Create the Process
The Process guides learners through the steps you want them to take on the way to completion and provides resources to enable success. Chunking the process into three phases will make planning and completion more manageable.
Phase 1 - Resources
Goal: Analyze information
WQs for younger learners provide all of the web research and focuses on the analysis and synthesis of information to create the learning product.
Instructors in post-secondary settings will seed the WQ with a few resources then require students to perform additional research. Requiring a research component offers much needed practice with information literacy, locating credible sources, and citing references using the citation style of the particular discipline.
Phase 2 - Planning
Goal: Synthesize information and plan learning artifact
This phase asks students to transform new learning into the learning artifact described in the task section. Teams brainstorm ideas, wrestling with issues, test solutions, and reach consensus in this phase of the process.
Phase 3 - Create
Goal: Produce the final product
In the final step in the process, learners collaborate to create the final product described in the task. You might incorporate a presentation component in this step.
Ask Yourself:
Does every step in the process move students closer to the finish line?
Do I want learners to practice research and citation or use only resources I supply to focus on other aspects of the work?
What scaffolds might they need?
Process - how to research, use tech, collaborate, brainstorm, graphic organizers, templates
Progress - how to self-assess and monitor group progress
Product - exemplars, how to self-evaluate their individual and group contribution to the final product; presentation guidelines
Is interdependence built into the process so that each team member has a unique and valuable contribution?
