Session+2

__**Session Two**__

**2.3: Website Analysis**

After some of the concerns I voiced in section 2.1 on my home page, I was glad to see the issue of internet misinformation brought up right away. First, while the concept of a tree-octopus might not seem entirely implausible, the histrionic literary style of the article coupled with strange references to the tree octopus's "amphibious" nature and its predator, the "sasquatch", might make one wonder. The site is well laid-out and includes many links to sub-pages as well as some believable references to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and NPR, but there are enough strange and corny elements to make it questionable, at least to a relatively well-informed adult. The second site was less convincing than the first, but it did cite supposed experts in addition to throwing around many biological terms. I think the first tip-off that it was a hoax was perhaps the sensationalist style of the home page, inappropriate for a supposedly serious, cutting-edge hospital. Of course the medical explanation for male pregnancy was shaky at best, particularly to anyone with a basic background in biology. Additionally, the lack of verifiable contact information for the hospital made the site seem quite sketchy. All in all it was more amusing than anything else.

I think that the main thing we might suggest to our students would be for them to verify all sources, perhaps multiple times. Running a Google search of the term "tree octopus" leads almost immediately to sites explaining that the whole thing was a hoax. Similar results occur when searching for "Dwayne Medical Center". Personally, as much as I love using the internet for research, I do require my students to find print sources in the form of books and journal articles when researching a topic for a project.

Internet Research Guide Evaluating Web Pages

The above two sites are terrific resources for students and should be required reading in all 21st Century Classrooms. I particularly like the way the //Internet Research Guide// proposes questions for students; this seems to fit nicely with the inquiry-based model and could really get them to change the way they think about what they read on the internet. I also like the user-friendly setup of the //Evaluating Web Pages// page, though I do feel that it would need to be very carefully explained or adapted in order for high school students to find it useful.

**2.3: Inquiry Based Learning Websites**

**Enhancing Education: The Five E's** A summary of a constructivist-based teaching model which incorporates inquiry-based learning as it encourages students to Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate. Useful for teachers looking to build interactive lessons that require significant student participation and input.

**Bridging the Gap: Hip-Hop and the Second Generation English Romantic Poets** Explanation of an inquiry-based unit found on the site for the Yale National Initiative. Could serve as a model unit for teachers looking to create their own inquiry-based lessons or units.

**Best Practices: Inquiry Learning and Collaboration** Extensive site with many links to inquiry-based lessons and units as well as other resources that might be very useful to a teacher looking to add a more inquiry-focused flavor to his or her classroom.

**2.4: Three-Minute Pause**

Inquiry-based learning encourages students to think and pose questions about what they are learning. By asking questions about something that they may or may not fully grasp, students are reinforcing prior knowledge, opening their minds to learning more, and realizing what they do not know. These are all extremely important elements of learning of which we all must be aware in order to be effective teachers.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">I feel that many students think about material they learn in class but do not always feel comfortable asking questions about it. As teachers, we might take this silence to be indicative of a lack of interest, but that might not always be the case. I am big on making students feel comfortable as learners while they are in my classroom, but I think that we all have a lot of work to do together in order to foster a school-wide climate where students are not afraid to demonstrate their intellectual curiosity in front of one another. I would like to hear how others feel about this, particularly in the face of an increasingly dumbed-down media and popular culture. How can we make learning and thinking cool?

<span style="color: #00ffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">I think what is most striking in the two readings from Section 2.5 (see below) about inquiry-based learning is how they really turn the old-fashioned 70% teacher-centered classroom on its head. The guiding principles are so over-arching and revolutionary that they change the game for the students, putting them more in control of their own learning and perhaps removing the whole dynamic where the curious kids look like "nerds" because everyone is talking and participating, not just a few especially curious and brave students. That said, I wonder what additions to the bag of classroom management tricks would come in handy in a classroom where students are handed so much responsibility.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**2.5: Essential Readings**

<span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">__Questions__:

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1) How do classroom management strategies differ in classrooms where large amounts of responsibility are released from the teacher to the student? <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2) How does data on retention of information demonstrate that this method is more effective? I ask this not so much as a doubter but more because I always like to see the hard facts.

<span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">__Comments__:

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1) I feel as though the inquiry-based method could be very effective at promoting learning among most if not all students. <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2) I love how students are encouraged to pursue their own questions and become part of the learning process.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**2.6: Reflections on Student Work**

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">It was interesting to see how the students' work presented using the Wiki format. As I have been plugging away at these readings and exploring different sites about web-centered projects, I have been struggling to envision exactly how I might have my students use Wikispaces in French class.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">I am not really clear on exactly what was expected of the students who completed this project, so it is a bit difficult to evaluate their work. I do think that they could have been more polished, particularly with regard to spelling and grammar. They also seemed a bit light on substance, but perhaps the objective was just to provide a visual introduction to the topic at hand. Finally, I am mystified by the whole Wordle / word cloud concept and its effectiveness. I suspect we will learn more about this later in this course, and I look forward to that.