EDIT 6100 Task 3

Task 3: Web-Based Instructional Technology Resource

For this task, you have a choice of creating a Timeline or a WebQuest.

Option 1 - Web-Based Timeline Analyzing the Evolution of an Instructional Technology

Point Value: 35 Due: Presentations of your web-based timeline will occur on April 24. Revised sites are due May 3.

Description:

This task is designed to develop a historical timeline about an instructional media, instructional method, or technological tool used in your work environment. You may want to look at computer based training, web based training, cognitive tools, performance support systems, etc. Your goal will be to integrate the ideas you have learned this semester with an examination of how and why your chosen media, method, or tool:
(a) was designed and developed
(b) has evolved into a weaker or stronger state
(c) will transform in the future into a successful or unsuccessful resource

This task also gives you an opportunity to experience collaborative learning with technology. Each resource will be developed by a two-person team.

Please consider this as an opportunity to consolidate and organize your new knowledge and skills about instructional technology into a resource which can serve several functions:
(a) be an original "knowledge representation" or tool;
(b) be shared widely; and
(c) be something that you can add to and maintain in the future.

You and your collaborator will give a brief presentation of your Web Resource in class. You will receive feedback from your peers and the course instructor which you can use to refine your resource.

As in all the tasks in this course, creativity is encouraged! This is an opportunity to "imagineer" a practical application of the WWW.

Components:

The web timeline should incorporate how the resource has been used in the past, present, and will be used in the future. It should incorporate web and text references to support facts and arguments. The timeline should be visually appealing and easy to navigate.

Suggested Strategies:

Identify an instructional medium, method, or tool that you find resourceful. Locate web-based and/or paper-based sources from a variety of time periods to get a sense of the intended purpose of the resource, as well as how it has transformed throughout its existence. The following web timelines can give you a sense of different design styles and organization of content:

Holocaust
We feel the site contains good descriptions, use of images, and incorporation of web links. However this site is a much larger scale project than what we would expect from this task.
Philosophers
We feel the site contains good descriptions, images, and organization. Web sources are useful, but an annotation of these sites would be helpful.
Internet Timeline
We feel the site contains a lot of useful information, dates, and links. However, the timeline focuses on listing only facts without painting a detailed pciture of some historic events. Furthermore, the one-page design makes the page difficult to navigate.
Civil Rights Timeline
We feel the site is easy to navigate, provides description, and illustrates interesting images. However, the site does not provide opportunities for continued exploration by using external links.

You should also locate current sources that discuss the resource's potential use for the future.

Prepare a preliminary design document that includes sections about the past, present, and future of the resource, as well as design ideas. Ask your peers, your instructor, and others for feedback.

Once you have conceived of a preliminary design, begin prototyping the site using your favorite web authoring tools. Submit your site to frequent reviews (formative evaluation) by friends, family, and representatives of the target audience. Continue to develop the site until the class demonstrations scheduled for April 24. You'll receive feedback at that time from the instructor and all the other students in the course. Then, you'll have one more week to refine and/or extend the site before it is due on May 3.

Here is an example of a timeline created by previous students in this course:

Distance Learning Timeline

References:

There are numerous online resources about web page design.
A good place to get started is about.com's web-page design guide.

Assessment Rubric

Criterion Weight
Low
Medium
High

The site represents an original resource related to instructional technology
15% The site replicates resources that are available elsewhere The site provides an new twist on a popular theme related to IT The site is a highly original contribution to the field

The site examines the historical evolution of an IT resource 25% The historical perspective is limited and unorganized The historical perspective is somewhat clear and organized The historical perspective is clear and well-organized

The site has accurate and timely content 15% The content validity of the site is inadequate The content validity of the site is adequate The content validity of the site is very professional

The site's usability is defensible 15% How to navigate and use the site is unclear With a little effort, a user can figure out how to navigate this site The usability of this site meets highly professional standards

The quality and substance of the site indicates that a significant effort has been made to develop it
30% The site appears to have been produced in haste The site appears to have been produced with an average level of effort The site reflects substantive effort and care in its production

Option 2 - WebQuest Activity

Point Value: 35 Due: Presentations of your webquest activity will occur on April 24. Revised sites are due May 3.

