Lowering the Technology Barrier: Assigning Collaborative Web Projects Scott E. Siddall Denison University Copyright Scott E. Siddall, This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

October 2, 2002EDUCAUSE 20022/17 Inspiration No one has enough time “What will happen when everyone has a web server?” Focus is on pedagogy far more than technology We learn from differences

October 2, 2002EDUCAUSE 20023/17 Initial Pedagogical Goals  Expose student to other ideas, audiences  Increase students’ time on task and engagement  Improve writing through peer-reviews  Reduce time spent lecturing

October 2, 2002EDUCAUSE 20024/17 How?  Promote active creation versus passive learning  Develop student ownership and heightened significance of work  Emphasize the social aspects of learning – collaboration  …and reduce time invested in technology

October 2, 2002EDUCAUSE 20025/17 Collaborative web projects  What are collaborative web projects? Designed, created and owned by students A major activity of the course Both process and product – emphasis is on process Interdisciplinary, complex topics are engaging Publicly presented and open for feedback

October 2, 2002EDUCAUSE 20026/17 Collaborative web projects  Technical preparations – templates, instructions, storage  Discuss and encourage collaboration early  Select topic or theme  Establish specialized teams – both content and technical  Storyboard the publication and design  Content development; individual journals  Discussion, linking, peer review, filling gaps – takes time!  Publish and announce to solicit feedback

October 2, 2002EDUCAUSE 20027/17 Collaborative web projects  What they aren’t Web posting of individual papers A group paper Pages in a LMS such as Blackboard

October 2, 2002EDUCAUSE 20028/17 Early Examples  Tragedy of the Coastal Commons Tragedy of the Coastal Commons  The Family Farm * The Family Farm  Large Dams in the Western US Large Dams in the Western US * Course led by colleague Howard Sacks, Kenyon College

October 2, 2002EDUCAUSE 20029/17 I expected students….  to be challenged by information resources, and to select materials critically  to learn socially sometimes, independently others, through diverse means  to publish for audiences other than the instructor  to learn how to communicate well with electronic tools  to learn how to collaborate, avoid the pitfalls of moral over critical thinking  to provide disciplinary context from the instructor  to learn holistically - about relationships as well as information

October 2, 2002EDUCAUSE /17 More Examples  Can the Earth Afford to Feed You? Can the Earth Afford to Feed You  Denison’s Solid Waste Management Plan Denison’s Solid Waste Management Plan  Environmental Assessment Environmental Assessment  US Shellfisheries: Another Tragedy of the Commons US Shellfisheries: Another Tragedy of the Commons

October 2, 2002EDUCAUSE /17 Pedagogical implications  Students engaged deeply with complex topics  Learning improved (self-assessed)  Writing improved greatly Peer reviews Writing to argue, inform, not for grade  My efforts changed – facilitator, not authority (less time!)  Course evaluations were excellent  Demystified web authoring; students took pride in work

October 2, 2002EDUCAUSE /17 Challenges of course webs  Making sure that content is top priority  Changes in authority structure of class  Overcoming students’ reliance on linear text  Maintaining an online publication over time  Developing referencing strategies  Grading collaborative group projects – students are wary

October 2, 2002EDUCAUSE /17 When NOT to use course webs  This specific method may be harder with large classes  More effort may be involved if complete subject coverage is a priority  Others?

October 2, 2002EDUCAUSE /17 Hawthorn effect?  Factory workers quality of work improved when their setting was changed for purposes of assessment  Is something similar happening here?  Will the effects last?

October 2, 2002EDUCAUSE /17 Examples from others’ work  North by South 1998 North by South  North by South 1999 North by South  The Farm School Project The Farm School Project  Blood, Gender and Power Blood, Gender and Power

October 2, 2002EDUCAUSE /17 Practical suggestions  Make sure students know in advance what they’re getting into  Prepare to relinquish control  Work on patterns of collaboration early in course  Collaboration takes time – allow for it  Prepare web page templates; have students trained in their use  Divide labor according to student interests  Require journals of individual work  Alternative technologies: weblogs and “wiki” may replace basic web editing for content collaboration and presentation

October 2, 2002EDUCAUSE /17 This presentation and guides And at the EDUCAUSE Effective Practices and Solutions database