6.4.4 The challenge Phase

The challenge of the project is like a spring that winds up a child's toy; it winds up the project and sets it up for good learner engagement and a stimulating process. The aim is to have learners engaged in knowledge-building activities. In problem-solving projects the challenge phase is characterized by the posing of the problem and the challenge to find a solution. In other project-based approaches the challenge phase is characterized by posing essential questions to which there are no obvious answers. This launches an investigation in order to develop informed responses.

Whereas you do not want to plan a project just so that technology can be used (unless you are a computer/IT teacher), you definitely want to try to enhance the learning experience through the integration of technology. As you design a challenge for your learners you should always have an eye on the potential for technology use in the project.

Research in cognitive psychology tells us that if we want novices to perform at more expert levels, we need to examine how experts go about their work and then prompt novices through a similar process. Teaching the writing process is a classic example. We ask students to do what expert writers do—brainstorm, draw pictures, compile lists, or make free associations—and then help them think about an audience and descriptive details. Scaffolding positively affects student achievement (Bereiter & Scardamalia, 1984; March, 1993) by providing “temporary frameworks to support student performance beyond their capacities” (Cho & Jonassen, 2002, p. 6). As students internalize more advanced intellectual skills through ongoing practice, the teacher can gradually remove the scaffolded levels of support. Scaffolding is used to implement such approaches as constructivist strategies, differentiated learning, situated learning, thematic instruction, and authentic assessment.

 I have learnt that

In a WebQuest the challenge phase starts with the introduction, but peaks in the Task. A good WebQuest task includes:

• a real-world connection (e.g. the ban on the ivory trade)
• real-world roles:  (e.g. the team will play the roles of representatives from the  ivory trade and nature conservation)
• a real-world kind of task: (e.g. the team will have to make recommendations to the SITES world summit about whether ivory should be sold on the world market again)
• real-world deliverables, even if in a make-believe situation, but they know what they will have to deliver  (e.g. they will have to deliver a presentation and brief paper containing their recommendations) was also able to learn about the rubric                                                     http://cctionline.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/WebQuest_rubric_final.pdf