Reflections on Web Literacy Training

Over the course of the last eight weeks I have learned so much about the web that I can now call myself "web literate". I have always been able to read for understanding and write factually -- even with a bit of scepticism. But now I can say I am educated enough about web grammar, search engines, and domain names; about the content standards in New York state that address internet and technology use; and even about the nature of inquiry itself and what makes a great question.
I have become fascinated by the teachings of Alan November in his book Web Literacy for Educators and have joined in his Building Learning Communities project. I have made is a personal professional development goal to expand my knowledge in this area and to implement web-based technologies in all my classes in order to develop a community of learners. I plan to attend the summer conference called BLC 10 in Boston this summer from July 14-16. (Maybe I'll see you there.)
The most striking aspect of my learning has been the idea of focusing on the ethical use of information found online. My students are masters of cut and paste assignments. They can construct a powerpoint presentation that would blow your mind - even if they understand very little of the content. As detectives, they can put facts in sequential order--facts they have never verified nor written themselves. By framing web assignments as ethics assignments where students ethical use of another's writing or image will be examined and graded, students do remarkable better on these same powerpoint presentations. They, themselves become more expert on a topic when researching it through this lens. I think it is brilliant. And it is in many ways one of the most important aspects of Web literacy.

Web Literacy

For learning and instruction of both the basics and the specifics of web source evaluation, there is no better example web site to use than the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus page found at the url: http:// zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/. After a lesson on search engines, in which the criteria for search results are explored, a google.com search on the term octopus will lead you right to this web page. Type octopus as a search term in the google search box. It places ninth in the search results listed so it is a very well-linked and well-liked web page.
Following the link takes you to a beautifully designed web page. Diagrams, aesthetically pleasing colors, and a plea to save the endangered creature draw you into reading the page. Tabs near the top make the page easy to navigate through and, look, there must be a thousand words of content. On first glance, there are several links on the page, news stories with recent dates, and ‘old’ advertisements depicting the creature in the 1920’s. Before we can believe the content, though, we should carry out an evaluation as suggested by November (2008).
Begin by reading the web address of the page: www.zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/. By truncating this address back to the first forward slash by hitting the back spare key, the domain name of the homepage for this information is found to be www.zapatopi.net. This is not an educational site ending in .edu or even a wildlife organization ending in .org. Navigating over to this shortened web address takes us to its home page, shown to the left . The home page contains mainly a blog dedicated to entertaining diversions by a person named Lyle Zapato. So simply Reading the url leads us to believe the content could be false. We could get distracted by all the links and content on this page but, lets stay focused on our evaluation.
Back at the tree octopus page, we should examine and evaluate the content shown. It seems legitimate. There is a photograph of an octopus in a tree – its coloring described by the text on the page and a believable map of areas where the creatures are found. Hovering over the darker green text changes the pointer to a hand, showing that these words are links to other web pages. But, examining the text, we read that the tree octopus is not actually on the endangered species list and further, that one of its predators is the mythical creature, the sasquatch.
Next, we also need to analyze the authorship of the web page if we are to trust its (now doubtful) content. Who is Lyle Zapato? No credentials are listed on his home page, nothing is mentioned about his expertise as either a biologist, a historian, or even a journalist working for a news outlet requiring fact checking. No problem, we have search engines at our command, so type in “Lyle Zapato” biography into a google search box and voila – the name shows up on a list of hoaxes maintained on the Wikipedia site. We see that, indeed, this site is a hoax.
Just for fun and the educational value of it, return to the tree octopus page to study the links. The first link, on the term Temperate Rainforest, takes us to a Wikipedia page whose neutrality is in dispute. A link on the photo of an old magazine cover showing a tree octopus hat from the 1920’s takes you to another webpage from the zapatopi home page. This is a great way to show students that links that keep you in the same web domain do not independently verify the legitimacy of the content they show. You just end up in a closed loop. There are also a few very clever News links on the tree octopus page like the link shown below.
2009-11-12 Steinhart Aquarium Successfully Breeds Dwarf Cuttlefish (Zoo & Aquarium Visitor)
Anchored to an algae-covered rock in a 120-gallon tank at the California Academy of Sciences' Steinhart Aquarium, a cluster of inky-colored cuttlefish eggs is beginning to swell -- evidence of success for the Academy's new captive breeding program for dwarf cuttlefish, Sepia Bandensis.
We are not to be fooled by these News links as anyone may link their web page to these pages. The Steinhart Aquarium does not mention a tree octopus nor does it link back to this web page. A different link on a logo with a name that is similar to the real conservation group Greenpeace turns out to be a false one that displays the message
”Sorry! We could not find www.greenpeas.org. It may be unavailable or may not exist. Try using the suggestions or related links below, or search again using our web search. “
The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus website is a well-designed site. It is a very witty, entertaining site which can also be very helpful in learning and educating others about the legitimacy of information found on the web. I believe students will appreciate the colourful page design and be convinced of its authenticity simply by virtue of all the pages and pages of content. Many students, even older secondary school students, actually surf the web. They skim read and scroll through text looking for terms to use or information to quote without actually verifying facts with an independent site. The half-truths claimed can be convincing. The map of the Washington state area and likely photo shopped image of the octopus in tree branches are partially real, just manipulated in ways a sceptical web-surfer would be suspicious of.
Many web searches turn up blog pages as results. My high school science students have used information from web logs in past research projects and were confused as to why their information was questionable. Students must be able to recognize blog postings as opinion and determine whether they should risk believing the information they report. A blog posting can lead to an actual verified fact about the research topic, but the verification must first be undertaken.

