Week 5: Reflections

In addition to blogging, we have had three assignments this week:

1- Discussion: Project-based learning and WebQuests:
After reading Susan Gaer's article Less Teaching and More Learning, which supports project-based learning; reading about WebQuests, and viewing some examples of these, we discussed, on Nicenet, how could project-based learning (including WebQuests) help students become more autonomous learners. In addition, we also discussed how could project-based learning change the teacher-student relationship in class in general.

In my post in the Discussion section on Nicenet, I pointed out that project-based learning can help students to become more autonomous because it pushes towards a learner-based approach, where learners do most of the work. The teacher's role here is limited to facilitating learning and prompting students. In a teacher-based approach, on the other hand, the teacher dominates almost every aspect of learning, leaving little space of freedom to learners.

I think the learner-basted approach promotes creativity and independence among students. The opposite is true with the teacher-based approach, where the teacher spoon-feeds learners.

2- Task: Project-based learning and WebQuests:

In this task, we had to share a project-based lesson or the outline for a WebQuest that might work in one of our classes. We had to mention the target students to whom the lesson will be taught, the topic of the lesson, its objectives (in ABCD format), and why we think this lesson would work.

I actually wanted to create a WebQuest but because I have been quite busy with other things this week, I chose to design a project-based lesson. However, I definitely intend to create a WebQuest when time permits.

My project-based lesson, which is titled Analyzing a Short Story to Write a Five Paragraph Essay, targets my English Reading and Writing students and has the following objectives:

1- After reading the short story, The Diamond Necklace, and finding the MAIN theme of the story with three examples on it (Condition), Students in my English Course 101 (Audience) will write and re-write a five-paragraph essay on the story's MAIN theme, focusing on the three examples they found (Behavior) with 100% accuracy, in a period of two weeks (Degree).

2- After reading the short story, The Diamond Necklace (Condition) Students in my English Course 101 (Audience) will discuss on our blog one of the other themes in the story, such as, Envy, Content and Borrowing and Lending (Behavior) in at least one post and a comment on another person's participation (Degree).

In order for students to meet the above mentioned objectives, they have to go through eight steps as shown in the link of the project-based lesson plan above.

I think this lesson would work because it relates to what the students have studied in the previous weeks, i.e. studying all aspects relating to the five-paragraph essay. In addition, the short story is simple and interesting, and discusses a universal theme that can be found in any society in the world. Most importantly, students will probably welcome the idea of reading and searching online and discussing their opinions on a blog with the teacher and other peers.

3- Project Task:
Having written some issues with one of our classes last week, this week we have had to describe a technology-related change that could help to tackle these issues.

As I illustrated in my reflections last week, I have problems with motivating students to write in English. The technology-related change that I would like to implement is the use of a weblog. I hope that by seeing their writing products published, read and commented on by others, the students will get motivated to write more.

Note: please participate in the poll above.

Yours,

Mohamed