Technology Integration Plan
I plan to incorporate appropriate educational technologies in my classroom to teach Earth and Space Sciences to ninth and tenth graders. I intend for these technologies to help me identify the background and interests of my students as well at their instructional and resource needs. I also hope for my students to learn on a deeper level through the use of varied and interesting technological techniques. I must be sure to maintain equality and a sense of balance in the classroom. Technology can be an incredible aid for learning but can also create a divide between students with diverse social economic status and, therefore, access to computers; we will spend a few class periods in the school computer lab to ensure access for all students and to make the best use of valuable class time. Also, learning happens best by doing so I will be sure to impress upon my students the need to put technology aside and experience the natural world often.
My plan for the year is to use Wikis, online surveys, blogs, interactive PowerPoint lectures and quizzes, Podcasts, and Webquest in my classroom. I will first introduce my students to my Wiki page, to which I will post PowerPoints and other class materials as well as links to external resources for reference. Students can update the site with new information they find on our topics of focus. This will be a good procedural step to show my students what material we will be covering and how they are to access course materials when necessary. The entire first week of class will be devoted to familiarizing with the Wiki and taking personality surveys, learning style surveys, and pre-tests online with ‘Google forms’. Online surveys are useful to analyze the background knowledge, interests and capabilities of the students in my class. It would also be quite useful to administer pre-tests and post-tests online since such activities are, although very useful, repetitive and not directly educational. Pre and Post-tests can provide a means to assess achievement of my goals for each unit by comparing student knowledge on a subject prior to and after instruction.
After I have gotten to know my students I will know more specifically how to carry on but I plan to begin more structured lesson plans to teach standardized material. The first unit I will cover is Earth systems and surface features. At the end of a month long unit, my students will be able to, as indicated by the ODE Academic Content Standards, explain Earth’s system processes and explain the processes that move and shape Earth's surface. The first unit assignment will use ‘blogspot.com’. Student Blogs will be great for submitting assignments so that all students have access to each others’ knowledge and opinions. I will only assign detailed article summaries or opinionated assignments to prevent cheating. The first assignment will introduce our first unit and requires students to find current news about a geological event anywhere in the world. They must upload photos or maps of their location and summarize current happenings and research.
I will make PowerPoints for each week and will incorporate quiz questions. I must be sure to give each child a chance to answer each day. I will utilize PowerPoint lectures to teach more basic, introductory material and vocabulary to my students and by incorporating quiz questions I can not only monitor learning comprehension but also assign participation points per question to enhance attentiveness during lectures. I will compliment my weekly PowerPoint lectures with’ Audacity’ Podcasts, which are a great way to send parts of a lecture home with students. For lessons that are particularly challenging, a Podcast would be perfect for students to repeatedly listen to important concepts while completing homework assignments.
Each Friday I will administer a weekly comprehension quiz on paper. After we grade the quizzes in class and clarify any misunderstandings and difficulties, I will ask that my students complete a blog assignment where they address their incorrectly answered quiz questions as well as anything they would like me to clarify from the week’s lesson. I will modify my presentations based on overall weekly comprehension and online blog feedback. I also plan to assign regular comprehensive take-home essays, which can be posted on blogs, to induce a deeper level of thinking and understanding on a topic.
The second week into the year I will introduce my Webquest, which will address the intended standards and provide an additional means for student assessment. The Webquest will incorporate aspects from field trips we take or daily activities and laboratories. Webquest will be great to incorporate new elements each month for an extended semester project; by introducing my students to the Webquest early on, they will have the opportunity to access and work on the project throughout the lesson. For my first unit, the Webquest will require students to locate a geographical feature near their home. This could be a mountain, stream, lake, sedimentary rock, etc. If no geological features are easily accessible to a student, he or she can take advantage of ‘Google Earth’ to complete the project. After identification, students will describe what Earth processes occurred to result in the particular feature and they will make multiple visits to monitor changes and become familiarized with the ecosystems surrounding the feature.
I will document this process by saving all of my online creations and compiling them onto an RSS feed. This way, I will have access to work from myself and my students to show future employers. I will also keep detailed notes of how to create each online tool and take note of assessments to determine success.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
4 Discussions
1) My grade for Assignment four is posted so I assume you found all of my posts.
2) An Insect's Perspective
one comment on the 'conclusion' page
one response on the 'process' page
one response on the 'task' page
one comment on 'evaluation' page
Four Seasons
one comment on 'evaluation' page
one response on the 'intro' page
one response on 'task' page
one comment on 'evaluation' page
Rosetta Stone
one comment on 'student presentations'
one comment on 'citations'
one comment on 'british team'
Review of Algebra
one response on 'introduction'
one response on 'task'
one comment on 'process'
3) 2 comments and 2 responses
4) 2 comments and 2 responses
There are more but these are all that I found.