Description:

This task is designed to develop an instructional, inquiry-oriented, activity that requires the use of web-based resources. "WebQuests (http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/webquest.html) are designed to use learners' time well, to focus on using information rather than looking for it, and to support learners' thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis and evaluation."

This task also gives you an opportunity to experience collaborative learning with technology. Each resource will be developed by a two-person team.

Please consider this as an opportunity to consolidate and organize your new knowledge and skills about instructional technology into a resource which can serve several functions:
(a) be an original "knowledge representation" or tool;
(b) be shared widely; and
(c) be something that you can add to and maintain in the future.

You and your collaborator will give a brief presentation of your Web Resource in class. You will receive feedback from your peers and the course instructor which you can use to refine your resource.

As in all the tasks in this course, creativity is encouraged! This is an opportunity to "imagineer" a practical application for the WWW.

Components:

The WebQuest activity should include an introduction to a situation, a task for students, a list of annotated web resources used in the activity, procedures for students, assessment criteria, conclusion, and teacher's notes (purpose, goals, objectives, management, potential challenge spots, etc.). The lesson should be designed so that it would be impossible or improbable to do in a classroom setting without Web-access. This means that you cannot just post a resource that you can find in your textbook, or a lesson that you have already used in your classroom. The web design should be visually appealing and easy to navigate, and the instructions should be clear enough that any teacher or student know how to get through the activity.

Suggested Strategies:

Visit the Web Quest home page, and read some descriptions and view sample lessons. Bernie Dodge's Buidling Blocks of a WebQuest provide a description of the structure of a Web Quest. You can also view some of Evan Glazer's web-based lessons, especially the the year long vacation. Read over the 10/11 class discussion about advantages, disadvantages, and strategies for using the web as a medium for learning. An exemplary Web Quest, Searching for China, illustrates many of these issues.

Prepare a preliminary design document that includes your activity and its components. Ask your peers, your instructor, and others for feedback.

Once you have conceived of a preliminary design, begin prototyping the site using favorite web authoring tools. Submit your site to frequent reviews (formative evaluation) by friends, family, and representatives of the target audience. Continue to develop the site until the class demonstrations scheduled for April 24. You'll receive feedback at that time from the instructor and all the other students in the course. Then, you'll have one more week to refine and/or extend the site before it is due on May 3.

Here is an example of a WebQuest created by previous students in this course:

The Harlem Renaissance

References:

There are numerous online resources about web page design.
A good place to get started is about.com's web-page design guide.

Assessment Rubric

Technical Aspects

Component Incomplete/Unacceptable (1) Good (2-3) Outstanding (4-5)

Grammar Numerous grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors. Some spelling mistakes, awkward or improper word choice, or punctuation problems. Everything is spelled correctly and all grammar is correct. No punctuation problems.

Visual Design Visually unappealing. Showing little adherence to good design principles. Mostly adheres to good design principles but includes some inappropriate elements. Clean, clear. Showing strong adherence to design principles. Visually appealing.

Functionality Multiple broken links or other functional problems. Most links and other elements work properly but there are a few problems. All technical aspects of the page work properly.

Ease of Use Difficult to navigate around site Navigation is adequate, but not particularly obvious. Navigation is user friendly and apparent.

WebQuest Components

Component Incomplete/Unacceptable (1-4) Good (5-7) Outstanding (8-10)

Introduction Not very engaging - little done to motivate students. Topic unclear. More or less motivating. Most students would likely become engaged. Somewhat unclear about topic. Interesting, relevant, and motivating. Clear topic.

Task No goals or clear outcomes described. Somewhat unclear in discussion of goals or outcomes. Some outcomes may not be appropriate for your students. Clear and appropriate outcomes and goals provided.

Question(s) Little higher order thinking required - superficial task. Questions not clearly stated. Most of the questions being asked require some higher order or critical thinking. Questions are appropriately challenging. Questions require higher order and critical thinking. They are appropriately challenging.

Process Steps not spelled out. Students or substitute teacher would be unclear about how to work through the process of accomplishing this task. Steps are recognizable but students or substitute teacher might be somewhat unclear about how to complete the project. Process is clearly described in enough detail for anyone to teach or learn with this WebQuest.

Resources Problems with resources chosen - not applicable to task, not clear about who should read or why. Most resources are appropriate to the Quest and it is mostly clear who should read them and why. The resources are all appropriate to the quest and it is clear who should read them and why they are there.

