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As
mentioned the main theme of our conference is enhancing, engaging
and empowering. We couldn't have thought of a better keynote speaker
to elaborate on this theme than Tom March. Tom has a formidable
reputation in the development of motivating student centred learning
programs such as Web Quests.
For the uninitiated, Web Quests are inquiry orientated thinking
and learning activites based on using the sources of the Internet.
They are not much different from the way you prepare your own lessons
they require:
- Getting your learners oriented
- Giving them an interesting and achievable task
- Giving them the resources they need and guidance to complete the
task
- Telling them how they'll be evaluated, and then
- Summarising and extending the lesson.
Web Quests are often characterised by learners undertaking meaningful
tasks which require them to gather, organise, assess and reconstruct
information sources, presenting them as new sources of knowledge.
Web Quests are multi disciplinary and can be offered for all ages.
Keynote - Working
the Web for Education
This
presentation sets a vision for the Web's impact on learning, raises
questions about how educators and schools serve the needs of learners,
and presents a comprehensive strategy for effectively 'working the
Web for Education'. The overarching theme is that obstacles along
the Information Superhighway are actually opportunities for authentic
learning. Whether it's The New Plagiarism, information overload
or the classroom's invasion by hordes of Spice Girls and GameBoys,
we'll consider how much more important the role of the educator
has become in a post web world.
The follow-up sessions will demonstrate how conference participants
can quickly integrate Web-use into their lessons through the Ready,
Fire! Aim approach.
Workshop Session
Ready, Fire! Aim
10.30am - 12.00pm and REPEATED 3.00pm - 4.30pm
Do you unfold learning or inflict assignments? Can you gather links
in 10 minutes and have that page posted within half an hour? Are
activities designed for learner needs in motivation, knowledge acquisition
or critical thinking? Do you know what a great job you’re doing!?
Learn Ready, Fire! and Aim. In this session you will see how you
can:
- Assess your Readiness by using The 10 Stages of Working the Web
- Master a range of goal based designs through 6 Learning Centred
Scaffolds / Formats
- Gather Links in minutes using Web-and-Flow Interactive
- Quickly develop a web based activity easily with a Web-and-Flow
Hotlist
- Unfold Implementation via a Ready, Fire! Aim approach
- Know a WebQuest when you see one (and need one!)
Biography
As a Pacific Bell Fellow, Tom March has worked closely with Professor
Bernie Dodge at the San Diego University, developing the Web Quest
model as a strategy for helping teachers use the power of the web
for developing student centred curriculum programs. A visit to his
web site (http://ozline.com) will soon convince you of Tom's passions
for his work and the strength of his convictions on student centred
learning and the best way to integrate technology. Along with Bernie
Dodge's site (http:// webquest.sdsu.edu/), Tom's site provides a
rich source of practical and effective strategies to assist teachers
in creating engaging learning experiences for students.
Tom moved to Australia in 1998 and established Ozline.com. Ozline.com
specialises in two main aspects of the web, developing online content
and developing online learning strategies. The first aspect involves
working with clients in the design, strategy planning and development
of web sites for organisations while the second aspect focuses on
working with students and teachers in creating web curriculum activities
that promote higher order thinking and movitation.
We have all heard the 'talk' about using information and communnication
technology to create a 'constructivist' environment. Tom March and
Bernie Dodge go beyond the 'blurb' to show us HOW!
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