Virtual Art Gallery
Inquiry Based Leaning
A Perfect Opportunity
Infomania
Have you ever been concerned about students who answer their mobile
phones in
class or surreptitiously check their e-mail when they are supposed to be
concentrating
on a different task? Or perhaps you have been annoyed when a colleague has
checked
e-mail during a meeting? Read
on...
Students will have an active role as curators -
proposing themes, inviting participants, organizing exhibits and
engaging the wider public through online forums.
Go to
'Virtual Art Gallery' web site
Inquiry Based Learning
Using ICT to Promote Reflection in Inquiry Based
Learning
‘Nature’ or ‘nurture’?
What shapes the people we are?
Individuals
Mary Koolhof and Jasmin Pearn from Claremont College in Tasmania and
Jane Graham at KGV School in Hong Kong, partners in a 2003 ICT
collaborative project, were keen to build on the successes of the first
project. A common point of interest was using ICT to promote reflection
in inquiry based learning.
The Tasmanian participants attended a professional learning session on
WebQuests and related activities. After consultation with their Hong
Kong partner it was decided to focus on developmental psychology,
specifically the relative roles of heredity and environment in shaping
gender identity, also referred to as the nature-nurture debate.
Mary Koolhof and Jasmin Pearn formulated a controversial Subject Sampler
on this issue to challenge students to reflect on their own ideas and
assumptions, and followed this with a Hotlist to extend students’
knowledge of this topic and build understandings. The links for these
activities were emailed to the Hong Kong school together with the
address of a web-based forum to allow students to share their thoughts
and reflections over a two week period in October 2004. For most of the
Tasmanian students, participating in the forum was a new experience.
Forum: The Nature Nurture Debate – What Shapes our Gender Identity?
Claremont College students participating in the forum with Hong Kong
students
Students commented very positively on the forum and associated online
activities. There were two main threads in the comments:
1. Students felt that the forum and associated online activities did
indeed create deeper understandings:
‘I know that I have got a lot out of the forum, and things have
become clearer. Hearing other people’s points of views has put things
into perspective for me and parts that I found difficult to grab hold of
are now clearer… being involved in a forum with another country is
different as you learn different perspectives and the types of things
that they study.’ (Krystal)
‘I think that it is a good idea to be doing this forum…because we get
to hear other people's perspectives.’ (Hannah)
2. Other students found that the forum facilitated a genuine exchange of
views:
‘I think that the online forum is a great way to voice your opinion
to others in a safe environment, free from the feeling of intimidation
from others face to face. It is also a great way to get opinions from
others in other countries as well as in Australia.’ (Kym)
‘I think it is a good idea, because people can speak rather freely
and not have to worry about people personally attacking them for their
views and ideas on certain subjects.’ (Jackie)
Planning for the Future
Online learning has offered exciting opportunities to extend student
learning in the subject of Psychology. Mary Koolhof from Claremont
College and Jane Graham in Hong Kong are planning a third joint online
Psychology project in September 2005. The topic and stimulus material
are currently under discussion.
A Perfect Opportunity
This
year two students from Elizabeth College provided a much needed boost
for the Colleges’ Online Learning Project.
Jo Harris and Lewis Mathieson have been working on the Collaborative Projects page of the Colleges Online website, editing and uploading the information for the recently completed water testing project.
This task gave both students the opportunity to work independently in a real life situation. They have been able to enhance their computing and communication skills and at the same time it has given them a great chance to gain new skills in the area of website design and to participate in Online Collaborative Learning.
Interestingly enough both Lewis and Jo learnt a surprising amount about Spotted Hand Fish along the way!