2) An Insect's Perspective
one comment on the 'conclusion' page
one response on the 'process' page
one response on the 'task' page
one comment on 'evaluation' page
Four Seasons
one comment on 'evaluation' page
one response on the 'intro' page
one response on 'task' page
one comment on 'evaluation' page
Rosetta Stone
one comment on 'student presentations'
one comment on 'citations'
one comment on 'british team'
Review of Algebra
one response on 'introduction'
one response on 'task'
one comment on 'process'
3) 2 comments and 2 responses
4) 2 comments and 2 responses
There are more but these are all that I found.
EDCT 203: Assignment 3
For this assignment, we were to create an interactive and informative PowerPoint including quiz questions for comprehension assessment. My PowerPoint was a basic introduction to the skeletal system geared towards a tenth grade biology class. The concepts were very simple and in my classroom I would include much more information throughout the unit but the idea of an interactive PowerPoint is great and something I will absolutely utilize as an educator. Especially with science, media presentations are very helpful to convey the large amounts of factual knowledge that students are expected to understand. I could use these easily in a Biology, Chemistry, or Physics class. PowerPoint presentations can become tedious and boring and students' minds tend to wander. By incorporating questions throughout the presentation, students are kept in check and the teacher can make sure they are paying attention.
The process of incorporating a quiz in a PowerPoint presentation is surprisingly quite simple. Additional 'Correct' and 'Incorrect' slides must be added after each question and then internal hyperlinks formed between the answer choices and the appropriate 'correct' and 'incorrect' slides. Also, you add internal hyperlinks to the 'correct' and 'incorrect' slides to go to the next question or back to the original question, respectively.
The process of incorporating a quiz in a PowerPoint presentation is surprisingly quite simple. Additional 'Correct' and 'Incorrect' slides must be added after each question and then internal hyperlinks formed between the answer choices and the appropriate 'correct' and 'incorrect' slides. Also, you add internal hyperlinks to the 'correct' and 'incorrect' slides to go to the next question or back to the original question, respectively.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
EDCT 203: Assignment 2
After developing my Wiki-Space, I see that the site could be of excellent use to bring units of a lesson together is one place for students to comment on and update. I could potentially develop a very basic learning page and have an assignment for students to update the page with information they find about the topic. In general, it is a useful way to spread knowledge and have corrections or comments updated to the page directly from friends and colleagues who may have input.
In my science content area, I could post equations and instructions for chemistry or physics on my wiki space and have students add comments about specific troubles they may be having so I can address these complications in class. For a biology class I could add pages about different topics we are studying and have students add information as they see relevant. It would be useful for students to post what they are interested in learning about or what the need help with on a common space.
Regarding standards, today I modeled digital-age work and learning by utilizing a modern technology that my students can use in their own lives and using it in such a way that my students will be able to learn through interaction and communication based on specific topics.
In my science content area, I could post equations and instructions for chemistry or physics on my wiki space and have students add comments about specific troubles they may be having so I can address these complications in class. For a biology class I could add pages about different topics we are studying and have students add information as they see relevant. It would be useful for students to post what they are interested in learning about or what the need help with on a common space.
Regarding standards, today I modeled digital-age work and learning by utilizing a modern technology that my students can use in their own lives and using it in such a way that my students will be able to learn through interaction and communication based on specific topics.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
EDCT 203: Assignment 12
a) Do you think technology can facilitate learning? Why and why not?
I think that technology can absolutely be utilized as a tool to facilitate learning, but certain steps must be taken to ensure that the benefits of technology use outweigh the negative effects. The internet brings immeasurable knowledge to an easily accessible central network, which can be great for obtaining necessary information at the click of a mouse but also takes the thought out of assignments for certain students. Some pupils abuse the wealth of knowledge and develop 'copy, paste' syndrome.
Some websites, such as DimDim, make collaborations between students fun and easy and hence facilitate involvement and contribution but teachers will, of course, encounter the same problems as with personal group work; some students carry the work load while others piggy-back their way to a good grade with very little effort.
The biggest issue I see with technology use is that it feeds the already widening achievement gap between upper and lower class students. Children without access to technology will inevitably not do as well in a class that involves much technology use. And schools that are able to provide adequate computer labs and other technologies are often those attended by higher end students, leaving the poor computer-less students without support to improve their marketability in today's technological society.
b) What are the factors that affect our decisions on whether and how we will use a technology in our classes or not?
Factors that will affect my decision to use technology in my classroom are availability of technology, standards, lesson plan objectives, and student attitudes. If my students do not have regular access to efficient technology, I will not incorporate assignments that require at home involvement and I will always provide alternative assignments for my students who are not fortunate enough to live in a technologically savvy home. The standards I am required to address and my resulting lesson plans will also affect how I use technology in my classroom. Standards for high school science do not have a tendency to incorporate computer skills into the curriculum and I do not anticipate using much time teaching instructional technology lessons. Lastly, if I have a group of mature students who desire to learn and are actively involved in classroom lessons, I will be much more likely to incorporate fun lessons involving technology. If I have a group of unfocused students who do not understand how to properly use technology for productive purposed in school, I will have a much harder time including technology in my lesson plans.
