Reflection of week 5

Reflection of week 5:

Week 5 was really full of new kinds of learning opportunities and new tools for assessment like rubrics, project-based learning (PBL) and WebQuests.

I think we need to update ourselves with these modern tools in this 21st century if we want to progress and be a good guide to our students. Giving much time on internet means learning a lot. Previously I spent much of my time on unnecessary things which did not benefit me in any way but today whenever I be online, my mind is diverted to delicious.com where I have saved so many important links for future use.

Creating Rubrics:

Before creating Rubrics, I thought it was difficult but when I tried, I found it very simple and enjoyable because I only clicked some of the options and it did the rest itself.

Creating WebQuest on zunal.com:

When I did as suggested by Robert, I was very much excited and found it very interesting tool to use and a good platform to do quite a lot. But I was very much disappointed to know later through some of my webskills friends that one was allowed to create only one page free of cost. That's why, the page (my experience) which I created in the beginning, had to be changed into 'Interview' through edition. I really wanted to create some pages free of cost but I was not allowed.

Other problem with it was that none was able to visit the page after I modified it. I spent much time in trying to get it published to the public but it did not work.

Definition of webquest

Professor Bernie Dodge of San Diego State University defines a WebQuest as an inquiry-oriented activity that uses resources on the World Wide Web. WebQuests pull together the most effective instructional practices into one integrated student activity. These Web-based projects use World Wide Web sites to help students develop problem-solving and decision-making skills. WebQuests are interesting and motivating to teachers and students. An effective WebQuest develops critical thinking skills and often includes a cooperative learning component. Students learn as they search for information using the Web, following a prescribed format that focuses on problem solving and authentic assessment. A well-written WebQuest requires students to go beyond simple fact finding. It asks them to analyze a variety of resources and use their creativity and critical-thinking skills to solve a problem. WebQuests help students analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information. There are two kinds of WebQuests, short term and long term.

Project Based Learning (PBL):

It found PBL out as a very powerful tool for motivating students to meet a target in a group work, learning much from friends inside the group.

I have not used PBL before but I am going to use it very soon and see the development as well as improvement in the students to a big extent.

For rubrics: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/

My Rubric ID: 2111267

For PBL: http://www.nclrc.org/essentials/assessing/alternative.htm

http://www.ncsall.net/?id=385

For webquest: http://www.zunal.com/

My zunal ID# is: 

http://www.zunal.com/publish.php?w=119651

Last but not the least, I learnt a lot from week 5 and the credit goes to all the webskills colleagues and of course to ROBERT.