LESLEY UNIVERSITY
DATES: January 8, 9 and February 5, 6
Meeting Times: Sat and Sun 8-5
Semester: Spring
Credits: 3 credits of graduate study
Location: Exeter, NH
FACULTY:
Holly Doe M.Ed.
17 Oriole Road
Windham, NH 03087
Home Phone: 603-434-6319
hdoe@lesley.edu
holly.doe@gmail.com
Twitter User Name: techholly
My Personal Web Library: http://www.diigo.com/profile/hollydoe
Class Web Library http://groups.diigo.com/group/exeter2011
Skype UserID: hdoelesley
Class Wiki: http://exeter2011.pbworks.com
Class Blog: http://exeter2011.blogspot.com/
E-mail and Phone Office Hours:
(During duration of course)
Tuesdays 9:30-11 pm EST
Wednesdays 9:30-11:00 pm EST via IM
MISSION:
Participants will develop skills in using the tools of telecommunications to communicate and collaborate with others, access information, plan and distribute information and apply their expertise in schools, classrooms and graduate studies. Participants will learn to use telecommunications responsibly and become articulate spokespersons on issues related to educational telecommunications and the changing role and nature of information.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Communicate and collaborate using various telecommunications tools such as list servers, threaded discussions, weblogs, chat, instant messaging, and other appropriate tools.
2. Complete on-line research to locate, select, evaluate and acquire information using appropriate tools.
3. Adapt and integrate telecommunications experiences and create inquiry-oriented, standards-based student-centered activities.
4. Design, create, and publish a web site for education.
5. Demonstrate an awareness of web accessibility concerns and requirements.
6. Identify appropriate on-line instructional resources and tools.
7. Articulate an awareness of current and emerging telecommunications technologies and the impact on education.
8. Become conversant concerning telecommunications issues including ethics, security, privacy, copyright, acceptable use, and personal safety.
Recommended Books: Choose One and purchase before the first weekend on Amazon or Barnes and Noble. We will read the books independently and discuss online and in class. Please let me know your book choice in the Discussion board on Blackboard.
E-mail and Phone Office Hours:
(During duration of course)
Tuesdays 9:30-11 pm EST
Wednesdays 9:30-11:00 pm EST via IM
MISSION:
Participants will develop skills in using the tools of telecommunications to communicate and collaborate with others, access information, plan and distribute information and apply their expertise in schools, classrooms and graduate studies. Participants will learn to use telecommunications responsibly and become articulate spokespersons on issues related to educational telecommunications and the changing role and nature of information.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Communicate and collaborate using various telecommunications tools such as list servers, threaded discussions, weblogs, chat, instant messaging, and other appropriate tools.
2. Complete on-line research to locate, select, evaluate and acquire information using appropriate tools.
3. Adapt and integrate telecommunications experiences and create inquiry-oriented, standards-based student-centered activities.
4. Design, create, and publish a web site for education.
5. Demonstrate an awareness of web accessibility concerns and requirements.
6. Identify appropriate on-line instructional resources and tools.
7. Articulate an awareness of current and emerging telecommunications technologies and the impact on education.
8. Become conversant concerning telecommunications issues including ethics, security, privacy, copyright, acceptable use, and personal safety.
Recommended Books: Choose One and purchase before the first weekend on Amazon or Barnes and Noble. We will read the books independently and discuss online and in class. Please let me know your book choice in the Discussion board on Blackboard.
Brooks-Young, S. (2010). Teaching with the Tools Kids Really Use: Learning with Web and Mobile Technologies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Warlick, D. (2004). Redefining Literacy for the 21st Century. Columbus, OH. Linworth Publishing.
Attendance Policy:
This course is for 3 credits and is equivalent to 45 in-class hours of graduate level study. Attendance for all sessions is required. If a student misses up to the equivalent of one full day over the two weekends, the student is responsible for contacting the professor to discuss the nature of the emergency and “milestone” circumstance, and whether the course attendance expectations will permit make-up work and/or whether there may be an adverse effect on the final grade. If a student misses more than the equivalent of one full day over the two weekends will result in a grade of technical fail (TF) on the student's transcript. The class needs to be retaken and tuition repaid. Serious family emergency and significant “milestone” circumstances may warrant exception to these requirements and will be considered on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the Program Director.
