Assignment #6 Webquest Evaluation

An Insect's Perspective (Science & Literacy 2) (URL)

(a) Information: Yes this page provides motivation and a reason for this webquest. This webquest is supposed to give 2nd graders a lesson on what it is like to be an insect. Yes, it engages the learner immediately because it has a animated picture to show what the student will be learning about.   
Task: Yes, the task is defined easily and explains to the user what they will be doing. The description of the task is complete because the page gives the user steps of action in order to complete the webquest's lesson. The cognitive level of the task is appropriate because it asks the 2nd graders to write a letter to the exterminators to convince them not to exterminate them. It is also appropriate because it asks the students to make a poster, which 2nd graders are capable of doing well in groups. This is cognitively challenging because students have to walk in someone else's shoes(in this case, a bug's).
Processes: The process of this webquest lesson supports many different learning styles so that each child is capable of doing or learning something. Yes, this webquest provides scaffolds so that there is a step-by-step list of the things the students need to do in order to complete their lesson. Yes, this website allows the students to work together and collaborate on their project. Yes, the website allows students to check their understanding by answering the questions after each step to make sure that they are clear on the lesson's particular step.
Evaluation: Yes, the rubric is clearly defined and logical. Yes, the evaluation page provides a clear understanding of what to do to make their project a "mediocre" project and what to do to make their project an "awesome" project. There are certain things the students have to do and complete in order to make a great project.
(b) This is a good webquest because it provides a step by step process in order to learn more about the life of an insect. The quality and the creativity were very good. Also, the lesson on the webquest was relevant to the grade being taught. It was also a good example because it gave the students a clear explanation of what it wanted, and gave them steps to do in order to create their letter and poster effectively. It also taught the 2nd graders how to see another person's perspective just by putting yourself in their shoes.
(c) The only way you could improve it is by adding an "exception" lesson plan. Some students may not be able to see the poster or write as well as the others can, and it is beneficial to give them something to do that will add to the project.

The Four Seasons (Science 2) (URL)

(a) Information: Yes this webquest provides a clear motivation for making the site. Yes it engages the learner immediately because it draws them in on a mission to making a four seasons brochure.  

Task: Yes the task is clearly defined by the instructor. The instructions on this page specifically tell the student that they will get into groups of four and each person in the group will research a different season. However, the description of the task is not complete because the instructor does not provide a full description of what is supposed to be done with the brochure that the students make. The cognitive level is appropriate for about 2nd to 3rd grade, though the instructor does not explain this to the reader.
Processes: Yes this webquest provides different types of learning tools such as sharing with their group their information, doing research on their own, writing the information down and coloring in the brochure of information made. Yes, the webquest has scaffolds to help the students to perform their tasks and make their project with a step-by-step process. Yes, this project provides opportunities for the students to discover new things. No, this site does not have checkpoints where students can check their amount of understanding.
Evaluation: Yes the evaluation rubric is very clear and defines what is asked of the students to receive a good grade. Yes, the rubric provides an ample amount of information for the students to know whether or not they will receive a good grade or a bad grade and why.
(b) Yes, I think this is a good webquest because it gives a very good, well written and clear lesson plan that is relevant to elementary students. This would be a great project for them to do in order to learn more about the seasons in a year.

(c)You could improve this webquest by providing questions throughout the process to make sure that the students are understanding the procedures and the tasks asked of them.

Who Really Owes the Rosetta Stone (Science 6) (URL)

(a) Information: This website provides a clear motivation of trying to find who is the real owner of the rosetta stone. However, it does not engage the learner with any kind of activity.

Task: This task is not clearly defined on what the students are to be doing. The instructor tells them to break into three groups, but is not clear on the reasoning of the groups. Then the groups are to do research and present a powerpoint, but it is unclear as to what kind of information the instructor is looking for in each group. Yes the task is challenging to my students, but it would be better cognitively if they knew what the instructor wanted from them in their research.
Processes: This webquest does present different learning styles such as writing, doing research, making a powerpoint, reading and presenting. However it has no scaffolds of a step-by-step process that the students can follow in order to make sure they understand the task and that they answer what they need to when doing their research. Yes, this webquest provides a way of discovering, group work and collaboration. However it does not allow checkpoints where the students can evaluate their own understanding.

Evaluation: There is no evaluation sheet for the students to know if they met the requirements and did a good job or not.

(c) This was not a very good webquest because it was not very clear as to what the instructor wanted from the student. It did not provide any steps or any clarity about what was needed from the students and how this project was going to be in any way beneficial. This webquest could be improved simply by adding an evaluation page. This would help students be able to understand what was needed in their projects. Also, it would be nice if each one of these things (Intro, Task, Processes, Evaluation) had their own page to themsleves to give some organization to the webquest. They could also provide a step-by-step process as to what the students needed to do in order to perform the tasks for the lesson well.

