TechQuest
Introduction
A TechQuest is an inquiry based project where one identifies any type of educational problem, then chooses a technology that will help solve that problem and discusses all the ramifications of implementing that technology. The problem I identified in my educational setting was how the lack of motivation for middle school students to study negatively affects their test scores. My solution was to put students in mixed-ability study groups and post the study guides online to a wiki so groups could collaborate. I have read that using technology is motivating for students and so it was my hope that by putting the study guide in a digital format and allowing students to collaborate would motivate them to get the study guide done, which in turn would help their test scores.
Context
This TechQuest project was the major focus of my third technology certificate course CEP 812: Applying Educational Technology to Practice. I worked on the project in small chunks throughout the course. The class was structured into small groups and each week we would post a draft of part of our TechQuest to our blog for those in our small group to read and comment on. We then took all the feedback and produced a final version of our TechQuest project with all the parts merged together. My final TechQuest project is attached to the bottom of this page.
Educational Application
The TechQuest was essentially "inquiry-based problem solving". This teaching strategy is encouraged in K -12 classrooms today. This method can be applied to any subject where students can come up with a problem and then come up with a solution that satisfies certain parameters. The element of collaboration was a key factor in making this process engaging allowing for a better overall product to be created in the end. These structures should be applied to inquiry-based problem solving learning initiatives.
Technologies Used
* Blog
* Internet
A TechQuest is an inquiry based project where one identifies any type of educational problem, then chooses a technology that will help solve that problem and discusses all the ramifications of implementing that technology. The problem I identified in my educational setting was how the lack of motivation for middle school students to study negatively affects their test scores. My solution was to put students in mixed-ability study groups and post the study guides online to a wiki so groups could collaborate. I have read that using technology is motivating for students and so it was my hope that by putting the study guide in a digital format and allowing students to collaborate would motivate them to get the study guide done, which in turn would help their test scores.
Context
This TechQuest project was the major focus of my third technology certificate course CEP 812: Applying Educational Technology to Practice. I worked on the project in small chunks throughout the course. The class was structured into small groups and each week we would post a draft of part of our TechQuest to our blog for those in our small group to read and comment on. We then took all the feedback and produced a final version of our TechQuest project with all the parts merged together. My final TechQuest project is attached to the bottom of this page.
Educational Application
The TechQuest was essentially "inquiry-based problem solving". This teaching strategy is encouraged in K -12 classrooms today. This method can be applied to any subject where students can come up with a problem and then come up with a solution that satisfies certain parameters. The element of collaboration was a key factor in making this process engaging allowing for a better overall product to be created in the end. These structures should be applied to inquiry-based problem solving learning initiatives.
Technologies Used
* Blog
* Internet
techquest_project.pdf | |
File Size: | 126 kb |
File Type: |