Grabe!

Grabe Post-

What is the Big Six and how should it be used?

The Big Six is a set of questions that one must ask themselves when involving themselves in Internet Inquiry-Based projects. In answering these questions, students teach themselves skills necessary in using the Internet as a tool/resource of inquiry. The questions in the Big Six are as follows:

1. What needs to be done?

-skill learned: student identifies the sort of information problem they are dealing with

2. What can I use to find what I need?

-skills learned: student identifies what seems to be the best and most appropriate resources to figure out where they can find the answers to solve problems.

3. Where can I find what I need?

-skills learned-learner is able to find specific resources and learns how to use such resources

4. What information can I use?

-skills learned: student reads/views the actual information (process info), decide what is useful for problem, and then use the info that is needed.

5. How can I put my information together?

-skills learned: student puts information together to solve the problem

6. How will I know if I did my job well?

-skills learned: student learns how to reflect and evaluate their work and how they got to their solution.

The Big Six should be used for “understanding the application of Internet resources to information problems and for suggesting skills students may need to develop to take full advantage of the Internet”.

It should be used for inquiry-based research on the Internet, as well as real life problems and questions in every day life.

Harris Post

Harris (2000)

Some critics believe there’s no place for Internet projects in today’s world of high stakes testing and emphasis on student achievement. Harris in her 2000 article states against this criticism saying that, “it’s true that some Internet enriched learning activities seem disassociated from curriculum standards, we must remember that tools don’t constitute curriculum. Rather, tools should be used in service of students’ learning needs.” Harris believes that there are many ways that the Internet can help with projects in schools. Students can telecollaborate, as well as use the Internet for teleresearch. There are many kinds of learning activities that can meet curriculum standards while incorporating telecollaboration and teleresearch. Because there is not more time and/or space for additional technology in a student’s day at school, teachers need to use technology for their content. Harris says, “Fortunately, Internet tools and resources are not additions to our curricula; rather, they can be used as “instruments of construction.”” Projects need to have a combination of curricular goals, telecollaborative activity structures, as well as teleresearch purposes.

Basically, “if the testing instruments are reliable, valid, and matched to relevant curriculum standards, the benefits of such project-based learning should also be reflected in higher test scores.” The Internet/technology in curriculum-based ways not only directly addressed curriculum standars but can also do so in a time-efficient and learner-centered way.

I think technology/Internet in the classroom is a must. As stated in the article, technology is “student-centered, active, problem-based, multi-modal, and interdisciplinary.” I support Harris, especially everything we have learned in this class.