I think that technology can absolutely be utilized as a tool to facilitate learning, but certain steps must be taken to ensure that the benefits of technology use outweigh the negative effects. The internet brings immeasurable knowledge to an easily accessible central network, which can be great for obtaining necessary information at the click of a mouse but also takes the thought out of assignments for certain students. Some pupils abuse the wealth of knowledge and develop 'copy, paste' syndrome.
Some websites, such as DimDim, make collaborations between students fun and easy and hence facilitate involvement and contribution but teachers will, of course, encounter the same problems as with personal group work; some students carry the work load while others piggy-back their way to a good grade with very little effort.
The biggest issue I see with technology use is that it feeds the already widening achievement gap between upper and lower class students. Children without access to technology will inevitably not do as well in a class that involves much technology use. And schools that are able to provide adequate computer labs and other technologies are often those attended by higher end students, leaving the poor computer-less students without support to improve their marketability in today's technological society.
b) What are the factors that affect our decisions on whether and how we will use a technology in our classes or not?
Factors that will affect my decision to use technology in my classroom are availability of technology, standards, lesson plan objectives, and student attitudes. If my students do not have regular access to efficient technology, I will not incorporate assignments that require at home involvement and I will always provide alternative assignments for my students who are not fortunate enough to live in a technologically savvy home. The standards I am required to address and my resulting lesson plans will also affect how I use technology in my classroom. Standards for high school science do not have a tendency to incorporate computer skills into the curriculum and I do not anticipate using much time teaching instructional technology lessons. Lastly, if I have a group of mature students who desire to learn and are actively involved in classroom lessons, I will be much more likely to incorporate fun lessons involving technology. If I have a group of unfocused students who do not understand how to properly use technology for productive purposed in school, I will have a much harder time including technology in my lesson plans.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Google Maps
Here is a map, made with google maps, showing some of the most memorable places in my life:
My Home Map
My Home Map
Monday, November 1, 2010
EDCT 203 Assignment 11
My podcast is intended for use the night before a Chemistry Lab. Hearing the explanation and steps prior to completing the in-class lab activity will reiterate concepts and aid in the students' overall understanding. The podcast would also be available for students to listen to while reading step-by-step details during lab. My students would be required to record observations and answer post-lab questions; the podcast provides basic information for these questions, but I would also provide further guidance in-class. I obtained my information from Ohio University's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry's Chem 123 Lab Manual.
The file is too large to upload on blogspot, so I uploaded the file to Blackboard.
The file is too large to upload on blogspot, so I uploaded the file to Blackboard.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Learning with Games and Simulations
Games for use in a secondary science classroom:
1) Extreme Geology Challenge
This game deals with different climates and associated geological features. Not only is there an opportunity for students to have fun, but the game also includes general information on all of the different locations and geological formations. The game also includes a trivia question at the end which would make for convenient lesson plan correlation. There are five landscapes, each with a different game so each student can choose a different location for play for each lesson of the unit.
I would use this game during a day with extra free time at the end of the week to reiterate concepts and review before a quiz.
2) Earth in Balance
This game is excellent; it is based on interactive quiz questions that lead to videos and helpful explanations when answered correctly. Each time the game is played, different questions are used but are all centered on the same topics. Earth's elements and geological events, features, and weather are discussed. The game is very informative but makes learning more interesting than reading out of a book or listening to a lecture. The questions are very relevant to environmental science and issues that students today must be considering for the future health of our planet.
I would utilize this game as a review for an exam by providing a link for students to access at home as well as allowing adequate time in class.
1) Extreme Geology Challenge
This game deals with different climates and associated geological features. Not only is there an opportunity for students to have fun, but the game also includes general information on all of the different locations and geological formations. The game also includes a trivia question at the end which would make for convenient lesson plan correlation. There are five landscapes, each with a different game so each student can choose a different location for play for each lesson of the unit.
I would use this game during a day with extra free time at the end of the week to reiterate concepts and review before a quiz.
2) Earth in Balance
This game is excellent; it is based on interactive quiz questions that lead to videos and helpful explanations when answered correctly. Each time the game is played, different questions are used but are all centered on the same topics. Earth's elements and geological events, features, and weather are discussed. The game is very informative but makes learning more interesting than reading out of a book or listening to a lecture. The questions are very relevant to environmental science and issues that students today must be considering for the future health of our planet.
I would utilize this game as a review for an exam by providing a link for students to access at home as well as allowing adequate time in class.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Week 7 Creative Comments
This city has so much character; I hope too visit a pace like this during my travels.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Assignment 8
In my future classrooms, I will use voicethread as a tool to post additional helpful lessons online for students to watch at home. Also, if there is a day I will be absent, my substitutes can use my voicethreads to carry on with the lesson.