Review of Algebra I (Math 8) (URL)

(a) Information: Yes, this website provides a clear motivation for the webquest. It asks students to do a list of different things to practice working with linear equations. It does engage the learner.

Task: Yes, the task is very clearly defined and each step is separated into chapters. The description of the task is complete because each lesson is listed as a step of completing the task. The task is also very relevant to the content area that 8th graders and younger high schoolers would be working on.   
Processes: Yes, the website provides different learning styles in order to help all students to better understand the content. Its gives the students a step by step scaffold process in bullet points of what they need to do in order to complete the lesson. This webquest gives opportunities for discovery, but is not a group work lesson. However, there are checkpoints for the students to stop and check their understanding. The website allows videos, worksheets and quizzes to make sure that the students understand the material well.

Evaluation: Yes, the evaluation rubric is clearly defined and tells the student what he or she needs to do in order to receive a good grade on the lesson. The evaluation rubric provides an ample amount of information on what the students need to do in order to get a mediocre grade and what they need to do in order to get a great grade.
(b) I think this was a great webquest and was very relevant to the students it was instructed for. The webquest was very clear and precise on what the student needed to do in order to perform well and understand the lesson given. This webquest did a great job of making the lesson clear, the instruction clear, as well as providing extra tools in order for students to better understand linear equations

Update your Assignment 6 link in the classroom gallery. The blog post is due on Sunday at 5pm.

(You will be asked to create your own WebQuest next class. You will add a link to your WebQuest to your blog post. )

Under The Sea! - My WebQuest

Assignment #4 Website Evaluation

a) FAIR: (a) Information Page; (b) About FAIR Page
A) This site is a reliable source because it states facts and statistics based on reliable acts from the government or from reliable organizations. We also can take note that it is a relaible site due to the site being made by an organization called FAIR: Federation for American Immigration Reform.
B) I would use this in my classroom to make my students more knowledgeable on the subject because we know that this site is not based off of someone's opinion. If my students were learning about immigration, what it is and what it entails, then this would be a good source for them to use.
C)I could use this site in my classroom to pose the question: Is immigration harmful or beneficial to the U.S. and why? Students would then have to discover what it is(fact) and would then have to form their own opinion on whether or not immigration was a bad thing or a good thing(opinion).

b) Immigration Blog:  (a) Home Page; (b) About and Disclaimer Page
A)This site is not a reliable source because this website is a gentleman's blog about his opinions and thoughts on immigration. This may be a source to look at a person's point of view, but it would not be a good source to go to if you were looking for facts on immigration.
B)I would not use this in my classroom as a reliable source on what immigration is, but I may use this page after my students already know about immigration. This blog could be used as another person's opinion and views and would help students either to make a connection with his views, or it would make them disagree with someone's views and could help make a lively classroom discussion. 
C)I could use this person's blog as a great way to get participation going on in my classroom because this cold help create a good discussion in my classroom. This may also help students learn that some topics may always be controversial.

c)  Amercia.gov: (a) Immigration History Page; (b) About Us Page
A) This site is a reliable source because it is made by the  State Department's Bureau of International Programs. However, they take foreign people's opinions, and mix them with ours to create a statement that is mostly universally agreed on. They will take facts and opinions and put them together on one page. 
B)I would use this in my classroom because it provides both fact and opinion. My students would be able to read facts and opinions, and would be able to form their own thoughts from looking at this page.
C)I could maybe print out this imformation page and give the students all one red marker and one blue marker. I would have them underline factual statements in blue. If they were opinion statements, they would highlight them in red. This would help them distinguish between statements that can be proved, and statements that cannot be proved.

d) US Citizenship and Immigration Service: (a) Home Page; (b) About Us Page
A)  This site is a reliable source because The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is a government agency that oversees immigration into the U.S. It makes sure that if you are living here in the U.S. that you are by law a U.S. citizen.
B) I would not use this in my classroom because it does not give much information about immigration into the U.S., this website just makes sure people are registered as U.S. citizens if they are living here.
C) You would use this site to check and make sure that you are an official and permanent citizen of the U.S., so I do not think I would use this in my classroom.

e) News from the Onions: (a) Immigration News Page; (b) Privacy Page
A) This does not look like a reliable source, but it does a good job of looking convincing. The source looks like it is a reliable news source, however it has no author of the article, nor is "The Onion" sound like a credible news source. Under the Privacy page, it states that this news source was made for an entertainment medium, which states that it is not a reliable source. Also, it was written in 1996, which is another reason why it is not a reliable source.
B) I would not use this in my classroom because it has no facts, no reliable sources, and does not give credible information to help them learn about immigration. 
C) I may use this article with my older students, maybe high school students, because they already know what immigration is and they already know that it is a fake article. This article could be used to show my students a good example of a convincing newspaper article that was used for entertainment purposes. I could then have my students write a comedic, yet convincing journal of their own for homework.