Conducting Research in Education

Finding Answers by Starting with the Right Questions
Teachers are all very curious about how to teach 21st century learners. I know I am. Employing technology tools and engaging students in making meaning from the curriculum are suggestions for helping all students learn better. How well do they work?
In order to begin research in a topic of challenging educational importance, I have to formulate questions which prove and also disprove my own hypothesis. These questions drive the research and help me search for answers that could be already published. Answers can be found for teachers through scientific inquiry which is evidence based and conducted along accepted guiding principles. Quality questions determine the impact that research will have on accepted knowledge. ( McMillan & Schumaker, 2006, p.7)
In designing a research study, I have started with a problem statement. My problem statement is …I plan to evaluate the impact on unit test scores of web-based inquiry lessons versus traditional lecture and lab lessons of high school students in chemistry.

To start looking for answers I need to research questions for inquiry. These could fall into three question categories.
Descriptive questions: Which students benefit from learning via the web? Do some learners actually get hampered by learning involving a computer?
Relationship question: Do web based inquiry lessons teach content well? In other words, what is the relationship between inquiry lessons and recall of the content?
Difference question: Will students remember content better from their own inquiry differently than from teacher directed instruction? Will students understand content better from searching for answers to their own questions?

Reference: Mcmillan, James, and Sally Schumacher. "Fundamental Principles of Educational Research." Research in Education: Evidence Based Inquiry (6th Edition). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 2006. 1-20. Print.

Educational Research in Science

I am designing an educational research project about web-based inquiry. As a master's student in Instructional Technology, I know well that students in the 21st century learn differently than past generations. It is rare to find a classroom in the U.S. today that does not use the world wide web in some way, but are teachers using the web in significant, meaningful ways?
I am interested in finding out how well my high school science students actually learn using the web. In inquiry projects, the students pose meaningful questions and search out the answers. High school science courses, however, are packed with content leaving little time in the year for exploring issues of interest to students. Since inquiry based projects are designed to help students become better thinkers and better question designers, will this translate to better understanding of core curriculum required in a high school science class? It makes sense to know this before redesigning class curricula, so I have developed this research question:

I plan to evaluate the impact of web-based inquiry lessons versus traditional lecture and lab lessons on the achievement of high school students in chemistry.


I am interested in your feedback and opinions on the work, on the topic, and on the research question itself. I'd like to make sure I am covering all the bases and your collaboration adds more brainpower and creativity to the process.

Reflection: Bridging Theory and Instruction

Teenagers in the 21st century use technology tools a great deal. As teachers, we need to reach our students with technology and at the same time teach our students how to use technology effectively. In the same way that teachers apply various modern and historical educational learning theories to paper-and-pencil learning, I have learned to approach learning using technology. My personal philosophy of education is a hybrid of constructionism, cognitivism, and behaviorism that essentially has not changed throughout this course. What has changed is my awareness of important instructional strategies which will lead my students to be more successful learners.
From thirty years of research, Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (2007) determined nine categories of instructional strategies that affect student achievement. I have, begun to emphasize identifying similarities and differences as well as summarizing and note taking in all of my science classes. These two strategies were shown to increase student achievement the most (p.8). Web tools like www.bubbl.us, which create online graphic organizers help students do both well.
I still believe that a unique construction of knowledge takes place in each of my students’ brains during whatever lesson I teach. Our video resources, reminded me that all learning theories are centered around students actively engaged in learning (Laureate Education, Inc., 2008). Valuable engaging teaching, helps my students synthesize ideas through their own mental filters, and leads them to create their own meaning. This is easy to accomplish using technology tools and software where students construct creative projects to demonstrate their learning on just about any topic.
I have always believed that positive reinforcement is an essential component of a safe classroom environment. I have used online drill and practice activities in the past. Keeping in mind the strategies of successful learners, I have sought out technology resources and found games that will lead to more higher-order complex thinking by my students. Games created by CalTech scientists like the Spitzer Spectrometer game found online at http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_games/spectra/spectrometerDemo.htm go beyond rote recall of facts. The game has different skill levels and challenges students to Identify similarities and differences in order to excel in the game.
I have two long-term goals for integrating technology further into my instructional practice. I would like my students reflect and share their learning in chemistry using a class discussion board. I know this is possible on the Blackboard Academy site I have set up this year and I have enrolled in professional development training to accomplish this goal. I would also like students in all my classes to track how their achievement in my class correlates with their effort.
I will continue to learn and to improve my practice, pairing instructional theory with learning outcomes that involve technology. I have begun to improve the educational value for students of the technology tools I have already use. I have not only learned how to use new Web 2.0 tools, I have leaned to bring them thoughtfully and meaningfully into my instruction in the high school science classes I teach.

References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program eleven. Instructional Strategies, Part One [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore: Author.
Pitler, H. , Hubbell, E. R., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works . Alexandria: Ascd.

Technology and Social Learning

When I think of social learning my mind links it to cooperative learning groups of four students with established roles and individual accountability. Cooperative learning has been around for years but has been brought into focus for me through my graduate course resources on social learning while, at the same time, being expanded to embrace computer technology. Adding this dimension expands the definition of a group to include the computer as a group member in the role Orey calls a “knowledgeable other”. (2001) Students today can create and publish more accurate, thorough projects than ever before with the world wide web of information at their fingertips. The ‘smart kid’ in the group is now the computer.
Online web 2.0 tools are becoming prevalent in more classrooms today as savvy teachers create discussion groups online. This is another aspect of social learning. Wiki pages or class web pages can facilitate the exchange of knowledge and expression of opinion in a social way that allows teachers to monitor all conversations. Students in the 21st century may even be more comfortable with these methods.
Reference: Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/