Re: [school-discuss] Example teacher request for OSS

["David M. Bucknell" <dbucknell@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Daniel, What about Webquests?


----- Message from dhhoward@xxxxxxxxxxx ---------
    Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2006 09:24:30 -0400
    From: Daniel Howard <dhhoward@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: schoolforge-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 Subject: [school-discuss] Example teacher request for OSS
      To: schoolforge-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


> Further to Sharon and Justin's comments about making it easy for
> teachers looking for open source software applications, here is a
> request from one of my 4th grade teachers.  I scanned the App Index, and
> the applications listed under geography look more like tools to build
> something or complex GIS apps, as opposed to applications for students
> to learn basic map skills, geography, or latitude and longitude.  Anyone
> have any suggestions?  Daniel
>
>
> Hi Daniel,
>
> 4^th grade team is wondering in regards to one of our IB units on
> geography--
>
> Does Linux edutainment have any programs for map skills, geography, or
> latitude and longitude, etc?
>
> Is there some open software we could download to Linux for this?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Craig


----- End message from dhhoward@xxxxxxxxxxx -----

There are a few things that are not ideal about Webquests (such as the 
fact that
they usually exhibit no understanding of licensing issues and do not push
Web-based collaboration enough), but they are a good start.

I suggest Web quests because they are educationally sound in structure and
invite both the teacher and also the student into the process.  If the
Webquests or Web quests (both spellings are used) don't fit a problem exactly,
they are a good starting point for making one's own.

A problem with Web quests, of course, is that the sites to which they 
link often
change, thus frustrating the teacher looking for a lesson at the last minute.

I have a lot to say about this but suffice it to say I quickly found 
some things
your teachers could have found for themselves.  They need to realize that this
is their problem, not just yours.

Learning about latitude and longitude requires varioius lessons in which
students are given the opportunity to "get" the concept and apply it at deeper
and deeper levels.


http://webquest.org
Search for latitude:
http://ballz.ababa.net/longitude/webquest.html

Search on google for same:
http://education.usgs.gov/common/primary.htm

http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000486.shtml

http://www.studyworksonline.com/cda/content/article/0,,EXP374_NAV2-5_SAR376,00.shtml

http://ballz.ababa.net/longitude/webquest.html

I also put together this page a few years ago for the broader issues of 
working
without textbooks or desktop software:
http://www.rose-marie.ac.th/staticpages/index.php?page=20030118010448841

This is just a start, obviously.  I think it's how planning should start.  I'm
not saying that someone couldn't create the equivalent of kstars and lessons
based on it.  That would be great.  But as your teachers know, lesson planning
is a constantly evolving process.  Even if you've taught the same thing many
times, you revisit it and refine it.  Webquests fit that process.

Best wishes,

David Bucknell


--
http://iteachnet.org


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