Jim Carroll
Teaching Interdisciplinary Problem Solving (TIPS) through
Educational Technology is intended to help teachers to integrate TIPS’
innovative Internet applications into advancing students’ problem solving
skills. You have been learning about
how to use The Public Policy Analyst.
Perhaps the best way to integrate the PPA into teaching is by
creating and using WebQuests.
Bernie Dodge originated WebQuests in 1995. His website describes
the six main parts of a WebQuest and contains numerous examples from teachers
across the country. As an experienced
teacher, you are familiar with creating lesson plans. WebQuests are similar to traditional lesson plans, except you
create a WebQuest for your students to read online to guide them through the
lesson.
As a TIPS teacher, you will create two WebQuests. A TIPS PPA WebQuest is a WebQuest that
incorporates some of the steps from the PPA model. It is the PPA that differentiates this
project from the 300+ proposals that the government rejected when TIPS was
funded in 1999. It is the effectiveness
of integrating the PPA into teaching that is the basis of our project’s
assessment and continuation. Your first
TIPS PPA WebQuest is due on October 31, 2001.
Be creative and have fun with Product One.
As a result of this
WebQuest, you and your TIPS colleagues will recognize the value of creating and
using TIPS WebQuests in your curriculum.
You should also be able to make considerable progress toward creating
your Product 1 WebQuest that is due on October 31.
Sit in groups according
to your subject area—Participation in Government, American history, Global
Studies, science or language arts. Use
the resource links to implement these steps.
The first two steps
are intended to familiarize you with WebQuests. Most of the six parts of a WebQuest are self-explanatory. Sometimes there is confusion over the
difference between “Task” and “Process.”
The former contains your general purpose, goals or objectives, whereas
the latter specifically guides the students on implementation.
The next series of
steps involve you in the process of identifying the specific social problem
from your curriculum that will serve as the basis for your PPA WebQuest and
beginning your Product One WebQuest.
Resources
1. Bernie
Dodge’s website
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/webquest.html
The six parts of a WebQuest
http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/tpss99/mywebquest/index.htm
2. Samples of PPA
Teacher Products
3. Value of
WebQuests and the PPA
4. Using the PPA in American
history/Government
Using the PPA in Language
Arts
Using the PPA in Global
History
Evaluation
1.
The feedback that you offer and receive from your
colleagues as you complete the tasks today and work on your PPA WebQuest should
contain valuable guidance and assistance.
2.
The director will develop a checklist or a rubric for
evaluating your WebQuests that you will receive in September.
Conclusion
If
you have worked diligently, you should now have a better understanding of the
value of creating and using PPA WebQuests, and you should have made
considerable progress toward completing your Product 1 WebQuest.