Academic Honesty Policy:
True learning can only exist in an environment of intellectual honesty. As future professionals, you have a particular responsibility to yourselves and society to conduct your academic studies with integrity. The Lesley community must refuse to allow plagiarism and cheating; all of us must work to create an environment where intellectual curiosity and honesty are valued. Please become familiar with the academic integrity policy, which includes information about documenting sources, plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, multiple submissions of work, abuse of academic materials, complicity/unauthorized assistance, and lying/tampering/theft. The complete policy can be found in the student handbook and on the Lesley University Web page. http://www.lesley.edu/policies/catalog/integrity.html
Lesley University Policy Statement on Disabilities
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lesley University is committed to ensuring that all qualified students with disabilities are afforded equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from its programs and services. To receive accommodations, a student must have a documented disability as defined by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and provide documentation of the disability. Eligibility for reasonable accommodations will be based on the documentation provided.
If you are a student with a documented disability, or feel that you may have a disability, please contact:
Laura J. Patey, Coordinator of Disability Services for Students, 23 Mellen Street, 3rd Floor, Office 313
1-800-999-1959 ext. 8194
[617] 349-8194 (voicemail); [617] 349-8544 [TTY]; [617] 349-8558 (fax);
lpatey@lesley.edu (email)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Course Changes:
This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor to accommodate instructional and/or student requirements.
ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING:
Assignments
***There will be some assignments and work required before class meets. Please check myLesley.com for a complete list of work to be done before our first class meeting.
1. Class projects, Attendance and Participation 10% On-going
November, A. (2008) Web Literacy for Educators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Parker, J. (2010) Teaching Tech-Savvy Kids: Bringing Digital Media into the Classroom Grades 5-12. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Warlick, D. (2004). Redefining Literacy for the 21st Century. Columbus, OH. Linworth Publishing.
Attendance Policy:
This course is for 3 credits and is equivalent to 45 in-class hours of graduate level study. Attendance for all sessions is required. If a student misses up to the equivalent of one full day over the two weekends, the student is responsible for contacting the professor to discuss the nature of the emergency and “milestone” circumstance, and whether the course attendance expectations will permit make-up work and/or whether there may be an adverse effect on the final grade. If a student misses more than the equivalent of one full day over the two weekends will result in a grade of technical fail (TF) on the student's transcript. The class needs to be retaken and tuition repaid. Serious family emergency and significant “milestone” circumstances may warrant exception to these requirements and will be considered on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the Program Director.
Academic Honesty Policy:
True learning can only exist in an environment of intellectual honesty. As future professionals, you have a particular responsibility to yourselves and society to conduct your academic studies with integrity. The Lesley community must refuse to allow plagiarism and cheating; all of us must work to create an environment where intellectual curiosity and honesty are valued. Please become familiar with the academic integrity policy, which includes information about documenting sources, plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, multiple submissions of work, abuse of academic materials, complicity/unauthorized assistance, and lying/tampering/theft. The complete policy can be found in the student handbook and on the Lesley University Web page. http://www.lesley.edu/policies/catalog/integrity.html
Lesley University Policy Statement on Disabilities
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lesley University is committed to ensuring that all qualified students with disabilities are afforded equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from its programs and services. To receive accommodations, a student must have a documented disability as defined by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and provide documentation of the disability. Eligibility for reasonable accommodations will be based on the documentation provided.
If you are a student with a documented disability, or feel that you may have a disability, please contact:
Laura J. Patey, Coordinator of Disability Services for Students, 23 Mellen Street, 3rd Floor, Office 313
1-800-999-1959 ext. 8194
[617] 349-8194 (voicemail); [617] 349-8544 [TTY]; [617] 349-8558 (fax);
lpatey@lesley.edu (email)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Course Changes:
This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor to accommodate instructional and/or student requirements.
ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING:
Assignments
***There will be some assignments and work required before class meets. Please check myLesley.com for a complete list of work to be done before our first class meeting.
1. Class projects, Attendance and Participation 10% On-going
2. Required Blogging/Reading 20% Throughout course duration (Blog Rubric to determine score)
3. Web 2.0/Web Application Presentation 15% Due on 2nd weekend
4. WebQuest--15% Due on 2nd weekend
5. Video-Threaded Discussion Assignment 10%--Due on Saturday of first weekend
6. Final Project Proposal Due on 2nd weekend
7. Final Project 30% Due four weeks after conclusion of 2nd weekend
EVALUATION CRITERIA: All projects will be graded on their originality, complexity, and practicality for the classroom. Emphasis should be on the effective use of telecommunications in order to enrich and enhance your curriculum. Active class and online participation will be taken into account as a necessary aspect of this course. All assignments must be completed on, or prior to, their due date. Should any assignment be late, half of a letter grade will be deducted for every two days late. All work should be professionally presented and written work should display high standards of spelling and grammar. Assignments may not be resubmitted for grading. Research Papers must adhere to the general rules established for APA style. Refer to The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. (4th Ed.) (1994). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association
*APA FAQ's: http://www.apastyle.org/faqs.html
*Using American Psychological Association (APA) Format: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_apa.html
http://www.lesley.edu/library/guides/citation/apa.html
WRITING SKILLS
If you are enrolled in a degree-granting program at Lesley and you want or need to improve your writing, one-on-one online writing support is available. You can email drafts of your papers to Lesley’s online writing center. Writing advisors will review your work and provide you with feedback to:
1. Make suggestions for improving organization, clarity, and cohesiveness.
2. Identify errors in punctuation, usage, and mechanics (including citation formats) and provide advice on correcting them.
3. Answer any questions relating to research techniques and idea development.
This service, provided by the Center for Academic Achievement, is available for the entire duration of your enrollment at Lesley. Writing advisors will respond to a submission in 48 hours. Guidelines for this service included in this syllabus. For more details on this service, please view the following URL: www.lesley.edu/academic_centers/caa/online_tutoring.html
ADVANCED STUDENTS
It is recognized that there may be a wide range of experience and knowledge among members of the class. Students who feel they fall into the "ADVANCED" category should speak with the instructor during the first weekend so that alternative assignments or alterations to assignments can be discussed.
Grading Scale:
A 95-100
A- 90-94
B+ 86-89
B 83-85
B- 80-82
C+ 76-79
ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTIONS
1. Class projects, Attendance and Participation---10% Ongoing
Directions for class projects distributed in class. Attendance at all class meetings. Active and constructive class participation both on and off-line. Participation includes utilizing e-mail and blogging as an integral part of the course as well as participation in any scheduled on-line discussions.
2. Blogging/Reading 20% On-going-Final Review will by on due date of final
Using a Blogging tool like Edublog, Blogger or Wordpress create your own blog to archive your projects, reflections, and insights, about this course. See Blogging/Reflective Writing rubric for guidance.
Examples of Blog Entries may include:
In-class project reflections
Log of daily activities
Sharing of ideas and thoughts for your classroom
Teaching tips
Aha moments! or overload moments!
Reactions to other bloggers posts
Required Blog Entries:
-In class assignments-Instructor will specify which assignments should be uploaded to the blog.
-Web Application/Webware Presentation-What site are you using? Who will you be working with? Overview of Presentation
-Reflections on at least three recommended readings. You may also locate other articles online instead of the recommended readings.
-Final Project Proposal-What is your web page about? What web tools or software will you be using?
-Your final project-URL (If a web page), paper and other relevant materials
As part of this project you will also have blogging partners who will post comments and feedback to your posts. We will talk more about this in class.
