Anika+Inquiry+Activity

Anika Khan EDU 7666 Professor Signer March 7, 2010

(1) This inquiry based webquest was for middle and high school students' to build skills in analyzing historical pictures. The purpose of this webquest is to give students insight on how to practice doing history the way that historians do. The students task to be a "detective" and use skills that historians would use in gathering information about the pictures on display on the webquest. The students are able to choose a question about the picture to gather clues through the "pose a question" tab. After this step the student is asked " What are these people doing?" and told to " Roll over the picture to highlight clues. Click to a gather a clue." When the student clicks on the "gather clues" tab they can scroll on the picture to highlight an area they wish to gather a clue on. When the student chooses that specific area, a little window pops up asking "Type a Note about this Clue, What do you see? What might this mean?" The student than proceeds to the "Get Background Information" tab to receive background information about the picture. When this completed, the student clicks on the "draw a conclusion" tab and fill out their conclusion as well as submit their reasons for this conclusion and any questions that were raised. When the student has submitted this information, they are allowed to compare their conclusion with teachers, students in middle and high school and scholars. They are also able to find out what is known about the picture.

(2a) NYS Standards Standard 1 History of the United States and New York use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in the history of the United States and New York.

(2b) National Education Technology Standards 1. Creativity and Innovation Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students: a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes. b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression. c. use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues. d. identify trends and forecast possibilities.

2.Communication and Collaboration Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students: a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media. b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats. c. develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures. d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.

3. Research and Information Fluency Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students: a. plan strategies to guide inquiry. b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media. c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks. d. process data and report results.

(3) Inquiry – The process of critically thinking, gathering, analyzing, seeking, and constructing information for a possible solution to an open-ended question or problem. There is no right or wrong answer in finding a possible solution. The student is being graded on the strategy in which he/she uses to come to their answer.


 * Criteria Point Value = 0 Point Value = 1 Point Value = 2 **
 * ** Students solve problems using critical and higher level thinking. ** || Task requires gathering information. The students are given a task that requires only lower level thinking to come to a solution (ie, fill in the blanks, matching). || Students are given a task that requires some higher level thinking (ie, analyzing and synthesizing information) but still contains some tasks that require only lower level thinking (ie, memorization as a proof of comprehension). || Task requires synthesis of information and application to real-life situation. Students solve problems using critical thinking and higher level thinking (ie, making observations, considering evidence, using reasoning skills, etc.) ||

0 || Partial 1 || Exemplary 2 || Score || There are many different sources gathered in coming to the conclusion/solution. The conclusion/solution is accurately supported and justified. ||  ||
 * || Not Evident
 * Did the process show critical thinking skills? || Showed no signs of critical thinking. There was no order or clarity of how the conclusion/solution came about. || Showed some signs of critical thinking. Showed little order and clarity of how the conclusion/solution came about. || Showed accurate signs of critical thinking. Showed an organized and well put together order of how the conclusion/solution came about. ||  ||
 * Did the process show gathering of information? || Showed no information, There was no evidence of any explanation as to where the information that was gathered in coming to the conclusion/solution came about. || Showed some type of information. There was some evidence of explanation of some information that was gathered in coming to the conclusion/solution. || Showed a complete set of gathered information. There is evidence that supports and explains the information that was gathered in coming to the conclusion/solution. ||  ||
 * Did the process demonstrate analysis of information? || Showed no analysis of information. The information gathered to come to the conclusion/solution is confusing and unreliable. || Showed some kind of understanding and analysis of information. The information gathered to come to the conclusion/solution demonstrates very little understanding of the material. || Showed complete and thorough analysis of information. The information gathered to come to the solution/conclusion demonstrates depth and understanding of the material. ||  ||
 * Did the process show seeking of information? || Showed no attempt of seeking information. There is no material that was gathered to come to the conclusion/solution. || Showed some kind of attempt to seek information. There is very little information gathered and the conclusion/solution doesn't seem to be thoroughly supported. || Showed complete and thorough signs of seeking information.
 * Did the process show constructing of information? || Showed no construction of information. There is nothing to demonstrate any type of research had been done. || Showed some kind of construction of information. There is little research done on the topic. || Showed well intact construction of information. The research done is relevant in gathering the information needed to come to a conclusion/solution. ||  ||