Technology tools to facilitate Instructional Design

Michael Baker Brown

Technology tools to facilitate Instructional Design

Dr. Bazan

This week in class, I am beginning to work to build a WebQuest for Instructional Design.  We are going to use Google sites to facilitate the WebQuest creation.  A WebQuest is an online interactive lesson plan (Bauer, 104).  I have used the Classic version of Google sites before starting this class to create a website for our choir program.  The website has proved very useful, but a WebQuest is something completely different from an informational website. 

WebQuests are designed by individuals to be an interactive differentiated experience through the internet, and are built to facilitate learning within the given context.  WebQuests are a technology-based type of learning called Project-Based Learning.  “Project-Based learning (PBL) is an approach to instructional design that operationalizes contemporary learning theories (Bauer, 150).  PBLs contain eight elements that are crucial components of a project.

1.      Focuses on standard based key concepts that are important the content being taught. 

2.      Develops creativity, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and other 21^st-century skills. 

3.      Utilizes the internet to create an in-depth learning experience.

4.      Focuses on essential questions. 

5.      Helps students stay motivate by making sure they have prior knowledge of content.

6.      Students are allowed to be unique in their approach of the project.

7.      Allows for student feedback and reflection. 

8.      Allows students to present projects on much broader platform than the physical classroom. 

I can see a WebQuest being a useful technology tool in my music education classroom.  WebQuests could be provided as lessons left for students that substitutes can provide.  No longer will the music educator have to sacrifice musical learning on days they are not present in the classroom.  WebQuest are better than leaving a worksheet or movie questionnaire.  Students are engaged in an individual interactive guided experience.  WebQuest are also useful in many music class form such as general music, music theory, or performance ensembles.  The first small-scale WebQuest I will attempt to design will ask students to research and analyze a favorite song to discover more about the text/meaning, composer/writer/performer, and genre/style.  They will also will also research other versions of the piece to compare and contrast to their original choice.  Students will submit their assignments using Google slides.  I plan to continue to create and utilize WebQuests for lessons in the future. 

References

Bauer, W. I. (2014). Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and responding to music. New York City: Oxford University Press.