Encouraging college students to utilize technology to complete
assignments is an important objective if a goal of education is to assure that
students possess the skills needed to compete for employment in an increasingly
technologically driven job market.
According to Thornburg (2001), 81% of employers require technology
fluency. Integrating
projects into the classroom that involve students in using technology is one
way to assist students in developing the fluency they will need in the future
to effectively compete for employment.
I embarked upon this action research project with the goal of determining whether a WebQuest activity I developed for my psychology students would
increase their technology skills while also affecting their use of technology
during the final project presentation for the class. My
Personality WebQuest utilizes an
inquiry-based learning activity within a collaborative learning environment and
also incorporates training in how to create web pages and sites. The activity was conducted in my Introductory
Psychology class during the fall
semester of 2002.
The literature review is intended to provide background and rationale
for this project. Therefore, this
section reviews literature in the following areas: (a) Inquiry-based Learning, (b) Collaborative Learning, (c)
Integrating Technology into the College Classroom, (d) Web-based Learning, and,
(e) WebQuests as a Learning Tool.
Inquiry-based Learning
Inquiry-based education has its foundation in the
theories of John Dewey (1859-1952), an education reformer who is credited with
spearheading the progressive education movement (Inquiry Page Project, n.d. a, 1).
Dewey believed that education begins with the natural curiosity of the
learner. Inquiry-based learning
occurs in a spiral pattern in which the learner asks questions, investigates
solutions, creates new knowledge, discusses findings, and reflects on what was
learned (Inquiry Page Project, n.d. b, 3).
A very broad definition of inquiry was developed by
the Exploratorium Institute for Inquiry (as cited in Molebash, Dodge, Bell,
Mason, & Irving, n.d.): Inquiry is an approach
to learning that involves a process of exploring the natural or material world,
that leads to asking questions and making discoveries in the search for new
understandings (Defining Inquiry 1).
Depending upon the academic discipline, the content of inquiry learning
can be quite different and the structure can range from very open to highly
structured (Molebash, et al., n.d., 4).
Inquiry-based learning is used in a variety of
educational strategies. For
example, problem-based learning also incorporates inquiry-based learning
techniques (Jones, 1996). With
problem-based learning, teachers develop activities with scenarios in which
students tackle real-world problems.
Rather than simply gathering data, they must construct some meaning from
this information, which requires them to actively think through a problem.
Another form of inquiry-based learning is
constructivism. Constructivism is a philosophy of learning founded on the
premise that, by reflecting on our experiences, we construct our own
understanding of the world we live in (Funderstanding, n.d. a, 1). Constructivism
has been described by many different theorists and disciplines (Ryder,
2003). The idea of constuctivism
is that learners construct knowledge as they learn; hence, learning is a
personal and social process (Arts in Education). This idea, advanced by Dewey, Piaget, Rogers, and Vygotsky
to name only a few, appears in many different forms (Ryder, 2003). Although there are a variety of
definitions and theories related to constructivism, the basic thrust in terms
of educational practice is that teachers should design activities that involve
the learner in collaboration and creation of meaning through synthesis of
information rather than rote memorization of data (Funderstanding, n.d. b).
Collaborative learning is an instruction method in which students at
various performance levels work together in small groups toward a common goal
(Gokhale, 1995, 1). According to Gokhale, there is persuasive evidence that cooperative teams achieve
at higher levels of thought and retain information longer than students who
work quietly as individuals ( 2).
Collaborative learning also seems to enhance critical thinking abilities
(Totten, Sills, Digby, & Russ, 1991).
Utilization of collaborative learning is a practice that is growing on
college campuses (Ronkowski, 2002).
Collaborative learning is actually an umbrella term that covers many
forms of learning from small group projects to the more specific form of
cooperative learning (Matthews, Cooper, Davidson,
& Hawkes, 2003; Ronkowski).
With collaborative learning, students work together in groups to
complete activities assigned by the teacher (National Institute for Science
Education, 1997). There are a
number of potential positive results of collaborative learning such as
increased self-esteem and greater liking of classmates (Slaven, 1991) and
increased student achievement and teamwork (Ronkowski). In that many jobs depend upon workers
being able to function in teams, collaborative learning prepares students to
succeed in the future with cooperative activities on the job.
