Instructor David Bell bell sfu ca WEEK 4

Instructor David Bell bell@sfu. ca WEEK #4

Plan for Today • • • Your Position Paper Search Strategies Instructional Design Basics Introduction to Web. Quests Work in groups to explore and rate Web. Quests

A Small Request… In future, when you upload Reading Responses or Assignments to: Include your own name in both the filename and in the body of the file itself (Just think…I wind up with many files called “Reading Response #1” on my desktop!)

The Position Paper

What’s a Position Paper It is not • A literature review – (e. g. the history of cats as house pets) • A “how-to” paper – (e. g. how to keep cats as house pets) • A pro and con paper – (e. g. the advantages and disadvantages of cats as house pets) • A “copy and paste” activity from a variety of sources

The Position Paper • Has three key parts: – Summary of an issue related to technology and education in K-12 schools – Summary of the various perspectives held on that issue – Presentation and defense of a clear and reasonable (but not wishy-washy) position on the issue • Referencing (minimum 5) to support your arguments • No more than 5 pages double-spaced • Academic writing

The Position Paper • Why do one? – Because you will need to shape positions in this way throughout your career as an educator

Defining the Position Paper • It is an argumentative or persuasive essay – A reasoned argument rather than an assertion of opinion • Assertion = “X is true” – E. g. Computers are beneficial in schools – Leaves people wondering: • WHY is the case? • HOW is this done? • What evidence is there? (Is that really correct? )

A Reasoned Argument • Assertion = “X is true” • Backs it up with any of the following: – There are persuasive reasons why X could be true – There is plausible explanation of how X could occur. – There is evidence which suggest that X is in fact true • The strongest argument contains all three above

“Set the Stage” • The first paragraph or two should introduce – Your specific issue and the main perspectives on the issue – Your position (thesis statement) – Your arguments/areas your arguments will focus on • Do not waste valuable space – by starting with general statements – providing a general context of how beneficial computers are for the future, etc. or – a historical account unless it is specifically relevant to you argument – E. g. Up to recently, literature has suggested that guinea pigs were the extent to which apartment dwellers could consider as pets, however cats are…

What to keep in mind? • Goal: to persuade the reader (me) of your view. Think of it along the lines of a newspaper editorial. – (e. g. cats are the ideal house pets for working apartment dwellers) • Where you take a stance/position/specific view on a topic – While "yes/no" issues are tempting (e. g. "should computers be used for mathematics instruction? "), they are often too broad – Ideally a meaty issue with three or four possible positions that have been studied, such as – "Why do so few women enter careers in high technology? Should schools try to change this, and if so how could it be done? "

Components • Once you know your stance, make it clear – Cats are ideal pets for working apartment dwellers • Then find 3 or 4 arguments to support it – (Broad) Due to their 1. need for little space, 2. cleanliness, and 3. independence – (Narrower) From a psycho-social perspective. Cats 1. provide rich interactions, 2. are independent when left alone, 3. do not require socialization with other cats, and 4. can remain indoors without psychological problems. • For each argument look for supporting examples from articles

“Strength” in Citations [Cats] “Need for little space” • Reference to support the argument: Cats are suitable for smaller homes because their compact size enables to live in smaller spaces (Fuzzy, 2002). • References to provide evidence to support the argument: Cats are suitable for smaller homes because their compact size enables them to live in smaller spaces. Morris (1999) investigated the relationship between housing size and longevity, health and temperament among 596 cats. He found no differences even when housing consisted of 250 square feet. [anticipate a “dog” argument] A study by Rover (2000) however, suggests a negative relationship between temperament and housing size for dogs.

Logic and Arguments • Ensure that your arguments are organized logically, related to each other and flow well from one to the other • Try to anticipate counterarguments, present them and then refute them with referenced supporting material • Avoid circular reasoning: – E. g. Media literacy education is needed to improve media literacy. Instead: Media literacy is needed because it: • enables students to search the internet more efficiently (cite studies that have found this)

Summary • • Includes your position statement Includes each of your arguments May have some additional ideas/suggestions Ties your paper together in a nice package to try to “sell me on your idea” (in an academic way)

Position Paper Grading • 20% - Description of the issue and the various perspectives held • 25% - Presentation of your own position on the issue • 30% - Effective argument for your position (using references) • 10% - Closing summary of your argument • 15% - Overall clarity of presentation, effective use of English and format requirements met

Broad areas for position papers • • • Media awareness or media literacy Software design and use for Elementary students Software design and use for Secondary students Information Technology policy in schools Information Technology in the school curriculum Access and equity with regard to computing resources in schools