Voicethread shows leadership in utilizing digital-age work and provides a digital experience for students to model. Students can use voicethread to better understand context per subject and also as an example of what they can create for their own projects and initiatives.
My Voicethread
My Voicethread
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Assignment 1: Web Resources
1) Copyright Issues with Internet Use
netmanners.com
This site addresses copy right issues online and specifically enforces that information found online is not public simply because it is online. Laws do indeed exist to ensure that credit it given where deserved and someone cannot speak another's word as his own. Netmanners.com discusses seven particular misconceptions held by interent users to convey lawful information. I learned that giving credit is not enough and it is necessary to contact the author for permission to use their work for your own public purposes. I also did not know that emails are automatically copyrighted and no one can post of private email to a public space without permission.
copyright.gov
This governmental website provides detailed information about specific copyright laws. Constitutional sections are cited and legal jargon is transposed to common terms. Infringement is defined to be any copies, public reproduction or display of an author's work done by anyone but the author. Interestingly, Section 107 of the law exempts criticism, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research from standard infringement punishment. This site also explains what an author should do if his/her work has been wrongfully copied and furthur details sections of the law.
2) Equity Issues
avln.org
This website, by Ray Ostrander, specifically addresses equity within computer classes. The discussion points out that girls and colored students tend to be neglected in technological education settings. This inequality is due to a culture that identifies white males as most successful with technology. Attitudes like this can effect the way teachers treat other students and create negative feelings toward computer use within the child. By treating girls and coloreds as if they are second best, they will begin to belive that this is true and could severely impact the demographics of technologically advanced indivuiduals in the future.
ncrel.org
The main issue discussed in this website is equal availability of technological resources to all students. To ensure equal access, funding must be disbursed appropriately. The National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering are cited as supporters of the technological movement to "promote educational opportunities for all students". Technology can bring the same online opportunities and resources to all students, assuming schools can afford the technology in the first place; technology can bring resources and virtual applications to students that would cost much more in reality. Equity between schools with diverse economic statuses is essential to prevent a widening of the existing achievement gap.
3) Cultural Issues
fctd.info
This website for The Family Center on Technology and Disbility provides many articles on cultural issues realted to technolgy. I read one about ethnic minority populations' experiences with assistive technology. The most common issue between these different minority groups was the language barrier. Lack of information and funding was also an issue and many minorities would be considered to be living in poverty. Another factor for technological issues with ethnic groups was distrust of the unknown communities and fearing to ask for help.
notesandsketches.co.uk
This website talks about past cultures and what we currenly know about them. An aspect of past culture we analyze is their technolgy, even if the ancient people did not have accesss to what we consider technological innovations curerntly, they still made use of different ways to build, travel, and live. For example, we find historic examples of castles, pyrimids, weapons, and homesteads. Different cooking mechanisms were developed and farming soon took hold, a huge revelation which without we would not exist as we do today. Technology in the past was much simpler but a more basic and natural way to be in-tuned with the world around you that I think we lack as a society today.
4) Health Issues
http://heheli.com/business/top-4-health-problems-caused-by-computer-use/
Hehelo.com lists the top four health issues caused by computer use: eye disease, bad posture, hurting hands and computer stress injuries. Regarding eye health, the site suggests looking away from the screen occasionally to prevent strain from starring. Computer use could also be linked to glaucoma. Bad posture can develop from prolonged computer use and posture has a huge effect on neck, back, and overall health. they suggest sitting with elbows bent at 90 degrees with a straight back. Hurting hands can happen after long days on a computer; carple tunnel has happened often to frequent computer users. Lastly, stress from sitting in a fixed spot or stress from technological malfunctions can increase chance of heart disease. All of this said, I wonder if we should be introducing computers to children at such a young age while their bodies are still developing.
http://www.healthy.net/scr/condition.aspx?ConditionId=327
Healthy.net provides links to all different sites and articles for different computer health issues. I chose to read about proper typing technique. Aching shoulders and cramped hands are often a result of long hours typing. With such repetitive activities, our brain tends to tense our bodies in preparation for the next keystroke so it is important to conciously relax your shoulder, arm, and hand muscles. We also develop the tendency to hold out breath in these situations so focusing on regular, slow deep breaths can combat the tension and enduce relaxation while computing.
netmanners.com
This site addresses copy right issues online and specifically enforces that information found online is not public simply because it is online. Laws do indeed exist to ensure that credit it given where deserved and someone cannot speak another's word as his own. Netmanners.com discusses seven particular misconceptions held by interent users to convey lawful information. I learned that giving credit is not enough and it is necessary to contact the author for permission to use their work for your own public purposes. I also did not know that emails are automatically copyrighted and no one can post of private email to a public space without permission.
copyright.gov
This governmental website provides detailed information about specific copyright laws. Constitutional sections are cited and legal jargon is transposed to common terms. Infringement is defined to be any copies, public reproduction or display of an author's work done by anyone but the author. Interestingly, Section 107 of the law exempts criticism, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research from standard infringement punishment. This site also explains what an author should do if his/her work has been wrongfully copied and furthur details sections of the law.