Wiki's Beneficial?

         I can see using a wiki becoming very beneficial to me and my future classroom. Wikis would be a great way to make a classroom website where all my students would be able to access information about assignments, previous and future lessons, as well as a calendar to see what may be happening in class in the future. Students may also be able to use a wiki as a tool to find practices quizzes, and other links to information that may help them to study for  future assessments. I could post links to fun quizzes, interactive learning games, passages to read for homework, etc. I met the 1st (A), 2nd (A,B,C), and 3rd (C) ISTE standards today because I found ways that I can use my wiki in order to help my students learn in a creative and fun way using up-to-date technology tools. I also can provide information for my students as well as their parents to help create a better, more successful classroom.

Assignment #2 Powerpoint

This week, I made a fun learning quiz using PowerPoint. I made it by using PowerPoint and created links throughout the game so that the correct answers would be linked to the right page and the incorrect answers would lead to a page for the player to try again. When the player clicks on the correct answer, it leads them to a page where the PowerPoint claps and cheers because they guessed the correct answer. When the player clicks on the wrong answer, the PowerPoint leads them to a new page where it tells them they were incorrect and asks them to try again. Here is a link to my PowerPoint presentation.

https://lh405909.wikispaces.com/Powerpoint

https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0Abqr1GV0tZ0rZGd2aGo4ZGhfMHQ3OWt2eGYz&hl=en

I can see myself using this PowerPoint game in my classroom in the future. Preschoolers and Kindergartners can use this game to help them learn about and become more familiar with their shapes and colors. I could use PowerPoint for a lot of my lesson plans in the future, because it will already be all set up for me with sounds and animation. When I teach in a classroom, PowerPoint is a great way for me to be creative when I teach my students something new.

Blog Assignment 1: Internet Resources

This assignment's focus is to search the web for websites that give information and sources about computer usage in schools, and issues concerning computers dealing with people's health, culture, equality, and more.

1. Copyright Issues and internet use.

A. Copyright and the Internet

This Website is about copyright and plagiarism issues and explains to people what a copyright is and what plagiarism is. This site also explains why copyrights are given and why it is wrong to copy another person's work. It also tells us what people can or cannot do under the circumstances of a copyright.

B. Copyright and Fair Use

This website explains to Educators and Students how to use the internet and other forms of media without plagiarizing. This page explains that not only computers are a part of copyrights, but the use of audio, video, images, and text are all things that can be copyrighted and can be plagiarized.

 2. Equity Issues in Computer Use in Schools.
A. Equity in Computer Classrooms
This site deals with and talks about the issue of inequality in the classroom dealing with computer usage. It states that white males are encouraged more towards computer usage than females and students of different ethnicities. Computers are seen as being for people who study mathematics and computer science. It also talks about societal myths and how they add to the issue of inequality in technology and computer usage.
B. Gender Equity in Computer Learning
This article from Jstor describes how gender equity in the schools is only a small percentage of the entire issue. When men and women are being hired as computer teachers in the schools, women are hardly considered when against their male counterparts. This article also asks the question, "Are females being treated unequally when it comes to computer education, or are they afraid to learn and become a part of computer culture?" 

3. Cultural Issues in the use of Computers in Schools
A. Family and Cultural Issues in Assistive Technology
Not only does this website deal with cultural differences, but it also deals with different children and how much computer exposure they have.  The thing that concerns most parents, especially religious parents, is their child's decision making when using a computer. Different cultures are concerned about computers due to them exposing inappropriate information to their students.
B. Cultural Difference and its Influence on Learning
This website explains how people's cultural backgrounds are influenced by learning computer-based technology. It also looks at how a computer is designed influences a student's cultural background. Then it explains how computer's can help with effective learning.

4. Health Problems Concerning the Use of Computers.
A. Top 4 Health Problems Dealing with Computer Use
This website lists the top 4 health problems with computer usage. People these days deal with computers almost all day, and they face serious risks from this. Eye Disease, Bad Posture, Hurting Hands and Computer Stress Injuries are the top four health problems that computer users are at risk for.
B. Kids, Computers and Computer Vision
This website gives parents and teachers helpful hints to keeping their children safe from health problems when using computers. It warns parents that kids who use computers for hours at a time are at risk for developing computer ergonomics problems and computer vision syndrome. This website also gives ideas on how to prevent students from having vision problems by suggesting that parents give an allotted time on the computer everyday.

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Monday, January 3rd

EDCT203

Penguin

This link will take you to fun and facts about penguins.

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