A fundamental assumption of my project is the importance of integrating
technology into the classroom. My
initial search for validation that technology use is important to the
institution where I work, California State University, Sacramento, led me to
the following stated objective from the online Catalog for the General
Education (GE) Program: Upon completion of the General Education Program
requirements, students will be expected to: find and use common information
resources, engage in specialized library research, use computers, and seek out
appropriate expert opinion and advice (Objectives Section, 4). In that my course is a GE class, it is
reasonable to include activities in the class that implement this objective.
In fact, the objective of encouraging technology integration in the
classroom is further supported at CSUS by the existence of an entire cadre of
services through the University Computing and Communications Services (UCCS)
enabling professors to offer components of their courses via the Internet using
Web Course Tools (WebCT). WebCT is
an application that allows professors to develop and deliver web-enhanced or
assisted courses to students.
Specifically, WebCT is the application that I utilized to deliver the
WebQuest activity to my Psychology students. In that the application provides an area for students to
hold discussions via a posting format, to chat live and to present projects
using web pages and sites, it seems logical to use these tools for class
activities.
Having established support for technology integration
at CSUS, I will now proceed to discuss more generic questions concerning
technology integration in the classroom.
I will begin with discussion of what is technology integration, why it
is important and how to do it.
According to Dockstader (1999) Technology integration
is using computers effectively and efficiently in the general content areas to
allow students to learn how to apply computer skills in meaningful ways. (p.
35) Integration of computers such that the curriculum drives the process rather
than the other way around requires teachers who possess the technology skills
to develop appropriate activities.
Herein lies the greatest challenge to integration of technology in the
classroom: many teachers have not learned how to effectively utilize technology
themselves let alone how to integrate it into their curriculum. Assisting faculty to make this
transition is one of the most important challenges facing American colleges
(Charp, 2000). The fact that CSUS
offers wonderful support to teachers in the form of classes and individual
mentoring still does not assure that teachers will take the initiative to move
beyond their current skill levels and recreate lesson plans that effectively
integrate technology into the classroom.
The question of why technology integration is
important can be answered if we consider educational trends for the
future. In an article available
online from the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, Stevenson
(2002) discussed 10 educational trends that will shape school planning and
design in the future. Trend 4 is
technology will dominate instructional delivery (p. 2). As a means of reducing school budgets,
Stevenson believes that schools will look for more economical means of reaching
more students and that distance learning will be a solution to the
problem. In such an environment,
effective use of technology to motivate students who may no longer be
physically present in the classroom will be an important consideration.
Other advantages to technology use include increased
student interest and motivation as well as the potential to learn at a deeper
level (Dockstader, 1999). We dont
have to look far to realize how tuned in students are to technology. Whether it is cell phones, video games,
or chatting online, students love to use technology for communication and
entertainment. They are accustomed
to a social environment rich in visual and communication potential, hence, is
it any wonder that many become bored within the confines of the normal
classroom which is devoid of such stimulus?
If one is to believe the visionary statements of David Thornburg (2000),
integration of technology into the classroom will be even more attainable in
the near future as students will utilize PDA devices such as Palm Pilots to
access and store data from the Internet and the classroom. Rather than carrying around backbreaking
backpacks loaded with books, their books will be stored in these devices that
share information with each other and computers. In that educational systems have generally mirrored the
societies in which they were developed (Thornburg, 2000, p. 12), the
integration of technology into the classroom is an inevitable event, hence, the
next question I will address is how to do this effectively.
According to Eisenberg (as cited in Dockstader, 1999), there are two
requirements to effectively integrate technology skills: 1) the skills must
directly relate to the content area and to the classroom assignments, and 2)
the skills themselves need to be tied together in a logical and systematic
model of instruction. (p. 36) I used these requirements as guiding principles
in the development of the lesson for this project. Additionally, once I developed and utilized the lesson, I
evaluated how it went in order to consider changes for the next time around. This suggestion was made by Dockstader
(1999, p. 36) but is also the foundation for good action research (Mills,
2000). In this context, the
purpose of action research is encouraging teachers to be continuous learners
in their classrooms and in their practice (p. 11).
Web-based Learning
It is hard to believe that access to information via the Internet is a
relatively new phenomenon.