More Position Paper Ideas • Technology and particular subject matter – ESL, History • Technology and the socialization of children • Technology and children with learning disabilities or special needs • Technology in the primary grades • Technology and children’s health • Particular software applications for the classroom – Tutoring systems – Learning environments and simulations – Productivity tools – CMC tools • Equity and access to technology • The internet in schools, mixing adult and children’s cultures • Computers and commercialization in the schools

Referencing online sources • http: //www. apastyle. org/elecsource. html Online periodical: Author, A. A. , Author, B. B. , & Author, C. C. (2000). Title of article. Title of Periodical, xxxxxx. Retrieved month day, year, from source. Online document: Author, A. A. (2000). Title of work. Retrieved month day, year, from source.

Researching

Pertinent Searches • What is a scholarly journal? http: //www. lib. sfu. ca/researchhelp/publicationtypes/periodicaltypes. h tm • What’s ERIC? http: //www. lib. sfu. ca/researchhelp/subjectguides/educ/ERIC. ht m • To access ERIC http: //cufts 2. lib. sfu. ca/CRDB/BVAS/resource/6134

How do we find useful information? • Often, someone else passes it on to us • Other times, we need to carry out an active search • At least three strategies can be used in search – Keyword searches – Following links or references – Referring to a trusted authority • Which strategy you start with depends on how much you know about what you’re looking for • Most of the time we combine strategies

Online resources • Search engine watch – http: //searchenginewatch. com/ • Evaluating websites – http: //www. lib. sfu. ca/researchtools/internetse arch/webevaluation. htm

Search Engines • Basic techniques – Boolean searches (+/-) (and/or/and not) • +Saturn – car • Saturn and not car (i. e. Alta vista advanced search) • (car or automobile or vehicle) and (buy or purchase) and used – Quotations for words side-by-side • “global warming” – Asterisk (*) • math*

Some handy tips • Whenever possible, use nouns and objects as keywords – EXAMPLE: fiesta dinnerware plates cups saucers • Put most important terms first in your keyword list; to ensure that they will be searched, put a +sign in front of each one – EXAMPLE: +hybrid +electric +gas +vehicles • Use at least three keywords in your query – EXAMPLE: interaction vitamins drugs • Combine keywords, whenever possible, into phrases – EXAMPLE: "search engine tutorial” • Avoid common words, e. g. , water, unless they're part of a phrase – EXAMPLE: "bottled water”

ERIC • The world's largest source of education information • The database contains more than 1 million abstracts of education-related documents (including reports, conference presentations, lesson plans) and journal articles, dating from 1966 • ERIC updates the database monthly, ensuring that the information you receive is timely and accurate. • Many documents are available directly through ERIC, or can be found elsewhere with ERIC’s reference data. • Get to it through http: //www. lib. sfu. ca/

Sample ERIC Search

Web. Quests

Why Web. Quests? • Originated with Dr. Bernie Dodge in 1995. • Based on the concern that K-12 students spent far too much time searching the web, and not enough time thinking about, or thinking with, what they find. • “Web. Quest” – specific kind of web page – usually built by a teacher – design focuses on helping students use particular web-based (or other) materials as resources – for problem-solving • Enormously popular!

Parts of a Web. Quest • Introduction – The “hook”, often a fictional scenario or “cover story” • Task – What do students need to do (produce)? Often involves playing a specific role in a life-like scenario • Process – Guidance on how to approach the task, with pointers to necessary resources and (sometimes) advice or hints on how to organize and think about these • Evaluation – How will students’ performance on the task be evaluated? • Conclusion – Helps students understand what they have accomplished and how it might be extended

Web. Quest Resources • Web. Quest building blocks and examples http: //projects. edtech. sandi. net/staffdev/b uildingblocks/p-index. htm • Create a task rubric http: //webquest. sdsu. edu/rubrics. h tml • Reading and training materials http: //webquest. sdsu. edu/materials. htm

Web. Quest Activity: Groups Divide into Groups: 4 people per group • Elementary • Grades 3 -4 • Grades 6 -12 • HS Math/Science

Activity Instructions • Go to: http: //webquest. sdsu. edu/materials. htm • Under A Web. Quest about Web. Quests, select “Elementary”, “ 3 -4”, “ 6 -12”, or “HS Math/Science” depending on your group. • Take 10 minutes to read the instructions and organize your group • Individually, spend up to 7 minutes on each site to complete your worksheet (35 minutes max. ) • Regroup and answer the questions as a group. Make sure you have someone recording and ready to report out (25 minutes max. Let David know when you’re done) • Larger group discussion