Key planning questions

Clarity of plan -- an evolving concept.

Image courtesy of orangeacid

Introduction

You may be asking yourself:

• Where can or do I start my content project in WikiEducator?
• Do I start drafting my ideas on my user page? or Do I go ahead and create a new content page in the wiki?
• Do I start drafting my content off-line? At what point is a content resource "ready" to be uploaded on the wiki?
• What name should I use for my content page?
• How will other educators find my teaching resource?
• What can I do to promote collaboration from other WikiEducators in my project?

Most WikiEducators develop their concept outline and first drafts of the content directly online --- it's the wiki way. However, if this is your first time, you may not be sure of how or where to start.

The first step in deciding what to do is to think about a concept plan for your project. This involves answering a few basic planning questions. You may feel more comfortable completing the first draft of your plan off-line on a piece of paper. However, as you become more experienced and confident in the wiki you will soon be drafting your planning concepts directly online in WikiEducator!

Key planning questions

The planning phase involves three simple steps:

• Step 1: Describe your learners -- who is the target audience for your teaching resource?
• Step 2: Specify what your teaching resource will teach -- what should the learners be able to do after studying or working with your teaching resource?
• Step 3: Identify and describe the characteristics of your resource -- do the learners need a tutorial, or a workshop or a study-guide?

Activity

Printing a copy of the planning sheet We have prepared a planning sheet which you can use offline to help you get started in completing the three steps above. Print off a copy of Planning a teaching resource for WikiEducator. Keep this window open and work through the activities below.

Tip: Keep this print out and your written answers close by. You will need this when setting up your content page.

Step 1: Who are the learners?

Activity

Jot down a short and concise description of your intended target audience (no more than a short paragraph). Things to think about may include: Age of the learners Prior knowledge and experience in the intended topic and or technologies you will be using in your teaching resource Location of the learners in terms of access to technology Language Any prerequisite skills learners may require for your teaching resource. Here is an example to help get you started

Tip: Thinking about your intended target audience will help you define the teaching objectives which are appropriate for their learning needs. This information will also assist you to decide on the type of resource that is most appropriate and the best delivery options.

Step 2: What are the objectives for this resource?

Activity

Define what you intend to teach and what you want the learners to do List the teaching objectives for your resource This will help define the structure of your resource, but also communicate to potential contributors what you are trying to develop. Take a look at the examples of the objectives we used when developing the tutorials for WikiEducator.

Step 3: Specifying the characteristics for your resource

Activity

You will need to specify the following: What is the subject? (e.g. Geography, History or Education); What is the topic? (e.g. Glaciers, World War I or Educational technology); What type of resource are you developing? (e.g. Tutorial, Handout, Workshop, Study guide, Textbook, Handbook, Toolkit, Research paper.) Sector (Preschool, School, Tertiary, TVET (Technical and vocational education and training), Higher education, or Adult and community education); Level In the case of school, specify the year (e.g. Year 1 through to Year 12) In the case of Tertiary education specify the year where Year 1 is the first year of tertiary study. (Therefore Year 4 would be the Honours year or the 4th year of a four-year Bachelors degree.) Complexity, i.e. easy, intermediate or difficult. (Indicate the level of difficulty you are planning in relation to the level you specified above. For example a difficult lesson for a Year 8 Maths class.) Intended Audience (e.g. pupil, student, teacher, lecturer, trainer, parent/carer, administrator, community member) Learning hours (i.e. the notional or intended time that a learner is supposed to spend on the resource, eg 1.5 hours. This means predicting or estimating the time that will be spent on all learning activity.)

Work in progress, expect frequent changes. Help and feedback is welcome. See discussion page.