MEDT7467: Web Development for Instruction
Intermediate level course on design, development and formative evaluation of web-based instructional systems. Web page design strategies based on research on effective practice are emphasized. Students use software development tools to create and evaluate interactive lessons including strategies for assessing learning achievement.
Assignment 3.1 Introduction to the Virtual Lab
When reflecting over my experience with the virtual lab tutorial and working through the first exercise 3.1, I have mixed feelings. I thought I was doing well having downloaded the OpenVPN and config folders before our face-to-face meeting Wednesday night. Unfortunately, after returning back home it decided to not work anymore. For almost 3 hours I installed and uninstalled the program and watched the video repeatedly, step-by-step. I finally broke down and called the IT help desk who instructed me to print the directions online and try that. It had one extra step that helped my computer load the program successfully. Finally I was able to login and complete the first exercise creating our personal home page for this course. I've now realized that a 20 minute tutorial takes me over an hour to watch, pause, complete steps, and watch some more. After some frustrations, I think I've successfully followed the instructions and have my website up and ready. Do I dare open exercise 3.2 without taking a "sanity" break. Hmm...maybe a break would help. Overall, I found the tutorial video very helpful in creating my home page and I look forward to truly making it reflect more of my design and creative style as the class continues.
Assignment 3.2 Georgia Statehood: A WebQuest
Working through the Georgia Statehood WebQuest took me much longer than expected. I've learned that with a 30 minute tutorial video, I will probably be working for nearly two hours. I like to stop and take notes after each step and also perform the actions on a different laptop while watching the tutorial on another computer. I didn't have any major problems with this assignment. It is a lot of steps to learn and I hope my notes will help me when creating my own webquest on the next activity. I do wish that I had already had a webquest planned so that I could spend less time with the instructional brainstorming and more time creating the webquest on Dreamweaver. I'll have to work quickly to stay on track and keep everything flowing!
Assignment 3.3 Create Your Own Webquest
When beginning to design my own webquest, I first picked a standard on which to focus my instruction. For this assignment, I chose standard S7L4 which describes the interdependence among organisms and the environment. I wanted to use the same template that I had learned while completing the Georgia Statehood webquest to keep it simple. With little time to complete the activity, I had to choose my sections quickly and research the links I wanted to use. If I had more time I would focus more attention on the planning aspect of the task and creating a learning activity that really included more higher level thinking. I'd still like to go back to this assignment and adjust it and I hope to do so in the next week or two. The only thing I'm struggling with during the creation of my WebQuest is adding the right folders and doing so correctly. I think all is going well so far but I'd hate to accidentally save over something or link it incorrectly and lose my work.
Assignment 3.4 Initial Curriculum Plan Webpage
I was nervous to complete this activity because I thought we had to include the learning activities and assessment plan as well. Thank goodness I reviewed the directions again to ensure I was completing the right steps. After printing out the template and questions from the companion website, I found it easier to answer each of the topics required. I know that I'll have to return to this periodically to make any changes that arise, but I hope this is a start to get me on my way to producing a great curriculum webpage.
Assignment 3.5 Creating Navigation Icons with Photoshop
I enjoyed using Photoshop to design these icons. I wish that I had access to these programs all the time considering there is no way for me to purchase them all! Once I finished designing the first icon and saving it properly, the following navigation icons became easier to create. I'm hoping with all these activities to be completed there will still be enough time for me to brainstorm and create my own icons for my personal webpage. It will be more difficult to start from scratch rather than already have a file with all the images I need ready to go.
Assignment 3.6 Creating a Curriculum Web Homepage
Although this was timely for me to complete, I'm satified with the way the Georgia Statehood Home Page is turning out. After adding the rollover navigation icons and the banner I created using the tutorial, the page is finally coming together. I'm looking forward to learning how to embed the learning activities and using these ideas when constructing my lessons in the near future.
Assignment 3.7 Sequencing Learning Activities Using Concept Maps
Wow! I guess not being very familiar with the Inspiration program wasn't a good start for making my concept map. It's taken me quite a while to complete it but I'm happy with the way it turned out! I hope I'm not trying to include too many items that I won't be able to complete in a timely manner. I guess I can always keep adding to it even after this class concludes this summer. I hope you enjoy the concept map!
Assignment 3.8 Georgia Statehood: The Story of William McIntosh
The only part I had difficulty with during this tutorial was creating the floating right div. For some reason, mine kept pasting in a different location and didn't want to line up with the other one on the left. After redoing it multiple times, I got it placed in a satisfying location. The best part about creating this tutorial activity was that I was able to learn how to embed neat things like a movie clip and a project from comic life. I've never used Comic Life before but I'm thinking about incorporating it into my project choices this year for my class. I've learned so much in this program and have already discovered Glogging, Xtranormal movies, and now Comic Life. I'm excited to begin using these to engage my students and get them thinking creatively!
Assignment 3.9/ 3.13 Adding and Linking Learning Activities
I linked this assignment to my updated concept map of the learning activities associated with my curriculum web. After downloading the Inspiration software demo, I uploaded my previous attempt at mapping the activities and adjusted it accordingly. I'm happy with the final product and I'm looking forward to sharing this whole curriculum web with my collaborating teachers during preplanning this year!
Assignment 3.10 Georgia Statehood: The Yazoo Land Fraud
I definitely took a lot of notes during this tutorial because I am looking forward to adding these pop-up links and definitions of key terms in my website. I also learned many interesting things about Georgia which I didn't know previously. The only problem I had during this lesson was that the virtual lab is processing extremely slow which causes these activities to take a lot longer than expected. I guess there's nothing to do to fix that problem though!
3.11/ 3.17/ 3.19 Adding the Assessment, Evaluation and Teaching Plans
These took me a lot of preparation and note-taking while referring back to the Curriculum Webs book for the course. All plans are included on the Teacher Page of my curriculum website.