JOL>Collections>INQuiry based Learning>Using the Internet to Promote inquiry based Learning>The PRoduct and The assessment

 

The Product:

The product section of the Project Page defines what the students will produce that represents their answer to the essential question. The product can be anything, however it should match the role the students are given in the scenario. Typical products include essays or papers, hypermedia stacks (Hyperstudio and KidPix), and presentations. We strongly urge teachers to consider having students produce WebEssays as their products. WebEssays are Web documents that are created with Web page editing software (or even with Microsoft Word!) and then posted online. The WebEssays contain hyperlinks to supportive Web resources, along with graphics (pictures, charts, etc.) and even sounds or movies, depending on how tech-savvy the students and teacher are. Since WebEssays are intended to be posted online, they have the potential to reach a world-wide audience! This knowledge can dramatically increase student performance. We strongly believe that students can be contributors to the World Wide Web rather than just users. Since they can be posted online, consider hosting the WebEssays in an online gallery of achievement on your school Web site.

Excellent examples of product descriptions are found in Design a Wild Ride , The Greatest 20th Century Inventor, and Preventing a Heart Attack.

The Assessment:

The assessment for the task is specified by online assessment rubrics in the final section of the Project Page. Assessment may focus on only the product; we encourage teachers to evaluate both product and process. Process skills could include but are not limited to writing foundations questions, developing an Internet search strategy, as well as locating, evaluating, and citing Web resources. Process skills could also include components of cooperative learning such as how well each group member performed during the lesson.

Excellent examples of assessment descriptions and rubrics are found in Everything's Coming Up Roses, Staying Healthy, and Meterologist Moment.

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