2) Equity Issues
avln.org
This website, by Ray Ostrander, specifically addresses equity within computer classes. The discussion points out that girls and colored students tend to be neglected in technological education settings. This inequality is due to a culture that identifies white males as most successful with technology. Attitudes like this can effect the way teachers treat other students and create negative feelings toward computer use within the child. By treating girls and coloreds as if they are second best, they will begin to belive that this is true and could severely impact the demographics of technologically advanced indivuiduals in the future.
ncrel.org
The main issue discussed in this website is equal availability of technological resources to all students. To ensure equal access, funding must be disbursed appropriately. The National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering are cited as supporters of the technological movement to "promote educational opportunities for all students". Technology can bring the same online opportunities and resources to all students, assuming schools can afford the technology in the first place; technology can bring resources and virtual applications to students that would cost much more in reality. Equity between schools with diverse economic statuses is essential to prevent a widening of the existing achievement gap.
3) Cultural Issues
fctd.info
This website for The Family Center on Technology and Disbility provides many articles on cultural issues realted to technolgy. I read one about ethnic minority populations' experiences with assistive technology. The most common issue between these different minority groups was the language barrier. Lack of information and funding was also an issue and many minorities would be considered to be living in poverty. Another factor for technological issues with ethnic groups was distrust of the unknown communities and fearing to ask for help.
notesandsketches.co.uk
This website talks about past cultures and what we currenly know about them. An aspect of past culture we analyze is their technolgy, even if the ancient people did not have accesss to what we consider technological innovations curerntly, they still made use of different ways to build, travel, and live. For example, we find historic examples of castles, pyrimids, weapons, and homesteads. Different cooking mechanisms were developed and farming soon took hold, a huge revelation which without we would not exist as we do today. Technology in the past was much simpler but a more basic and natural way to be in-tuned with the world around you that I think we lack as a society today.
4) Health Issues
http://heheli.com/business/top-4-health-problems-caused-by-computer-use/
Hehelo.com lists the top four health issues caused by computer use: eye disease, bad posture, hurting hands and computer stress injuries. Regarding eye health, the site suggests looking away from the screen occasionally to prevent strain from starring. Computer use could also be linked to glaucoma. Bad posture can develop from prolonged computer use and posture has a huge effect on neck, back, and overall health. they suggest sitting with elbows bent at 90 degrees with a straight back. Hurting hands can happen after long days on a computer; carple tunnel has happened often to frequent computer users. Lastly, stress from sitting in a fixed spot or stress from technological malfunctions can increase chance of heart disease. All of this said, I wonder if we should be introducing computers to children at such a young age while their bodies are still developing.
http://www.healthy.net/scr/condition.aspx?ConditionId=327
Healthy.net provides links to all different sites and articles for different computer health issues. I chose to read about proper typing technique. Aching shoulders and cramped hands are often a result of long hours typing. With such repetitive activities, our brain tends to tense our bodies in preparation for the next keystroke so it is important to conciously relax your shoulder, arm, and hand muscles. We also develop the tendency to hold out breath in these situations so focusing on regular, slow deep breaths can combat the tension and enduce relaxation while computing.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Introduction Lab
Hey everyone! I just started this blog as part of a class assignment but I will be continually using it to update my family and friends during my travels abroad. Stay tuned this November for some Southeast Asian news!
Photo Credit
Photo Credit
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Edct 203: Assignment 7
My Survey
* The best way to use Google forms from the article is in moderation and for assessments that do not need to include interpersonal discussion. We should not replace valuable in-class procedures and discussions with an online form but can utilize the ease and convenience to administer tedious and repetitive procedures.
* I could use Google forms in my classroom to gauge my students' previous understanding of scientific material. I could also have my students take surveys to see in which ways they learn best or what units they want to focus on most. Weekly quizzes could indicate what material students are grasping ans what I need to go over again in class.
* The best way to use Google forms from the article is in moderation and for assessments that do not need to include interpersonal discussion. We should not replace valuable in-class procedures and discussions with an online form but can utilize the ease and convenience to administer tedious and repetitive procedures.
* I could use Google forms in my classroom to gauge my students' previous understanding of scientific material. I could also have my students take surveys to see in which ways they learn best or what units they want to focus on most. Weekly quizzes could indicate what material students are grasping ans what I need to go over again in class.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
EDCT 203: Assignment 6
An Insect's Perspective
https://sites.google.com/site/insectcopy/home
The home page for this webquest site provided resources and intended grade level, teacher's name and a link to contact her via email. I would incorporate all of these elements into my own webquest home page and feel that it is appropriate information to include. The introduction had a good 'attention grabber' and basic questions to get kids thinking not necessarily about insect facts but their own opinion of insects, a good prelude to an insect unit.
