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How to use hyperdocs

A HyperDoc Is Not A WebQuest!

TODAY on EduSlam we release the first short video in our two-week series: 

A HyperDoc is NOT a Webquest.

⏯  To watch the video which was released today but will disappear on Sept 4th,

✅ Sign-up HERE

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Words matter, and in a day and age where information is streaming through our timelines faster than we can keep up, figuring out what words mean can be challenging. In defining new terms, it helps to uunderstand the history and context of the term HyperDocs, in relation to the term WebQuest.

In 2013, many districts in our area began purchasing Chromebooks for the annual state tests. As teachers got excited about using technology, Sarah, Kelly, and I worked hard to share ideas about ways to incorporate a variety of web tools available. We immediately noticed some kinks it threw into many colleagues’ instructional craft. From typing in challenging URLs to trying to get students’ attention for directions, to workflow strategies for collecting and evaluating work, teaching with technology was a challenge. As we entered into coaching roles, we wanted to support our colleagues to rethink the way they were delivering content, and to elevate the way students were experiencing learning.

  • HyperDocs were created based on many research and learning theories including Eric Mazur, and Ramsey Musallam ’s work with Cycles of Learning, inspired by Robert Karplus ’s cycle Explore, Explain, Apply. HyperDocs are a way to package digital lessons in order to create quality inquiry-based learning experiences. Teachers design these lessons and give them to students to explore the content, adjust their understanding through the explanation of the concepts, then apply their knowledge in a meaningful way.

That describes the lesson design. What makes HyperDocs unique is the delivery. Whether it be ‘on tech’ or ‘off-tech’ these blended learning lessons can be designed to meet the needs of each classroom. Some teachers may choose to design them for independent, self-paced learning; while others design them to blend with different instructional strategies varying from 1:1 conferring, small group instruction, to whole group teacher-directed instruction. Teachers are tasked with integrating several best instructional practices to meet the needs of every learner. Whether you are trying to reach a language learner or student with Special Ed needs, want to integrate ISTE standards, increase the level of critical thinking, or design a lesson based on the UDL framework, HyperDocs help educators accomplish this! The key to getting it just right is for teachers to focus on studying their students as they learn, taking time to reflect on lessons, and revising them to meet the needs of specific learning goals.

I have often heard HyperDocs being called the new WebQuests. While HyperDocs and WebQuests have some characteristics in common, most revolving around effective learning theories, they are quite different. While I have long admired the work of Bernie Dodge and his creation of WebQuests, HyperDocs were not created with them in mind.

I appreciate Bernie Dodge’s own explanation around the confusion when defining WebQuests,

A WebQuest is centered around a challenging, doable and (ideally) authentic task. Examples of WebQuest tasks might include: writing a letter to the mayor taking a stand on whether a new landfill should be opened; writing a diary as if you were living in 1491; designing a travel itinerary for geologists visiting Italy; or creating a commemorative mural celebrating space exploration. A WebQuest is never about answering a series of questions. Even though a scavenger hunt might require some analysis or problem solving, it’s not of the same intensity of higher-level thinking that a good WebQuest entails. Obviously, there’s a place for both WebQuests and scavenger hunts, but they are different places with very different goals.”  From Larry Ferlazzo’s blog

WebQuests follow a structure by starting with a quest or task. Students, working in groups, divide up the tasks to be completed, and conclude with an application of knowledge gained from the activity. I have seen WebQuests as centered around strong instructional methods such as inquiry, critical thinking, and problem-solving, yet the similarities they share do not make a HyperDoc an actual WebQuest.

So how is a HyperDoc different from a WebQuest? Well-designed HyperDocs are more than a doc with links, or digital worksheet. They include a mindset for effective pedagogy as well, something that is not always visible upfront. They offer a solution to packaging digital content to inspire thinking, exploration, and curiosity. There is never one right way to design a HyperDoc, as long as they include a strong cycle of learning. Due to the flexible nature of Google Apps, they can be easily shared, revised, and edited to become a lesson that you would judge as of quality based on your classroom needs.

