Assignment 7: Online Survey

I made a survey about people's use of social networking sites.
Social Networking Uses Survey Link

1) I think that the three best ways of using Google Forms in the classroom are the weekly reading record, reading comprehension questions, and the prior learning assessment. These are Google Forms that actively involve the students in the learning process and cut down on papers that could get lost in transport.

2) Because I want to teach high school, I would not utilize many of the Google Forms in the article. For instance, as a high school teacher, there is not a huge need for a spelling test. However, one form that would be great in my classroom is the prior learning assessment. Before starting a new unit or historical era, I could test what the students already know and what things I need to make sure I teach.

Assignment 6: WebQuest

WebQuest Evaluations:

1) An Insect's Perspective

• The intro is exciting and gives you the reason for doing the quest.
• The tasks are easily laid out and are clearly explained.
• The process is very clear and descriptive. It doesn't leave room for questions or misinterpretation about the assignment.
• The evaluation process is an eye-catching rubric, but somewhat confusing. The scores seem to have too much overlap.
• Overall, I think it is a good webquest. It's visually appealing and clear about the purpose and objectives of the activity. The one thing I would change is the use of the ant that walks across the page. I find it distracting and can see it hindering some student's performance by distracting them as well.

2) The Four Seasons

• The intro does a great job of catching your attention and getting the student's excited about the project by using them as an aid for a travel company.
• The task page is laid out very simplistically, yet is visually stimulating. It also clearly lays out what each person is supposed to accomplish.
• The process is broken down into easily achievable steps. It is easy to follow and gives very clear instructions. I also like the use of very seasonal clip art above the links for each season.
• The evaluation page wasn't visually appealing, but clearly laid out the rubric. There was no doubt about what would earn you what grade and what the expectations were.
• Overall, this webquest was very well done. It is very colorful and captures you attention. The instructions are all very clear and understandable. If I were in a classroom trying to teach the seasons, I would definitely use this webquest.

3) Who Really Owns the Rosetta Stone?

• The intro is not very clear. It lays out the assignment, yet is somewhat confusing. It's also not very colorful or stimulating.
• The process and task are somewhat muddled together. The task list is the process. It's also difficult to use because the file with the task list is only downloadable. If students wanted to look at it outside of school but didn't have adobe reader, then they wouldn't be able to open it.
• The evaluation process is outlined on the task sheet, yet doesn't give any clear expectations. It is just a list of what was expected.
• Overall, the quality of this webquest is poor. I really like the idea of splitting the students into the different countries and having a discussion. I would revise the way you navigate the pages and make it more visually appealing before using it, but the concept is good.

4) Solving Linear Equations

• The introduction is clearly laid out and tells the students what concepts they will be learning. It's not too colorful or appealing, but does have a cool clipart.
• I don't like the task page is simply a long list of links. It's overwhelming to look at and doesn't really give you specifics about what you're doing.
• The process helps to better explain the task page, but is poorly placed. I think that the process and task page could be swapped or combined in some way. By the time a student looks at the process page and figures out what to do, they might already be discouraged by the sheer size of the list on the task page.
• The evaluation page is really hard to read. The white words on the pastel backgrounds are a real strain on the eyes. It does, however, give a clear list of the expectations and grading scale.

I have created my own WebQuest about the The Presidents of the United States. It can be found at the link below...

www.hadedct203.weebly.com

Assignment 5: Photo Editing

I have previously used Picasa to edit photos for projects in other classes. I enjoy the wide array of editing options I can play with. In the classroom, I can edit photos or create videos to help get a concept across. For instance, in a discussion about the Civil War, I could use Picasa to edit battle photos for presentation to my students.

Assignment 4: Website Evaluation

A. FAIR, the Federation for American Immigration Reform, is not a reliable website. First, the page in question has not been updated since 2005, which means that much of it's information is probably outdated. Also, it is a bias site seeking to overhaul the US immigration platform to prevent illegal immigration. It only represents one side of the debate on immigration and presents very polarized opinions of the effects of illegal immigration. The FAIR information page gives a clearer picture of the bias of the organization. It describes itself as a "public-interest" organization of people who "share a common belief." This means that only one opinion will be discussed on the website, thus making it unreliable. However, it could be a good site to look at to discuss the various sides of the immigration issue, as long I preface that it is unreliable and make sure the students take everything it says with a grain of salt.
 