The tasks are very clearly stated and easy to comprehend. Such questions will make students think about human destruction and hopefully encourage them to be more delicate in their own lifes. The process is broken down into to easy-to-follow steps and the links to pictures of different insects will likely hold the students' attention. Links to all information is good for younger students who may not be as capable of searching on their own.
Incorporating a discussion in the end based on the initial questions is a great way to make students realize what they have researched is relevant and could spark some healthy debate. And writing a letter is great way to enact the activity from tasks page and incorporate elements of other subjects (citizenship) into science.
The evaluation page gives a decent breakdown for what each component of the assignment requires but could include a more detailed look such as an example letter and poster to show what an exemplary score would specifically include.
The conclusion could have wrapped up some points that the students learned or incorporated a 'what I learned' assignment instead of just 'Thank you'.
The specific standards addressed on the teacher page is helpful but for the credits, nothing was listed besides the template website and I am certain more websites were utilized for information.
The Four Seasons
http://questgarden.com/46/99/3/070221124247
The introduction for the four seasons webquest site combines both home and introductory information. It is not as detailed as the others and includes no background information or scenario for why the students will be constructing a brochure, which would make the assignment more realistic and intriguing.
The tasks explain that a brochure is to be made but not many more details. It is made clear what questions should be answered. The process clearly explains each step involved in the assignment and provides helpful links for answering the task questions but the wording in some steps is a little confusing especially for younger students. There could be some additional information for the brochure such as finding a specific place to research to try and convince people to visit. A travel brochure would not simply discuss seasons, not very realistic. The link to the 'Yale child study center' for fun things to do in the seasons seemed odd to me.
The evaluation specifically detailed what is needed for a good grade and what will result in a poor grade, specifically the number of problems within the group for group grade is helpful for reference. The clarification that the brochure should be broken up by season is good as is the specificity for number of pictures.
As I have noticed with nearly all of the evaluation pages, the students must utilize the page to know exactly what the teacher is looking for; some of these details could have been mentioned in the instructions.
I like that the conclusion includes what they should know after completing the assignment. The teacher page had a good objective statement but never addressed specific standards.
Who Really Owes the Rosetta Stone
http://www.yellow-springs.k12.oh.us/ys-mls/rosetta.htm
This site is not organized and not at all what I expected based on the first two webquest example sites.
What I would consider to be the introduction is listed under 'web resources';
introduction, tasks and the conclusion are all included on this one page, which is alright but the title 'Web Resources' for this page is confusing to me.
The division of students was also unclear; are the students actually from these three different places or is it a role play? The conclusion seems to describe the actual project, including further tasks, where I would expect to see what should have been taken from the study.
The reference page mentions sites where the Rosetta Stone has been discussed, which is helpful but is not what i expect when I look at a reference page. I did really like the inclusion of past student presentations. Having an archive of past student work can be very helpful to the new groups for inspiration as well as reiterating the guidelines.
At the very least, this page shows that webquest sites can be very diverse and achieve a goal though different means but is definitely lacking some of the necessary components.
Review of Algebra I
https://sites.google.com/site/sludding55/teacherpage2
This website has the best introduction, providing a preview of what is to come in the project. It is helpful that the task page is split into different lessons and chapter sections of the book and the online 'personal tutor' interaction provides different methods to cater to different learning types and is more likely to keep the students' attention than working solely in the book.
The conclusion reiterates the introduction but refers to what the students should be able to do after completing the tasks, which is exactly what I expect from a concluding statement. The credits were also the best of the four sites in my opinion. The teacher page includes the most behind the scenes information for details and guidance in creating a webquest page.
This said, I feel that this webquest was the most organized and successful in conveying the tasks.
My Webquest
https://sites.google.com/site/insectcopy/home
The home page for this webquest site provided resources and intended grade level, teacher's name and a link to contact her via email. I would incorporate all of these elements into my own webquest home page and feel that it is appropriate information to include. The introduction had a good 'attention grabber' and basic questions to get kids thinking not necessarily about insect facts but their own opinion of insects, a good prelude to an insect unit.
The tasks are very clearly stated and easy to comprehend. Such questions will make students think about human destruction and hopefully encourage them to be more delicate in their own lifes. The process is broken down into to easy-to-follow steps and the links to pictures of different insects will likely hold the students' attention. Links to all information is good for younger students who may not be as capable of searching on their own.
Incorporating a discussion in the end based on the initial questions is a great way to make students realize what they have researched is relevant and could spark some healthy debate. And writing a letter is great way to enact the activity from tasks page and incorporate elements of other subjects (citizenship) into science.
The evaluation page gives a decent breakdown for what each component of the assignment requires but could include a more detailed look such as an example letter and poster to show what an exemplary score would specifically include.
The conclusion could have wrapped up some points that the students learned or incorporated a 'what I learned' assignment instead of just 'Thank you'.
The specific standards addressed on the teacher page is helpful but for the credits, nothing was listed besides the template website and I am certain more websites were utilized for information.
