My webquest was focused on how people…ordinary, everyday people can change the world. Its these little changes that affect not only the people around them, but have the capability to connect and change people’s opinions and lives from thousands of miles away. With that being said I will answer these three questions:
1. In what specific way does the webquest address questions about the most important things teachers need to do to help students prepare for their futures?
a. I really wanted to focus on something that was never really taught to me as a child. That was the fact that we can all change the world. I wanted the students to study people who have made monumental changes all over the world, like Mother Teresa, MLK, Gandhi etc. I wanted them to see the difference that they made not just to their countries, but to the way people lived their lives all over the world. After doing this, the students would come up with their own change they wanted to implement. It needed to affect the United States and another country. For example, they could come up with a change to the way the US works with another country for imports and exports. I wanted them to see that they have the capability to make change throughout the world now and later in life.
2. How do the ideas in the webquest relate to social justice and the core values and vision of the class?
a. Core Values: Our Values state that students need to be Responsible, Ethical, Logical, Perseverant and Resourceful. During this research project students will have the opportunity to see the implications of others actions, and work through any difficulty they may have creating their own change. This touches on the Responsibility, Logical and Perseverant traits we want to teach our students. They will also see the ethical ways in which people in the past changed their lives and will be asked to mimic this. In terms of being resourceful, students will need to recognize and use all available assets when researching and “implementing” their plan. These come straight from our list Values we created during class-time.
b. Vision: I chose to base this project around the first part of our vision for the class. This says: Today’s students are tomorrow’s citizens creating and shaping the world we live in. Schools will create opportunities for authentic learning experiences that will prepare them for this role. Students in 2025 must be critical thinkers capable of understanding, embracing and positively impacting society. By giving the students the chance (opportunity) to create a new change that can be implemented world-wide, they are acting as tomorrow’s citizens. They will need critical thinking for this as well. Within their project they will be able to see their impact on society.
3. How does the webquest relate to NCSS principles 8 and 9
a. NCSS 8: Students will need to include in their project a type of technology that will be used to carry out their plan. It is important that the students start using and understanding the tools available to citizens of the US and around the world. By being asked to use them in their plan, they must become familiarized with that technology and how it will work to help their world.
b. NCSS 9: Students must link the change that they will be implementing to another country. This shows that there are ways to tie the citizens of the world together and how changes can really affect everyone. They must remember that this “plan” will have consequences, and understand how those will play out on different cultures.
