Online Teaching and Learning Formats

IFor a detailed overview of the online formats provided by web-and-flow read the article by Tom March on Working the web for Education.

Below is a summary of the formats plus some suggestions on how they can be implemented in the classroom.

Hotlists are a collection of internet sites that have been placed into categories/subheadings for easy use by students. Hotlists save students from searching endlessly and failing to find material which they need. In the past teachers have put together topic boxes from libraries for students to use, through Hotlists teachers are able to put together lists of relevant internet sites.

Hotlists can be used in the classroom in the following way:

* A tuning in activity for students at the beginning of a topic. Students to peruse the sites and formulate a number of key questions they would like answered.

* Jigsaw activity - allocate a category of sites to pairs / teams of students and have them report back to the class as a whole on their key findings.

* Provided to students as recommended sites for individual research.

Knowledge Hunts are learning activities where students are given a number of questions to answer and a list of websites to use in answering the questions. The Knowledge Hunt is designed to help students acquire a body of knowledge via the Web.

Questions are generally devised around lower level thinking such as knowledge and comprehension.

Bloom's Taxonomy is an effective tool to use when developing questions.

Knowledge Hunts can be used in the classroom in the following way:

* Provide students with basic knowledge and understanding of a topic as a prelude to participating in a WebQuest.

* Used as part of a classroom learning centre where students are completing a range of tasks on a particular topic.

* Students complete different segments of a Knowledge Hunt and report back to the class as a whole.

* All students complete the Knowledge Hunt individually as part of the classroom program.

Subject Samplers are designed to get students "äffectively connected" to a topic. The focus on questioning for Subject Samplers is on "ÿou". Rather than students answering knowledge questions they are asked to provide a personal perspective. This serves to engage students more effectively in the topic. There is no right or wrong answer as with a Knowledge Hunt. (Tom March Working the web for Education)

Subject Samplers provide us with the opportunity to use web sites which offer more than traditional classroom resources. Web sites included in Subject Samplers should engage student interest and have a twist to what may be expected.

Subject Samplers can be used in the classroom in the following way:

* Engage individual student interest at the beginning of a topic.

* Provide the opportunity for students to further engage in a particular aspect of a topic.

* Allows for individual students needs in the classroom - could be used to allow students to explore a topic in more depth and personal interest.

Insight Reflectors provide students with the opportunity to see how there are different sides to a story. By using different sites students become aware of a range of perpectives. Insight Reflectors provide students with the opportunity to look at key sites, reflect on how they feel and complete a writing task online. Not used as frequently as Knowledge Hunts and Subject Samplers they provide the opportunity to assist students to reflect on what they see and formulate their thoughts and ideas in a critical sense.

Insight Reflectors can be used in the classroom in the following way:

* individual, student centred activity

* prelude to a debate

Concept Builders are used when we want students to "derive the critical attributes or essential elements"of a topic. By providing students with a range of examples they are then able to identify the key concepts.

WebQuests involve the development of student centred problem solving activities. Students work collaboratively on a real life task taking on authentic roles. They use the Internet as one of many resources, and then share what they have learned with others. Webquests support inquiry learning and cooperative group work.

WebQuests can be used in the classroom in the following way:

* Class to be divided in to a number of teams. Each team works on the webquest over a period of time, with individuals in the team working on a specific role. Students could work in pairs in researching individual roles.

* Be used as part of a unit of work to further students understanding of an issue and encourage students to take action on what they have learnt.

* A WebQuest could be given as a task to the "gifted and talented" students in the class as a learning activity.