The Altitudinist

 Macbeth by William Shakespeare

The Altitudinist: Higher level thinking is everything to you. There's too much emphasis on factual recall in schools today. The only justification for bringing technology into schools is if it opens up the possibility that students will have to analyze information, synthesize multiple perspectives, and take a stance on the merits of something. You also value sites that allow for some creative expression on the part of the learner.

Your Impressions

WebQuest - Listed with a number that I have used to rank each of the 5 webquests.                                         
#3  Gorillas
*Strengths - Saving the Gorillas poses the question "What should be done", which satisfies a higher level thinking.  The students are given the challenge that gorillas are endangered and basic info regarding their lifestyles.  In the end students are asked to:

It is time for you to make a decision. Think back on all you have found and decide how you would save the gorilla. What kind of activities are needed to guarantee that your grandchildren will still be able to see a wild gorilla?

I like the fact that students have to bounce ideas off each other to come up with an answer to save a species.  Its a huge topic and how 'we' handle the information 'we' know, such as the declining numbers of gorilla, combined with our future actions is going to determine extinction.  An important link or connection for secondary students to make since they are the next generation.  The students have to 'analyze information, synthesize multiple perspectives, and take a stance on the merits of something' to complete this activity.

*Weakness - The format that the information is given seems a bit juvenile to me for secondary students.  I am wondering how serious I would have taken this WebQuest as a secondary student.
#1  Shakespeare
*Strengths - I really, really liked this WebQuest the best.  I think Josh, Jeremy, and I agreed that it satisfied all of its requirements in making a good WebQuest.  As far as higher level thinking the students were posed the question "do you really have a good grasp of what life was like when he was alive?"  To find these answers they have to research:
     1. The actor - What it was like to act in Elizabethan England compared to Shakespearean acting during our own time period.
     2. Historian - Learn what life was like in Elizabethan England and the personal life of William Shakespeare.
     3. Director - The students have to research theatre practices of Elizabethan England and look at the things done at the Globe then and now, as well as at other theatres of Shakespeare's day.
     4. Linguist - The students will research the plays and poetry of William Shakespeare and the language he used.

After the students finish this research they have to follow a census guide to help them determine as a group what information needs to be included in the final product.  The students have to "analyze information".  The next step is to decide as a group how to synthesize the information in order to plan a creative presentation.   The last step includes creating a scrapbook of Shakespeare's time period and a final presentation with either a PowerPoint or Skit created completely by the group members.  I really like the conclusion of this project.  It truly is a PBL and forces the students to take all their knowledge to a creative level.

*Weakness - I don't see a flaw in the WebQuest

#2 Earthquake
*Strengths - Jeremy, Josh, and I definitely agreed that this was a rather intriguing project.  The students have to use prior knowledge about the different types of earthquake waves and building designs to create a building design that will withstand an earthquake.  Of course, the limited supplies to create a strong building is the biggest challenge.  If the students succeed their design should hold up to testing.  This all is part of higher level thinking.

*Weakness - I don't see a flaw in the higher level thinking of this WebQuest.

#4 Foreign Country
*Strengths - I like the idea of making this project a contest.  Students do have to analyze their country for a variety of topics such as interesting places, pictures of the people, monuments, natural wonders, events, festivities, and/or anything else that can be found.  The students then have to use their information to create a PowerPoint presentation making sure to make the presentation as interesting as possible to win the contest.  So students might strive for 'unique' information.  I feel it satisfies a higher level of thinking.

*Weakness - I don't like the fact that there is no collaboration.  Without someone to bounce ideas off of or to help weed through nonsense I'm afraid it lacks some higher order thinking. 

#5 Waves & Sound
*Strengths - This project could have been an interesting topic had it been organized with more thought.  However...

*Weakness - This WebQuest seems to be more of a treasure hunt than a project.  Students merely click on sites but are not really given a clear goal.  This is not an impossible project.  The author however states as the conclusion:

Congratulations! You've just mastered a difficult concept of Physics. While it may not have been easy or clear, through the innovations of technology, we have helped you further your knowledge and give you key learning concepts.

What!?!  That just blew my mind.  To me this is a very incomplete WebQuest with not a lot of thought put in it.