The Four Seasons
http://questgarden.com/46/99/3/070221124247
The introduction for the four seasons webquest site combines both home and introductory information. It is not as detailed as the others and includes no background information or scenario for why the students will be constructing a brochure, which would make the assignment more realistic and intriguing.
The tasks explain that a brochure is to be made but not many more details. It is made clear what questions should be answered. The process clearly explains each step involved in the assignment and provides helpful links for answering the task questions but the wording in some steps is a little confusing especially for younger students. There could be some additional information for the brochure such as finding a specific place to research to try and convince people to visit. A travel brochure would not simply discuss seasons, not very realistic. The link to the 'Yale child study center' for fun things to do in the seasons seemed odd to me.
The evaluation specifically detailed what is needed for a good grade and what will result in a poor grade, specifically the number of problems within the group for group grade is helpful for reference. The clarification that the brochure should be broken up by season is good as is the specificity for number of pictures.
As I have noticed with nearly all of the evaluation pages, the students must utilize the page to know exactly what the teacher is looking for; some of these details could have been mentioned in the instructions.
I like that the conclusion includes what they should know after completing the assignment. The teacher page had a good objective statement but never addressed specific standards.
Who Really Owes the Rosetta Stone
http://www.yellow-springs.k12.oh.us/ys-mls/rosetta.htm
This site is not organized and not at all what I expected based on the first two webquest example sites.
What I would consider to be the introduction is listed under 'web resources';
introduction, tasks and the conclusion are all included on this one page, which is alright but the title 'Web Resources' for this page is confusing to me.
The division of students was also unclear; are the students actually from these three different places or is it a role play? The conclusion seems to describe the actual project, including further tasks, where I would expect to see what should have been taken from the study.
The reference page mentions sites where the Rosetta Stone has been discussed, which is helpful but is not what i expect when I look at a reference page. I did really like the inclusion of past student presentations. Having an archive of past student work can be very helpful to the new groups for inspiration as well as reiterating the guidelines.
At the very least, this page shows that webquest sites can be very diverse and achieve a goal though different means but is definitely lacking some of the necessary components.
Review of Algebra I
https://sites.google.com/site/sludding55/teacherpage2
This website has the best introduction, providing a preview of what is to come in the project. It is helpful that the task page is split into different lessons and chapter sections of the book and the online 'personal tutor' interaction provides different methods to cater to different learning types and is more likely to keep the students' attention than working solely in the book.
The conclusion reiterates the introduction but refers to what the students should be able to do after completing the tasks, which is exactly what I expect from a concluding statement. The credits were also the best of the four sites in my opinion. The teacher page includes the most behind the scenes information for details and guidance in creating a webquest page.
This said, I feel that this webquest was the most organized and successful in conveying the tasks.
My Webquest
Sunday, September 26, 2010
EDCT 203: Assignment 4
For this assignment, we were asked to evaluate five different websites on the basis of credibility and usefulness in the classroom. Here is what I found:
SITE A) FAIRUS.org
Fairus.org is the site of a legitamate activist organization stemming
from Washington DC. There is a lot of good articles and educational
tools for obtaining facts and information about events but, overall I
would not use this site as a tool for teaching about immigration.
Their principles clearly state that they exist with the purpose of
reforming immigration legislation in the United States and our goal as
educators is not to enforce such opinions on our students. Even the
language used throughout the site clearly conveys disapproval of
immigrants; "flagrantly violate", "immigration causes substantial
harm", "deterrence, apprehension and removal". I agree with Brianna
that a more basic foundation of immigration knowledge must first be
established before building up to such opinionated discussions.
Students should be taught information based on facts and history only
so that they can understand a concept and then form their own opinions. Also the site is extremely one sided; I might use it for educational
purposes if I found another website to justify the other side of the
debate and encourage the free thinking of my students.
SITE B) http://blog.immigrantconnect.com/
Immediately when I saw this site to be a blog I decided that I would
not use it for instruction. I might refer students to the blog site if
their passion about the topic drives them to take part in online
discussions outside of school but any information posted here is not
credible. There are some good updates and posted links to credible
news resources but one would be better off going straight to those
news sites and foregoing the blog step in-between. I would say that I
would use this site to bring up the existing opinions and debates on
immigration, but there are no comments on the posts. Ryan also made an
excellent point about the disclaimer being a huge sign that
information here is biased and not credible.
SITE C) America.gov
America.gov is, so far, the most reliable source for immigration. This
site does not focus on illegal immigrants or current debates and
policy which, although are relevant and should be discussed as a unit
in the classroom, should not be the main point to convey to a group of
students. The important information to teach is US history and that
immigration is what started this country. News is available on the
site as well so I am sure that I could find articles dealing with
present day immigration and the conflicts we face as a nation today.
Another great feature of this site is that the information is
available in multiple languages so ESL learners would have an
advantage.
In the classroom, I would likely show the 'Immigration and U.S.
History" page then have students use the site to look up current
events dealing with immigration and have discussions and debates
centered around the topic.
