Fife Public Schools - Creating HyperDocs

WHAT IS A HYPERDOC?

A HyperDoc is a digital document—such as a Google Doc or Google Slides slide deck—where all components of a learning cycle have been pulled together into one central hub. Within a single document, students are provided with hyperlinks to all of the resources they need to complete that learning cycle. A HyperDoc can span an individual lesson or even an entire unit. You decide how much content an individual HyperDoc will encompass.

The template one uses identifies the parts of the learning cycle and provides a scaffold for students to work through as they move from consuming information on a topic to ultimately creating something related to that topic. This is where a HyperDoc deviates from a webquest or web query, for example. In a webquest or web query, students are largely canvassing resources on the internet and finding information and answering questions related to a topic. They aren't necessarily asked to DO anything with the information in regards to creating something new and unique related to their learning. As you are well aware, in education, we teach for transfer, and HyperDocs can provide a student-centered, scaffolded, digital learning experience which moves students from merely learning about content specific subject matter to taking that learning and doing something new with it.

Below is an example of a HyperDoc about - you guessed it - HyperDocs! This template can be taken and modified to include content from your subject area. This is not the only example of a HyperDoc template. If you work through the steps in the following HyperDocs HyperDoc, you will learn about and see a variety of examples created using Google Docs, Google Slides, and even Google Sites. Feel free to make a copy of this template by going to File -> Make a copy to create your own editable template. Once you have made a copy, you can edit this document and make it relevant to your subject matter.

You will need to scroll to see the entire document. Below this template is a quick summary of each section in the HyperDoc (which you will also fine by looking at the slides in the "Explain" section.

HyperDocs HyperDoc for eLearning Website

ENGAGE

Your goal here is to capture or focus attention.
Show a video or share a quote or image that inspires thinking.
Here’s a hint: It doesn’t even have to be directly related to your content!
Engage tools: YouTube, podcasts, memes, quotes

EXPLORE

Your goal here is to provide an opportunity to explore. Students begin to form their own opinions.
Allow TIME during this phase...don’t rush! Consider providing an opportunity for sharing ideas.
Add some kind of accountability “hook” that shows the students DID what you asked them to do.
Explore tools: YouTube Playlists, ThingLink, Google My Maps, multimedia text sets

EXPLAIN

Your goal here is to provide an opportunity to explore. Students begin to form their own opinions.
Allow TIME during this phase...don’t rush! Consider providing an opportunity for sharing ideas.
Add some kind of accountability “hook” that shows the students DID what you asked them to do.
Explore tools: YouTube Playlists, ThingLink, Google My Maps, multimedia text sets

APPLY

Your goal here is to turn students from consumers to creators!
Have students take what they have learned and DO SOMETHING with it!
Important: If introducing a new tech tool, give students time to explore it!
Apply tools: Google Story Builder, Book Creator, PowToon, Storybird, Share What You Know Bingo

Your goal here is to give students an audience for their work.
At the simplest form, it is turning in work to you for feedback. Perhaps students will share with other students or even parents and the community
Share tools: Digital Portfolios like Seesaw, Google Forms, Google Classroom

REFLECT

“We do not learn from experience...we learn from reflecting on experience.” - John Dewey

Give students the chance to self-reflect, possibly using a rubric or checklist
Reflect tools: Padlet, Flipgrid, Google Forms, Wordle, Rubric created in a Google Docs Table

Please reach out to Keith Hannah if you would like help creating your first HyperDoc. There is no one way to create a HyperDoc, as you have seen from looking at the examples on this page and linked to above. The fundamental characteristic of a HyperDoc, however, is that you MUST give students the opportunity to be creators with the information presented in your HyperDoc. Go forth, and create greatness!

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