Take a Web Tour on Project-based Learning

 Lesson Goals

To learn how to create your own curricular web pages without needing your own web authoring software or personal web site.

To begin to learn about the many proven K-12 web curriculum formats.

To identify sources for participation in existing online multi-classroom projects.

To identify sources for learning to create your own online collaborative projects.

A. Explore the following resources on project-based learning.

Go to http://lone-eagles.com/pbl.htm and explore the resources on project-based learning.

Go to http://www.gsh.org   Take the tour at http://www.globalschoolnet.org/gsntour/ and explore!

Then, conduct a search for "project-based learning" (include the quotes) to identify the volume of  resources available. Use the AND command with your preferred topic area
to find even more specific resources.
Example: "project-based learning" AND math

Go to: http://www.globalschoolnet.org/gsnpr/index.cfm  to see the "Projects Registry," and review projects posted by teachers. Note you can post your own projects and/or find other educators with which to partner for multi-classroom projects!  Cyberfair is one of their most fascinating projects to check out, too.

        Explore some of the 8,000 student-created instructional web sites created
          through the Thinkquest Internet Challenge Competition https://www.archive-it.org/collections/3635
        *Searchable by topic

Note: You'll ultimately prefer to have your own web authoring software and web site. However, Filamentality is a great place to get started. Review other curriculum authoring sites at  http://lone-eagles.com/currtour.htm   and  http://lone-eagles.com/webdev.htm     
Note that at some sites you can easily create quizzes for your students to take online, where the quiz results will be automatically emailed to you.

            (One Hour)

B.  Read http://lone-eagles.com/capacity.htm  and explore it briefly, with special emphasis on
          the Webquests section (The Official Webquest homepage at
          http://webquest.org and explore the   "Examples"and "Community"  resources.
          from which you will find a template which you can edit to quickly create your
        own webquest activity. Read about what webquests are and explore the related resources.
          Review multiple webquests related to your teaching.

         Kathy Schrock's site has great webquest resources,  in addition to her slideshow,
           above. Explore: http://schrockguide.net and her "Guide to Everything"
           You can search her site, as I did for "webquests"....       http://www.schrockguide.net/apps/search?q=webquests

           From the above search I found this:
        View the Authentic Learning 2 minute video, and see the dozen or more Webquest Resources at
           http://www.schrockguide.net/authentic-learning.html

NOTE: Like Kathy, more and more educators are becoming freelance consultants by gathering and sharing great resources to save busy educators time.

           Review the "Webquest about Webquests." The "teachers' template" will make
           creating your first Webquest easy!     All Webquest Templates are at :
           http://webquest.org/index-create.php
      
            Here's the easiest template which you can also find by clicking
            on the first template image in the URL above;
            http://webquest.org/sdsu/templates/lesson-template1.htm

            Explore the rich listing of tutorials at: as the recommended easiest free webquest creation site:
            http://webquest.org/index-resources.php
 

EASY ways to create webquests using free online tools:
As the recommended easiest free webquest creation site:
Explore http://zunal.com/

Look for the free trials section, so you don't have to subscribe to try their webquest creation tools.

OR  http://questgarden.com (but they now may require some fees)
            But they offer a free trial so you can explore. For more like these Google search for...    free webquest creation authoring  

IMPORTANT: From the Teachers' Template page, click on the first "no frames" template
      IMAGE to view it in your browser, here's the correct link:
    http://webquest.org/sdsu/templates/lesson-template1.htm  You can either save it directly,
    as a web page and can edit it using most word-processing programs which WILL handle web pages but
     you have to be careful that you save your web page as a web page with extension .htm etc.

    Don't bother with the 'frames' versions unless you're comfortable with advanced
    web authoring and unzipping bundled files.

Create a sample webquest and email it, or the URL, to your instructor. By editing existing
      webquest templates this can go very quickly. The point of this activity is experience how to
      successfully edit a template or existing webquest to quickly create your own unit. There's no
      need to spend lots of time on the content.

     Don't hesitate to ask questions of your instructor if necessary!

     Optional: Here's an Alaskan Specific collection of examples of cultural lessons and pages.     
                     http://lone-eagles.com/alaskan-stories.htm
          
      (Two Hours)

C. Learn to Create Your Own Online Projects:

Review the exceptional resources at the following sites:

Edutopia.org is exceptional for current resources on project-based learning, social media for K12, and has a searchable database by topic and grade level!

For the most current and exciting PBL resources, google   K12 project-based learning

Guidelines for Educational Uses of Networks: (Dated but still worthwhile)
http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/Guidelines/

(30 minutes)

D.  Explore  http://lone-eagles.com/projects_tour.htm   and http://lone-eagles.com/pbl.htm
        and identify at least three great sites, and/or projects, to share with peers via our class listserv. Email: TEACH-L@netpals.lsoft.com
        Share your thoughts on project-based learning as potentially applicable to your classroom.

While there are a great many free online projects available, there is a rapidly growing market for fee-based  "plug-and-play" Quest-type curricular units. Typically costing around $70 for a 6-8 week activity complete with workbooks, videos, and real online scientists and mentors. 

(30 minutes)

 

Lesson Feedback: Optional, but much appreciated.

You're invited to privately email your instructor:

       1. What areas, if any, did you have trouble with during this lesson?

       2. What questions remain now that you've finished this lesson?

       3. Approximately how much time did you devote to this lesson?

       4. What improvements would you like to suggest?