Final Project Reflection

This post is a reflection for my final project for m Tie-542 class at National Louis University. For my final project I created a WebQuest meant to be used for 8th or 9th grade students. The WebQuest task was for two students to work together on a project called "Sign the Next Amazing Band". In this project students learn that they have just received a new position in a record company and there job is to search out new and young talent and pick a new band to pitch to the president of the company. The students will gather all the information they can about their group and develop either a Power Point or Keynote presentation that will persuade their boss (the teacher) and the company employees (the class) that their band is the next big thing.
Although I found this project difficult at first, I started to get into it and really enjoyed creating it. In fact I feel like this WebQuest would go over very well with my kids and plan on implementing it, and sharing it with the other teachers at my school. The most difficult part of the project was the actual set-up time that was necessary in Dreamweaver. Finding the right resources and all of that wasn't that difficult. After looking at some other WebQuest online as well as some of my classmates I feel that there are a couple of things I could do better. The first thing that I feel might make it a little more appeasing to the eye is if I would have added a few graphics when appropriate. I also think after reading it over a couple times that I could of laid it out a little bit better so that it would have read a little more smoothly. I do feel though that for my first WebQuest it wasn't that bad. I look forward to creating some more. Hope you enjoy!

Web 2.0 Application

I recently stumbled upon a new web 2.0 Application I thought would be very useful to my teachers called Quizlet. Quizlet is a great application that allows it's users to create Flashcards easily. It's a great tool because not only can you just create Flashcards but you can also easily create flashcard sets with as many questions and answers as you want, import questions and answers from your computer or other websites (or just type them in directly). You can also cut and paste questions from other peoples' flashcard sets to make your own and Invite friends to share your flashcards via email, Facebook, or MySpace. You can also do One-click look up of official dictionary definitions, and other users' previous answers.
One of the best features of Quizlet is you can create a group so your friends or classmates can study together. You can also discuss answers with your group via live chat. Another great feature is that you can get notified when group members post new study sets, you can edit and improve sets created by other group members, and a great feature the groups can be private or public. Here is a link where you can get look at a video tour.

This is a great site and a great teacher resource. It comes in handy in a lot of ways in the classroom, and is a great way to study with your students on upcoming test or math equations, formulas, scientific method. I hop you all find it to be as useful as I have.

A Favorite Resource list!

A really well organized resource list on the web can be very helpful to any classroom teacher. One of my favorite internet resource list is called internet4classrooms.

This website has all kinds of resources for classroom teachers in it. The best thing about the resource depository for me is how well it is organized and categorized. The site does a great job of covering all the grade levels K-12 and also categorizes the resources for the different subject matters. The site even gives teachers lesson plans for internet related activities as well as some helpful sites for parents who want to work with their children.

Some other great things about the site is the many fun learning activities that it has for early childhood teachers. I have found that many early childhood teachers feel that they don't know how to utilize computers in the classroom with their students. This website offers many fun activities that my kindergartners can't get enough of. Another great feature of the sight is the links listed for exceptional children. There are some great lessons and activities for those students who may be gifted, have autism, and for students who have ADHD. As teachers we all know how a site like this can be helpful when trying to differentiate learning to all of the students in the classroom. The value of the information on this site is exceptional and the accessibility for teachers is a must have.
I almost forgot my favorite feature which is a extensive internet reference list for teachers to use in their classrooms. The list includes links for online dictionaries, thesaurus, and almanacs.
This website is an amazing resource for any teacher and can help spark a teachers own creativity. If there is one place I always recommend my teachers go if they are looking for ideas it's internet4classrooms.

Criteria for Web-Based Materials

Throughout the last few years that I have been involved with using the computers in the classroom with my students, the question that has often been raised by my fellow teachers is how do we know that sources and materials on the web are legitimately correct. This can be a tough question to answer so after some research of my own I have come up with some important evaluative questions to ask oneself when determining the authenticity of a web-based artifact.

The first question one needs to ask ones self is: By what authority is this page posted?
which could include looking for several things:
Is there an author? Is the page signed by him? If so, is the author qualified or an expert? If not, you may want to ask who is the page sponsored by, and are the reputable?
Look for a header or footer for validation of affiliation.
Look at the domain for clues like, .edu, .gov, .org, .net

The second question to ask would be: Is this information accurate?
Is the information reliable, and is it error free?
Does the page list an editor or someone who checks the information?

The third Question to ask: Does this page display objectivity?
All pages on the web are made for a reason. Read carefully and find out what that reason is. Is the page trying to sway your opinion one way or the other? Is the page trying to portray one particular view of information, or does it remain objective?

The fourth question: How current is this page?
Is there a date on this page, and if so how recent is the date?
Do all the links on the page work and lead to viable information?


The final question: What is covered on this page?
This is a very important question. What is this page about? Is the information on this page in-depth and thorough? What information does this page have to offer that other sources do not? Also, what is the value of this information?

Even when going through these questions I always try to tell my teachers and students to never rely on just one source for the bulk of your research. It is always important to collect credible resources, and compare them with each other to obtain full knowledge of a subject.

Webquest

Webquest. Sounds like such a interesting name, but Webquest are essentially electronic scavenger hunts done on the web. Ideally this fun and exciting tool for teachers challenges students to use internet resources to answer a very specific question. It challenges the students to use higher order thinking skills and teaches them how to gather information from many different sources to come to a educated answer to a question. In the beginning Webquest were a little more difficult for teachers to create and use in the classroom, but in recent years many great websites have been created where teachers can share their Webquest ideas with each other. One such website I would like to share with everyone was created by eMINTS teachers.


My favorite thing about this website is that it offers teachers examples of Webquest along with rubrics for grading, and has them categorized by grade level and subject matter. Not only does it have several subject matters but it even has Webquest for the fine arts as well. Which we all know is close and dear to my heart.
Another great feature this site has to offer is that you can submit your own Webquest to the website to share with other educators. I believe this is so important because not only can you take great resources off of this site, but you can also contribute back to it.
The eMINTS website also provides a short list of great resources for other Webquest websites.
One of my favorite Wequest on this site is called "Radio Days". Radio days is a Webquest where the students are being asked to research old radio programs from the 1930's and 40's, and create a new radio show with a script and everything in the same way as they would have back then. The Webquest is laid out beautifully and includes the standards that apply to the assignment. I find this website to be a great source for teachers and one that will be used over and over again by myself for great Webquest ideas as well as good outlines for my own Webquest. Enjoy!