Σελίδα Εκπαιδευτικού
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The lesson is integrated in the syllabus as
part of an extensive reading programme the school has launched, whereby
learners, after reading Oliver Twist
by Dickens (2008), expressed the wish to determine how the era Dickens had
lived in and the life he had led affected the plot, characters and events in his
book. The aim is to create an infographic after in-depth inquiry. Specific
objectives include that learners be able to conduct research, filter data,
communicate their message via informative and concise visual images to
represent bite-sized pieces of information, evaluate their end-product and
incorporate software tools to enhance their reading, writing and
problem-solving skills.
In an attempt for the instruction to be
learner-centered and allow thorough exploration of the topic in question through
the creation of a personally meaningful end-product, simultaneously providing
learner autonomy, interest and motivation, Project-based Learning (PBL) poses
the ideal approach: based on constructivism, the methodology by which,
according to Grant (2002) learners construct new knowledge by building on their
existing one through interaction with their environment, as well as
constructionism, the approach which, again according to Grant (2002), postulates
that learners gain knowledge best by producing an artifact which can be shared,
PBL is a great approach for creating independent thinkers. As Bell (2010, p. 39)
argues, �the genesis of a project is an inquiry�: students develop a question
and, under teacher guidance and supervision, they do research and the outcome
is better comprehension of the topic in question, in-depth learning and gaining
of valuable skills, higher-level reading and augmented motivation.
There are several stages within PBL, each
of which requires careful planning and scaffolded instruction on part of the
teacher. In keeping with Bell (2010), scaffolding refers to teacher support
provided to learners so as to assist them in organizing their work and bridging
the gaps in their knowledge or skill in order to materialize their
project. Webquests are an excellent tool
to be used to that end, since they are based on a project and use a predefined-
by the teacher- list of resources from the World Wide Web; in this way, learner
time is used to the maximum effect by disposing of the need to search for
references as well as prevent misinformation or visiting inappropriate sites,
as Grant (2002) asserts, since the focus is on using, not searching for
information. According to Sox and Rubinstein-Avila (2009), Webquests foster
collaborative problem solving, simulating real-world situations, accommodating
diverse learning styles, promoting academic language growth via challenging
tasks that require synthesizing data, developing IT skills eventually
culminating in a cumulative project. Basic elements of Webquest design include
a Welcome Page, the Introduction, the Task, the Process, the Evaluation and a Conclusion.
The Internet, however, is the quintessence of
the implementation of the project. According to Boukoureka (2005), it is the
perfect medium as it offers access to infinite data, software, graphics, sound and
text through a variety of sources, and, above all, access to authentic
up-to-date teaching material- which is, in effect, motivating for learners who
see it as a game, teeming with images, animation and interactivity. It is, in
essence, an instantaneously accessible digital library that offers learners the
opportunity to gain knowledge at their own tempo, promoting their autonomy. Nonetheless,
as the wealth of information is intimidating and unguided, Webquests are the
perfect means to exploit the Internet for educational purposes.
A final element that should be mentioned at
this point is the use of infographics for the purposes of the project.
Infographics comprise a pedagogical tool, which according to Gallagher (2014) is
a spectacular way to deliver facts to readers after extensive research, reading
and analysis. There needs to be an essential question to embrace the goal of
the infographic. Next, learners are provided with the information and guiding
questions they need for the research. Finally, the infographics tool to be used
is decided. The information for the creation of the infographic is accessed via
the Webquest in class, at home or anywhere else.
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