails to pull my heartstrings every time I revisit this video. The value that was brought across to me was the fact that in consideration of the extent to which a human-father can put in such immense efforts to show his love for his son through his actions, it puts into perspective and sheds light on how much more a God-Father's love can extend to His children by sending His son to die on the cross for them.

Key instructional conditions:

1. Role model

- Team Hoyt (Father-son team)

2. Allow practice

- The video does not state or allow practice but it sets people thinking about what they can do in deed and in actions to extend kindness to their loved ones.

3. Reinforcement

- Focus on family values will strengthen the social fabric of the society

Instructional Strategies for Procedures and Principles Learning

Lessons Learnt

Procedures

- Rules

- 'Knowing how' vs. 'Knowing what' (Factual knowledge)

- Intellectual skill of execution rather than merely stating factual outcomes (verbal information)

- Involves:

- Ordered set of actions to acheive goal 

+

- Often more than one procedure

+

- Involves mental process/ physical skill or combination of both

Characteristics (key word): Automaticity (Unconscious skill)

Key Elements (T.D.T):-

Tell me, Demonstrate, Let me Try

Tell: - Task Analysis (When to use, and steps)

Demonstrate:- In whole/ parts, worked examples (step-by-step video with narration) 

Try: - Practice (Listing steps, Execution, Feedback)

Toughest part of E-learning Design

- Practice

- Feedback

Key considerations for components to be incorporated into E-learning:

- Adaptive feedback

- Provides 'model answer'

- Self-reflection and self-checking

- Resources, tasks, support (i.e. use of 'post-it' pads)

Principles

- Higher-order rules

- Combination of rules

- Involves:

- Relational rules among concepts

- "knowing why"

Examples of concepts: 

- Mechanics (power)

- Sociology (industralization)

- Statistics (bell-curve)

- Investment (borrowing rate)

Characteristics: Combination of concept and procedure

{Example}

Concept: Archimedes Principle

Variables: - Density (relationship between mass and volume)

Condition/ Context: - Application of principle using other objects (cement vs. wood block)

Practice and feedback: - Interactive 'game' allowing learners to experiment and 'play'

Drawback of Online Universities:

- How to identify and ensure that the 'actual students and not other substitutes are sitting in front of the computer screens?

Ideas on Practice and Feedback

Practice

- Drill and practice questions

(i.e. Multiple choice questions, open-ended questions)

- Allow students to upload own content and apply learning concepts

(Blogging)

- Create a community that allows discussion

(Gives opportunities to not only be learners but be teachers to fellow course mates, i.e. forum)

- Design tasks and set objectives for students to with the use of available web-authoring softwares (WikiDot)

Feedback mechanism

- Forum

- Online Poll

- Comments

- Real-time tag board/ chat

Resources:

- Computers

- Internet connection

- Web authoring softwares

Limitations:

- Ensuring students do not regurgitate information instead of application of concepts

- All students have the abillity to use these platforms to properly execute tasks and assignments