Starting in the early 1990s, what was once only a tool for researchers
began to expand into the commercial and user communities at an
ever-proliferating rate (Leiner, et al., 2000). In 1991, the National Science Foundation lifted its ban on
commercial restrictions to using the network and shortly thereafter, Gopher was
released as a means of searching the network using a text only format. The World-Wide Web, (WWW) as we know
it, was released by CERN in Switzerland and was the result of the work of a British researcher, Tim Berner-Lee, who created HyperText
Markup Language (HTML), which used specifications for URLs or Uniform Resource
Locators, for web addresses (Davila, 2000, 4). Although some surveys suggest the Internet has largely
become a giant public library with a decidedly commercial tilt (Stanford
University, n.d.), many see it as a powerful educational tool that is transforming
the way we teach.
Although there are a variety of challenges that educators
face in utilizing the Internet for educational purposes, one primary concern is
how to organize information gathering in a manner that supports effective
learning. As vast amounts of
information become easily accessible through digital networks, the problem is
no longer access to information, but selection of information (Dimaraki, Black
& Brown, 1998, p. 146). While
some view the Web as a big encyclopedia, as Tom March (1998) pointed out, there
are some important distinctions -
Whereas an
encyclopedia is organized and cross-referenced, the Web is amorphous and
chaotic. Whereas the content of an encyclopedia is carefully researched and
striving for bias-free presentation, the Web is passionately posted and full of
opinions and rarely hidden agendas. Finally, whereas an encyclopedia is written
by professionals, anyone can write a Web page ( 3).
Clearly, there is a need to organize and effectively
deliver web-based information to students. The question of how to effectively deliver information to
students is partially answered by activities such as WebQuests that carefully
scaffold the information gathering process so that the student is not
overwhelmed with the vast amounts of data available online. By creating meaningful links within an
activity, the teacher can guide the student to the appropriate resource, which
is analogous to recommending a particular book in the library. Obviously this type of advance scaffolding
requires effort and time on the part of the teacher who develops the web-based
learning activity and selects sites that support knowledge acquisition.
The reward for all this hard work is what Dodge (1996)
refers to as active learning.
During active learning, students are placed in
situations which compel them to read,
speak, listen, think deeply, and write.Active learning puts the responsibility
of organizing what is to be learned in the hands of the learners themselves,
and ideally lends itself to a more diverse range of learning styles ( 1).
Using the Web forces students to engage in active learning and brings
the real world into the classroom.
Of course, active learning did not arrive with the Internet; it is a
very old practice dating back to Socrates and more recently, John Dewey.
WebQuests as a Learning Medium
Bernie Dodge coined the name WebQuest for a web-based learning activity
he described as a technique for engaging students in active learning which
uses the Web and other resources as they strive to understand a topic (1996,
4). He developed this model in
1995 with Tom March at San Diego State University. Describing WebQuest as an inquiry-oriented activity (1995,
1), Dodge indicated that the structure is either of a short or long duration
but should have certain components to be effective. Specifically, there should be an introduction that sets the
stage, an interesting and achievable task, information sources that enable the
doer to complete the task, a clearly described process, guidance on
organization of the information gathered and a conclusion that provides closure
on the process (1995, 6).
Further, Dodge suggested that some other less critical attributes might
include group activities, giving learners roles to play to motivate
participation and using either a single discipline or multidisciplinary
approach.
Other things to consider in designing a WebQuest are what March (2000)
described as the 3 Rs real, rich and relevant. From the beginning of the activity, it should be apparent
that students are being asked to participate in a task that concerns people in
the real world. Examples of real
problems would be saving an animal from extinction or investigating world
hunger. The objective is for
students to investigate an issue from many perspectives and arrive at some
meaningful conclusions. This is a
rich activity because it goes beyond the walls of the classroom into the larger
database of the WWW where a student can connect with any number of experts and
sample divergent thinking.
Finally, the activity is relevant because the students are able to find
themselves, their concerns, or their interests in the scenarios we spin ( 5).
The true benefit of a well-designed WebQuest with abundant online
resources and scaffolds is that it promotes higher order thinking (March,
1995, 25). By engaging the
student in a challenging and interesting real world problem, the student moves
beyond rote memorization of details and facts into a realm where knowledge is
applied. If designed by a
conscientious teacher, this process can result in a transformation of the
learner who becomes more than a student but potentially a concerned participant
in world events. This form of
active versus passive learning increases the likelihood of yielding students
that Gardner (1999) described as human beings who understand the world, who
gain sustenance from such understanding, and who want ardently, perennially-
to alter it for the better (pp. 19-20).
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