- Web
Safari
A web safari
(often called a scavenger hunt) is an activity that encourages learners
to find and evaluate resources available on the internet. It is
an excellent activity for having the learners extend their own learning
resources and materials.
Here are some
guidelines for designing a web safari:
- Be sure to
select a topic or question that is directly related to the content.
A focused question will keep the learners on track as they locate
resources.
- Be specific
as to how this activity will be graded or evaluated. Make sure
they know how many sites they should find, and how to report the
results. You might want them to include the actual url, and their
own annotation of the site. The related link on the right is a
copy of a rubric I developed to evaluate a web safari.
Example:
Learning Circuits
http://www.learningcircuits.org/
This site is maintained by ASTD (American Society for Training
and Development), and contains current articles about many aspects
of elearning. In addition to the articles, there are online
newsletters, a glossary, and four unique departments with their
own set of articles and information. An excellent site and resource
for keeping current with elearning!
- Find a way
for individuals to share their findings with others in the class.
This is one activity where the collective is better than the individual.
I find that posting the results in a threaded discussion allows
everyone to review what others have found.
This is an example
of a web safari that would be appropriate for this class:
We have a new activity for this week - a web
safari. I would like for each of you to use the Internet
to find and review at least one type of online testing software
that is "free" and available for people to use.
Post the results of your safari in the threaded discussion
section of our Blackboard course site.
When you post the results of your safari,
be sure to include:
-
the web site address for the software
you reviewed
-
your own critique of the feasibility and
usability of the software
-
any restrictions or costs associated with
the software
Looking forward to seeing all the different
types of testing software you find!
Cheers, Dr. N
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