Introduction
As an educators and students who seek to enter the field of education, it is imperative to understand the impact that historical educational figures have played in making our schools operate in the manner that they do and use their wisdom to continually make improvements going forward. In this WebQuest, we seek to answer a few essential questions.
1 Who are the most influential historical educational figures?
2 What events have shaped the way education takes place?
3 How do we as modern early childhood educators, apply their knowledge to our current instruction practices and policies?
Task
You will use the internet in this webquest to research, evaluate, and then complete a written reflection on one historical educational figure of your choice.
Process
Historical Educational Figures and Events
In this WebQuest portion of the assignment, your task is to use the following links to gather information needed to complete your research guide.
Research Guide:
Instructions: You will complete this research guide for participation credit (Take research notes on this paper and attach additional pages as needed). Following completion of this research guide, you will have the information necessary to complete your reflective essay, the final component of this assignment.
Points to Consider:
Brief Background Information i.e. What factors contributed to their theories on education?, What practices or policies resulted from their work? How do their beliefs shape your beliefs and practices?
1 Horace Mann-
http://www.britannica.com/biography/Horace-Mann
http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/horace-mann-1637.php
2 Maria Montessori-
https://montessori.org.au/montessori/biography.htm
http://amshq.org/Montessori-Education/History-of-Montessori-Education
3 Piaget-
http://www.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html
http://www.britannica.com/biography/Jean-Piaget
4 Lev Vygotsky-
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Lev_Vygotsky
http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/social-development.html
5 Howard Gardner-
http://infed.org/mobi/howard-gardner-multiple-intelligences-and-educati…
http://www.tecweb.org/styles/gardner.html
6 Abraham Maslow-
http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
http://www.biography.com/people/abraham-maslow-9401669
7 Erik Erikson-
http://www.biography.com/people/erik-h-erikson-37751
http://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html
8 Urie Brofenbrenner-
https://explorable.com/ecological-systems-theory
http://www.famouspsychologists.org/urie-bronfenbrenner/
9 No Child Left Behind-
http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/no-child-left-behind-overvi…
http://www2.ed.gov/nclb/overview/intro/execsumm.html
10 The Education of All Handicapped Children Act-
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-89/pdf/STATUTE-89-Pg773.pdf
http://www.specialednews.com/special-education-dictionary/eha---educati…
11 The Individuals with Disablities Education Act-
http://www.apa.org/about/gr/issues/disability/idea.aspx
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/136/6/e1650
Your final task is a reflective essay. It should include a brief history of your historical educational figure, how this individual affects modern practices policies, and personal beliefs and practices.
Evaluation
Once you have completed the research portion of your WebQuest, you final task is a written reflection. You will be required to submit the research guide for participation credit but your final written reflection will be the main component of your grade for this assignment. The following rubric was borrowed from the ReadWriteThink page from the International Literacy Association website, it is a rubric that quantifies the expectations needed to earn points toward their grade. It shows that each and every step is considered when evaluating the essay. It can also be viewed at the website below should you encounter error with the image loading.
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/printouts/Essay%20Rubric…
Name: _________________________________________________ Date: _________________________
Essay Rubric
Directions: Your essay will be graded based on this rubric. Consequently, use this rubric as a guide when writing your essay and check it again before you submit your essay.
|
Traits |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Focus & Details |
There is one clear, well- focused topic. Main ideas are clear and |
There is one clear, well- focused topic. Main ideas are clear but are not well supported by detailed information. |
There is one topic. Main ideas are somewhat clear. |
The topic and main ideas are not clear. |
|
Organization |
The introduction is inviting, states the main topic, and provides |
The introduction states the main topic and provides an overview of the paper. A conclusion is included. |
The introduction states the main topic. A conclusion is included. |
There is no clear introduction, structure, or conclusion. |
|
Voice |
The author’s purpose of writing is very clear, and there is strong evidence of attention to audience. The author’s extensive knowledge and/or experience with the topic is/are evident. |
The author’s purpose of writing is somewhat clear, and there is some evidence of attention to audience. The author’s knowledge and/or experience with the topic is/are evident. |
The author’s purpose of writing is somewhat clear, and there is evidence of attention to audience. The author’s knowledge and/or experience with the topic is/are limited. |
The author’s purpose of writing is unclear. |
|
Word Choice |
The author uses vivid words and phrases. The choice and placement of words seems accurate, natural, and not forced. |
The author uses vivid words and phrases. The choice and placement of words is inaccurate at times and/or seems overdone. |
The author uses words that communicate clearly, but the writing lacks variety. |
The writer uses a limited vocabulary. Jargon or clichés may be present and detract from the meaning. |
|
Sentence Structure, Grammar, Mechanics, & Spelling |
All sentences are well constructed and have varied structure and length. The author makes no errors in grammar, mechanics, and/or spelling. |
Most sentences are well constructed and have varied structure and length. The author makes a few errors in grammar, mechanics, and/or spelling, but they do not interfere with understanding. |
Most sentences are well constructed, but they have a similar structure and/or length. The author makes several errors in grammar, mechanics, and/or spelling that interfere with understanding. |
Sentences sound awkward, are distractingly repetitive, or are difficult to understand. The author makes numerous errors in grammar, mechanics, and/or spelling that interfere with understanding. |
|
Reviewer’s Comments |
Conclusion
Upon completion of this WebQuest on historical educational figures and completing your reflective essay, you can see how past policies and practices helped form the way modern schools run. For further insight into influential educational figures and events, you can view the following links:
http://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Amos-Comenius
http://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/U-S-Senate-deals-death-bl…
http://www.biography.com/people/john-locke-9384544
Credits
The information used in the research process are the intellectual property of the following individuals:
http://www.britannica.com/biography/Horace-Mann
http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/horace-mann-1637.php
https://montessori.org.au/montessori/biography.htm
http://amshq.org/Montessori-Education/History-of-Montessori-Education
http://www.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html
http://www.britannica.com/biography/Jean-Piaget
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Lev_Vygotsky
http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/social-development.html
http://infed.org/mobi/howard-gardner-multiple-intelligences-and-educati…
http://www.tecweb.org/styles/gardner.html
http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
http://www.biography.com/people/abraham-maslow-9401669
http://www.biography.com/people/erik-h-erikson-37751
http://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html
https://explorable.com/ecological-systems-theory
http://www.famouspsychologists.org/urie-bronfenbrenner/
http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/no-child-left-behind-overvi…
http://www2.ed.gov/nclb/overview/intro/execsumm.html
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-89/pdf/STATUTE-89-Pg773.pdf
http://www.specialednews.com/special-education-dictionary/eha---educati…
http://www.apa.org/about/gr/issues/disability/idea.aspx
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/136/6/e1650
http://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Amos-Comenius
http://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/U-S-Senate-deals-death-bl…
http://www.biography.com/people/john-locke-9384544
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/printouts/Essay%20Rubric…
Teacher Page
This assignment was designed for an older student/adult to give insight into the historical education figures and events that help shape the way modern schools run. To complete this assignment it is imperative that the students be able to sucessfully navigate the internet through the prescribed links, be able to work independently in an effective manner, reflect on the information given, and to put ideas and thoughts into a cohesive and thoughful essay.
Time Frame: This assignment can sucessfully completed in two weeks. This allows a week for research and a week to complete the reflective essay.