Aside from the actual digital lessons that are being created, HyperDocs are bringing together a community of teachers who value discussions around lesson design and collaboration who have previously felt alone in their classrooms. I am constantly getting feedback from educators who state that they feel creative again, excited to deliver their content in a different way, they are feeling successful in accomplishing the many instructional strategies they are tasked to integrate. A HyperDoc is not a program, it’s not a curriculum you adopt, it’s a way of connecting the lesson designing process, to tech integration, to effective pedagogy. It’s about taking time and thought into the lessons we deliver

Essentially, HyperDocs are what you make of them; from the initial construction to the delivery, to the reflection of the learning experience. They are one way, among many proven methods, to shift learning in the classroom.

To learn more visit:

hyperdocs.co  | @TsGiveTs | Facebook group |View a lesson in action

Lisa Highfill
Co-Creator & Author
The HyperDoc Handbook
PUSD Instruct Tech Coach
@lhighfill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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HyperDocs and Mastery Learning

I’m not sure if you have tried HyperDocs or Mastery Learning, but the combination is a marriage made in heaven!  Both topics are way bigger than a blog post, so if you want more info, check out the HyperDocs website for all things HyperDocs and Thomas Guskey’s work (here is one article) for Mastery Learning how-to. This post is just to show the magic of how one HyperDoc/MasteryLearning combo worked in my classroom and a starting place of how to try it in your classroom.

  1. Design Curriculum Backwards- Backwards design is a must!  I use my own form of backward design to make sure that I know where I want my students to go, how I’ll know when they get there, and what we’re going to do on our learning journey together.
  2. Block and Build Learning- After I have sketched out my curriculum plan, I block it into sections that build on one another: Entry Event, Building Background, Diving Deeper, Producing the Product and Reflecting on Results. Each section builds on the previous toward a project that allows students to create something they will be proud of.
  3. Create Assessments- Then I plan assessments for each section by designing options that answer two important questions: What do I want students to know? How will I know that students have mastered this content? All my rubrics have three categories: Not Yet, Mastery, and Ownership.
  4. Plan Learning Experiences- Next, I design learning experiences to support students in mastering the content. Variety is the key here and with technology, the sky is the limit. I make sure to appeal to lots of learning styles, have clear directions, and provide helpful scaffolding options.
  5. Create Your HyperDoc- Now that I have done my prep-work, I am able to organize everything into a HyperDoc for my students. This keeps everything in one easy-to-access place and lets my students focus on the learning– not get muddled in directions, links, assignments, and everything else I used to throw at them. You can see an example here of one my units: Finding My Strengths in the Struggle.

Note that each section of my HyperDoc ends in “Stop for Feedback.” This allows me to check in with students as they work at a pace appropriate for them. If they show mastery of the content for that section, they move on. If not, I send them back into the HyperDoc (with appropriate scaffolding and feedback) for another shot.

Yep, you’re right, this process gets messy. What if students work at wildly different paces? What if some students are done early while others lag behind? What if students struggle after multiple attempts? There are a lot of “what ifs” with this process. However, I’ve found that there are even more “what ifs” without it. What if my students are just moving on without mastering the content? What if my students are bored because their potential is so much more than we are doing in class? What if I am not able to offer targeted feedback to support student growth every day?  I’ve found that I would rather keep finding solutions to the “what ifs” that crop up now than deal with results of the “what ifs” of my old all-at-the-same-pace, one-and-done approach.

I have seen amazing results by combining HyperDocs and Mastery Learning. My students are empowered, engaged learners and I have my dream job: supporting every student’s learning every day. What if your students had the opportunity to show ownership in their learning? I’d love to help you if you want to join the journey– take the first step, email me ([email protected]).  I look forward to hearing from you!

 

 

Katie Isch teaches high school English and supports teachers through professional development opportunities. She is a nationally-awarded curriculum author and loves to integrate technology and student-centered practices into the curriculum she writes. She believes in the power of student creativity and that all students are capable of beautiful work. You can follow Katie @PicassoPedagogy.

 

 

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