B. This immigration blog is very unreliable. This is easy to see because it is a blog, and thus could be controlled by anyone. There is no way to know that the blogger has any credibility in his discussion of immigration. The about and disclaimer page further confirms the unreliability of this site. Although sponsored by an attorney's office, there is a direct statement saying that the attorneys are not experts in the issue of immigration. It also says the information on the site is not guaranteed to be complete, correct, or current. That statement raises all sorts of red flags and I would not use this site in the classroom.

C. The website america.gov is is a reliable website. First, it is run by the State Department, which gives it credibility. Although the history of US immigration page is no longer being updated, because it is historical, there is no need to update it as regularly.

D. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services website is also reliable. It claims on the about us page to provide accurate and useful information. Although the site is mainly for immigrants and potential immigrants, it would serve as a great resource for research in the process of citizenship and other questions about the immigration process.

E. The Onion presents an interesting case. Although I know that it is a parody news website, there is no statement of it's false status and could easily be mistaken as a reliable resource. Therefore, I would probably use this website as an example of an unreliable resource in the classroom in order to make sure that my students don't accidentally fall pray to it's convincing website layout. 

Assignment 3: Powerpoint

Students and learning

I created this powerpoint and interactive quiz for my in-class presentation on chapter 2 of our textbook, Web 2.0. I created the links by hyperlinking a shape to the next slide, depending on whether the answer was correct or incorrect. Then, I put the text in the shape to identify which answer the hyperlink would correspond to.

In order to take the quiz, please click on the title of the powerpoint presentation. It will connect you to the slideshare site. Once there, download the presentation and you should be able to take the quiz.

I see myself using this technology as an easy review in my future classroom. I could use it as a jeopardy-like game or as a multiple choice quiz at the beginning of class or before a test.

Assignment 2: Wiki Journal

• What are the potential uses for developing a wiki?
• One thing I really like about the wiki pages was the ability to have a discussion section. That would be extremely helpful in assigning group projects in the classroom because each group could have their own section and be able to communicate with each other outside of school. They would not have to worry about having specific software or having each other's email addresses because it would all be online in one place.

• What do you think are some potential uses for a Glog ?
•  Glogs provide an interactive approach to communicating with your classes. One potential use is to keep parents updated about what's happening in their children's classrooms. By posting information about what the class is studying, reminders about field trips or permission slips, and links to helpful websites, parents can be more involved in their child's education.

• How would you use this in your content area?
• As a future high school history teacher, I know that many parents will feel out of the loop in regards to their child's education. By high school, most students will not tell their parents everything they do in class, and will potentially forget to tell them important information. By using a Glog or Wiki, I can skip the middle man and make sure the parents know any pertinent information they need, such as dates of upcoming exams. It's also a way to make sure parents feel involved and included. It will also make parents feel that I am accessible and am open to communication with them, which could help me understand my students better and become a better teacher.

• What ISTE did you meet today as a teacher and student? How?
•  Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
• By creating a Parents Page on my Wiki, I am collaborating with parents and community members using digital tools to help improve my student's success and innovation. I am also communicating relevant information to both students and their parents.
• Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity 
• By creating a Wiki, I have modeled creative and innovative thinking. I have also learned how I can use these digital tools, such as a Wiki, to solve the issue of parental involvement in education. 
• Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
• In the creation of my Wiki, I had to be aware of copyright issues and make sure not to break any copyright laws. One way I did this was to link directly to outside sites and say in the name of the link who was responsible for that link, such as National Geographic or Smithsonian. 
•  Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
•  By using new technology and keeping up with changes in technology, I have demonstrated a commitment to professional growth. By implementing these new technologies into my classroom, I am leading the school and my students in using technology to support student learning.