Evaluation Difficult to tell how students will be evaluate (what project outcome should be and what criteria for grading is) Evaluation is product oriented rather than process oriented. Evaluation is not clear about how students will show growth. Evaluation is clear and evaluated the critical elements of the process as well as the product. Reward growth.

Conclusion Little or no higher order thinking (such as synthesizing) required to answer questions. Somewhat reflective questions requiring some level of higher order thinking. Reflective questions requiring higher order thinking. Focus on what was learned through the project.

Teamwork

Component Incomplete/Unacceptable (1-4) Good (5-7) Outstanding (8-10)

Team Effort Your contributions to the team did not meet expectations. You did not finish your work in a timely manner or did not "pull your weight." Your work on the team was mostly acceptable. You usually completed your tasks in a timely fashion and contributed fairly to the overall project. Your work on the team was outstanding. You always met your deadlines and completed all tasks assigned by your teammates. You went "above and beyond."

Back to Tasks

Criterion	Weight	Low	Medium	High
The site represents an original resource related to instructional technology	15%	The site replicates resources that are available elsewhere	The site provides an new twist on a popular theme related to IT	The site is a highly original contribution to the field
The site examines the historical evolution of an IT resource	25%	The historical perspective is limited and unorganized	The historical perspective is somewhat clear and organized	The historical perspective is clear and well-organized
The site has accurate and timely content	15%	The content validity of the site is inadequate	The content validity of the site is adequate	The content validity of the site is very professional
The site's usability is defensible	15%	How to navigate and use the site is unclear	With a little effort, a user can figure out how to navigate this site	The usability of this site meets highly professional standards
The quality and substance of the site indicates that a significant effort has been made to develop it	30%	The site appears to have been produced in haste	The site appears to have been produced with an average level of effort	The site reflects substantive effort and care in its production

Component	Incomplete/Unacceptable (1)	Good (2-3)	Outstanding (4-5)
Grammar	Numerous grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors.	Some spelling mistakes, awkward or improper word choice, or punctuation problems.	Everything is spelled correctly and all grammar is correct. No punctuation problems.
Visual Design	Visually unappealing. Showing little adherence to good design principles.	Mostly adheres to good design principles but includes some inappropriate elements.	Clean, clear. Showing strong adherence to design principles. Visually appealing.
Functionality	Multiple broken links or other functional problems.	Most links and other elements work properly but there are a few problems.	All technical aspects of the page work properly.
Ease of Use	Difficult to navigate around site	Navigation is adequate, but not particularly obvious.	Navigation is user friendly and apparent.

Component	Incomplete/Unacceptable (1-4)	Good (5-7)	Outstanding (8-10)
Introduction	Not very engaging - little done to motivate students. Topic unclear.	More or less motivating. Most students would likely become engaged. Somewhat unclear about topic.	Interesting, relevant, and motivating. Clear topic.
Task	No goals or clear outcomes described.	Somewhat unclear in discussion of goals or outcomes. Some outcomes may not be appropriate for your students.	Clear and appropriate outcomes and goals provided.
Question(s)	Little higher order thinking required - superficial task. Questions not clearly stated.	Most of the questions being asked require some higher order or critical thinking. Questions are appropriately challenging.	Questions require higher order and critical thinking. They are appropriately challenging.
Process	Steps not spelled out. Students or substitute teacher would be unclear about how to work through the process of accomplishing this task.	Steps are recognizable but students or substitute teacher might be somewhat unclear about how to complete the project.	Process is clearly described in enough detail for anyone to teach or learn with this WebQuest.
Resources	Problems with resources chosen - not applicable to task, not clear about who should read or why.	Most resources are appropriate to the Quest and it is mostly clear who should read them and why.	The resources are all appropriate to the quest and it is clear who should read them and why they are there.
Evaluation	Difficult to tell how students will be evaluate (what project outcome should be and what criteria for grading is)	Evaluation is product oriented rather than process oriented. Evaluation is not clear about how students will show growth.	Evaluation is clear and evaluated the critical elements of the process as well as the product. Reward growth.
Conclusion	Little or no higher order thinking (such as synthesizing) required to answer questions.	Somewhat reflective questions requiring some level of higher order thinking.	Reflective questions requiring higher order thinking. Focus on what was learned through the project.