SITE D) USCIS.gov
USCIS.gov is a site that appears to be targeting immigrants to the
United States. The site provides necessary forms and helpful
information about our laws, which I could create a lesson about for my
students. There are current articles based on new legislation and
updates regarding immigration that would provide useful information to
aid my students' understanding of immigration, past and present. The
site also provides credible sources as a .gov site, links to other
helpful sites and was updated recently.
The mission statement: "USCIS will secure America’s promise as a
nation of immigrants by providing accurate and useful information to
our customers, granting immigration and citizenship benefits,
promoting an awareness and understanding of citizenship, and ensuring
the integrity of our immigration system" indicates that the
information provided by the site is specifically intended to enhance
understanding of immigration and would be helpful to my students.
I would definitely pull this website up in class to show my students,
pick an article that best suits the standards for that lesson and
finally have the students summarize an article from the site to share
with the class then discuss what findings and implications they
discovered to effect present day immigrants.
SITE E) TheOnion.com
I would absolutely not use the onion.com in my classroom to teach
about immigration ... or anything for that matter. The Onion News
Source is a collection of untrue stories written to make fun of
current news. I was thinking that I could show this site to show my
students an example of why you cannot trust everything you find on the
internet but, it honestly seems like a waste of time to read anything
from this site. In addition, the privacy site states that "The Onion
is not intended for readers under 18 years of age." Many of the
articles contain inappropriate content and do not belong in the
classroom.
SITE A) FAIRUS.org
Fairus.org is the site of a legitamate activist organization stemming
from Washington DC. There is a lot of good articles and educational
tools for obtaining facts and information about events but, overall I
would not use this site as a tool for teaching about immigration.
Their principles clearly state that they exist with the purpose of
reforming immigration legislation in the United States and our goal as
educators is not to enforce such opinions on our students. Even the
language used throughout the site clearly conveys disapproval of
immigrants; "flagrantly violate", "immigration causes substantial
harm", "deterrence, apprehension and removal". I agree with Brianna
that a more basic foundation of immigration knowledge must first be
established before building up to such opinionated discussions.
Students should be taught information based on facts and history only
so that they can understand a concept and then form their own opinions. Also the site is extremely one sided; I might use it for educational
purposes if I found another website to justify the other side of the
debate and encourage the free thinking of my students.
SITE B) http://blog.immigrantconnect.com/
Immediately when I saw this site to be a blog I decided that I would
not use it for instruction. I might refer students to the blog site if
their passion about the topic drives them to take part in online
discussions outside of school but any information posted here is not
credible. There are some good updates and posted links to credible
news resources but one would be better off going straight to those
news sites and foregoing the blog step in-between. I would say that I
would use this site to bring up the existing opinions and debates on
immigration, but there are no comments on the posts. Ryan also made an
excellent point about the disclaimer being a huge sign that
information here is biased and not credible.
SITE C) America.gov
America.gov is, so far, the most reliable source for immigration. This
site does not focus on illegal immigrants or current debates and
policy which, although are relevant and should be discussed as a unit
in the classroom, should not be the main point to convey to a group of
students. The important information to teach is US history and that
immigration is what started this country. News is available on the
site as well so I am sure that I could find articles dealing with
present day immigration and the conflicts we face as a nation today.
Another great feature of this site is that the information is
available in multiple languages so ESL learners would have an
advantage.
In the classroom, I would likely show the 'Immigration and U.S.
History" page then have students use the site to look up current
events dealing with immigration and have discussions and debates
centered around the topic.
SITE D) USCIS.gov
USCIS.gov is a site that appears to be targeting immigrants to the
United States. The site provides necessary forms and helpful
information about our laws, which I could create a lesson about for my
students. There are current articles based on new legislation and
updates regarding immigration that would provide useful information to
aid my students' understanding of immigration, past and present. The
site also provides credible sources as a .gov site, links to other
helpful sites and was updated recently.
The mission statement: "USCIS will secure America’s promise as a
nation of immigrants by providing accurate and useful information to
our customers, granting immigration and citizenship benefits,
promoting an awareness and understanding of citizenship, and ensuring
the integrity of our immigration system" indicates that the
information provided by the site is specifically intended to enhance
understanding of immigration and would be helpful to my students.
I would definitely pull this website up in class to show my students,
pick an article that best suits the standards for that lesson and
finally have the students summarize an article from the site to share
with the class then discuss what findings and implications they
discovered to effect present day immigrants.
SITE E) TheOnion.com
I would absolutely not use the onion.com in my classroom to teach
about immigration ... or anything for that matter. The Onion News
Source is a collection of untrue stories written to make fun of
current news. I was thinking that I could show this site to show my
students an example of why you cannot trust everything you find on the
internet but, it honestly seems like a waste of time to read anything
from this site. In addition, the privacy site states that "The Onion
is not intended for readers under 18 years of age." Many of the
articles contain inappropriate content and do not belong in the
classroom.
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