Transcript A New Kind of Quest: CultureQuest

A New Kind of Quest:
CultureQuest
Dr. Sheila Offman Gersh
City College of New York
[email protected]
http://www.culturequest.us
http://www.schoollink.org/twin
CultureQuest projects are:
inquiry-based investigations of
other peoples and cultures that
are rooted in student questions
and based upon student
interests
CultureQuest Projects may:
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Focus on foreign cultures
Focus on American culture and/or
American subcultures
Focus on the diverse cultural
heritages of the students
Compare and contrast any of the
above.
WHAT APECTS OF
CULTURE ARE EXAMINED?
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literature
art
music
history
government
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religion
language
everyday life
customs & traditions
Values, beliefs and
behavior
One Way of Structuring a
CultureQuest Project
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Entire class find core information about the country
(geography, history, demographics, etc). Students begin
conversations with their peers in the country via e-mail
and the class begins to explore areas of culture.
Students select specific areas of culture to focus on and
work in small groups to obtain information in those areas.
Teacher and Students develop an “educational” Web site
and present their work to the world.
How does a CultureQuest
Project fit into the Curriculum?
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It is linked to the geographic focus of the
social studies curriculum (e.g., Asia, the
Middle East, etc)
It is integrated with work students do in
other subjects (e.g., reading, writing,
speaking, history, art, etc)
It is linked to specific NYS Learning
Standards (e.g., ELA, Social Studies,
NETS)
ELA STANDARDS
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Learning Standards
Link to Standards PDF File Standard 1 - Language for Information and
Understanding
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding
- As listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts, and ideas; discover
relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and use knowledge generated
from oral, written, and electronically produced texts. As speakers and writers,
they will use oral and written language to acquire, interpret, apply, and
transmit information.
Standard 2 - Language for Literary Response and Expression
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary expression - Students
will read and listen to oral, written, and electronically produced texts and
performances, relate texts and performances to their own lives, and develop
an understanding of the diverse social, historical, and cultural dimensions the
texts and performances represent. As speakers and writers, students will use
oral and written language for self-expression and artistic creation.
ELA STANDARDS
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Standard 3 - Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and
evaluation - As listeners and readers, students will analyze
experiences, ideas, information, and issues presented by others using
a variety of established criteria. As speakers and writers, they will
present, in oral and written language and from a variety of
perspectives, their opinions and judgments on experiences, ideas,
information and issues.
Standard 4 - Language for Social Interaction
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction Students will use oral and written language for effective social
communication with a wide variety of people. As readers and
listeners, they will use the social communications of others to enrich
their understanding of people and their views.
NETS STANDARDS
Social, ethical, and human issues
Students understand the ethical, cultural, and societal issues related
to technology.
Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that
support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and
productivity.
Technology productivity tools
Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase
productivity, and promote creativity.
Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing
technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and
produce other creative works.
NETS STANDARDS
Technology communications tools
Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact
with peers, experts, and other audiences.
Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate
information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.
Technology research tools
Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information
from a variety of sources.
Students use technology tools to process data and report results.
Students evaluate and select new information resources and
technological innovations based on the appropriateness for
specific tasks.
Technology problem-solving and decision-making tools
Students use technology resources for solving problems and making
informed decisions. Students employ technology in the
development of strategies for solving problems in the real
world.
CULTUREQUEST PROJECTS MAY
RELATE TO OTHER DISCIPLINES
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Social Studies
Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Art
Science
Math
Economics
Geography
Traditional Model of Education
T S
21ST Century Model of Education
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Support teachers may need in
doing a CultureQuest project
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Assistance in
understanding what
culture is and how to
study culture & avoid key
pitfalls.
Assistance in leading
their class in developing
more sophisticated and
accomplished work.
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Assistance with specific
uses of technology (email, Internet, creating
Web sites, etc.)
Assistance with the
pedagogy that supports
inquiry-based projects
Technology Skills
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Access Internet resources for the study of culture.
Promote communication with students and experts in the
target country (ePals).
Internet Basics --searching, evaluating Web sites, use of
proper citation, appropriate and ethical use policies, etc.
Teaching with the Internet
Inspiration for graphical mapping of project
Creation of an educational Web site.
Assist students in using multimedia to support projects
(e.g., digital photography, video, graphics and other
applications, desktop videoconferencing (NetMeeting).
Related CultureQuest Skills
Academic
Technology
Reading
Internet Use
Learning
Styles
Culture
Problem
Solving
Appreciation of
Diversity and
Multiculturalism
Writing
Computer
Skills
Research
Skills
Acting as
Cultural
Informant
Music, Art,
Literature
Web Site
Design
Creativity
Knowledge of
Another
Culture
History,
geography
Presentation &
Graphics
Collaboration
Knowledge of
American and
own Culture
CultureQuest Pedagogy
StudentCentered
Constructivist
Project-Based
Authentic
Ownership
Interdisciplinary Inquiry-Based
Collaborative
Teacher as
Facilitator
Multicultural
StandardsBased
Real Audiences
for Work
Multiple
Intelligences
Humanistic and
Caring
Students as
Workers
Product/Action
The CultureQuest Process
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Decide on target culture
Brainstorm what students know about the
culture
Brainstorm what students want to know
about the culture
Cover the core areas with whole class
The CultureQuest Process (cont’d)
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Use ePals.com to find classrooms
Students communicate with counterparts
using e-mail on ePals.com
Divide students into small groups by
interest area
Students prepare and send “Welcome
Packages”—videos, artifacts, postal cards,
coins, etc.
In Gathering
Information about the Culture:
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Use books and library resources
Use Internet resources
Explore resources in own city/community
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Museums
People (oral history)
Visit neighborhoods (shops, restaurants, etc.)
Cultural Centers
E-mail to students and/or adult experts
Teach Student Technology Skills
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Graphic Organizers (Inspiration)
Internet Basics (searching, evaluation,
citation)
Web Page creation
Web Editing
Uploading/managing website
Final Products
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Class creates Web site with general
information and links to group projects
Other multimedia products:
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PowerPoint
HyperStudio
Digital stories with stills and videos