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Design Your Own ActivityDesigning an Online Learning Expedition
This section offers guidelines for teachers who would like to introduce their own, online learning expedition in the classroom.
1. Choose a general theme for your learning expedition.
2. Choose an open-ended, significant question for students to explore.
The question chosen should be challenging and open up “big ideas.” What do you want your students to understand? Understanding includes:
- Sophistication and depth of insight
- Perspective
- Contextual know-how
Compile a list of items that students should be able to understand and/or be highly skilled at doing.
3. What resources will students access to explore the inquiry question?
- General resources: books, magazines/newspapers, artifacts, people, places
- Online resources: World Wide Web sites, e-mail communications, multimedia software
- Created resources: with a scanner, digital camera, microphone
4. What instructional activities and assignments will make it likely that students achieve the understandings and gain the appropriate skills?
What is the general content or background that students will need to be able to explore this question?
What enabling knowledge and capacities will students need to develop in order to pursue this inquiry adequately?
- Knowledge
- Tasks & sub-tasks to be practiced (research, expository writing, discussion in small or large groups)
- Essential sub-questions
- Subject related skills (evaluation of resources, analysis and synthesis of information, expository writing, discussion skills)
- Habits of mind (perseverance, timeliness, cultural open-mindedness)
5. What activities will assist students in utilizing on-line resources effectively and reflectively?
6. How will I assess student “understanding”?
This might include sophistication and depth of insight, perspective and contextual know-how. What opportunities will be provided for students to demonstrate their understanding?
7. How will students be provided feedback to their work?