3. Web Application/Webware Presentation 15% Due Sunday of Second Weekend
With a partner, select one Web Application to investigate in depth. You will have 20-25 minutes to give an in-class presentation on the second weekend. For your presentation, you may prepare a hands-on activity (this can be on-line using the site or an educational activity gleaned from the site) for your short presentation. Be sure to focus on the educational benefits of this site and the validity and strengths. You should bring copies of directions or worksheets (if applicable) for your classmates to follow for the hands-on activity. Be sure to add a blog entry detailing what site you shared, what you learned about the site and any other applicable material.
For ideas: http://delicious.com/tonyvincent/webapp?page=2
4. WebQuest --15% (Plan due second weekend)
You will work to develop a Webquest in an area of your choice, which should be specific and relevant to your classroom curriculum or professional assignment. Between the two weekends you should write a draft of your WebQuest and gather any necessary web sites and images to be used in your WebQuest. You will publish the web site on the second weekend in class.Your Webquest should be designed so that other teachers can pick up this Webquest and use it in their classrooms. Make sure you include the title, introduction, task, process, resources, evaluation and conclusion as detailed in the hand-outs. You should include a teacher section that details any materials or knowledge that other teachers should have before using the WebQuest as well as connection to state standards.
Note: You may work on this project with 1-2 other classmates. The quality and depth of treatment of the project should reflect that more than one person worked on the project.
Reminder:*****All that is needed to pass in on 2nd weekend is the complete written draft (not just notes) of your WebQuest along with the sites you will need students to link to. You do not need to create it in a web format. This will be done in class.
7. Final Project 30% Due four weeks after conclusion of 2nd weekend
EVALUATION CRITERIA: All projects will be graded on their originality, complexity, and practicality for the classroom. Emphasis should be on the effective use of telecommunications in order to enrich and enhance your curriculum. Active class and online participation will be taken into account as a necessary aspect of this course. All assignments must be completed on, or prior to, their due date. Should any assignment be late, half of a letter grade will be deducted for every two days late. All work should be professionally presented and written work should display high standards of spelling and grammar. Assignments may not be resubmitted for grading. Research Papers must adhere to the general rules established for APA style. Refer to The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. (4th Ed.) (1994). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association
*APA FAQ's: http://www.apastyle.org/faqs.html
*Using American Psychological Association (APA) Format: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_apa.html
http://www.lesley.edu/library/guides/citation/apa.html
WRITING SKILLS
If you are enrolled in a degree-granting program at Lesley and you want or need to improve your writing, one-on-one online writing support is available. You can email drafts of your papers to Lesley’s online writing center. Writing advisors will review your work and provide you with feedback to:
1. Make suggestions for improving organization, clarity, and cohesiveness.
2. Identify errors in punctuation, usage, and mechanics (including citation formats) and provide advice on correcting them.
3. Answer any questions relating to research techniques and idea development.
This service, provided by the Center for Academic Achievement, is available for the entire duration of your enrollment at Lesley. Writing advisors will respond to a submission in 48 hours. Guidelines for this service included in this syllabus. For more details on this service, please view the following URL: www.lesley.edu/academic_centers/caa/online_tutoring.html
ADVANCED STUDENTS
It is recognized that there may be a wide range of experience and knowledge among members of the class. Students who feel they fall into the "ADVANCED" category should speak with the instructor during the first weekend so that alternative assignments or alterations to assignments can be discussed.
Grading Scale:
A 95-100
A- 90-94
B+ 86-89
B 83-85
B- 80-82
C+ 76-79
ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTIONS
1. Class projects, Attendance and Participation---10% Ongoing
Directions for class projects distributed in class. Attendance at all class meetings. Active and constructive class participation both on and off-line. Participation includes utilizing e-mail and blogging as an integral part of the course as well as participation in any scheduled on-line discussions.
2. Blogging/Reading 20% On-going-Final Review will by on due date of final
Using a Blogging tool like Edublog, Blogger or Wordpress create your own blog to archive your projects, reflections, and insights, about this course. See Blogging/Reflective Writing rubric for guidance.
Examples of Blog Entries may include:
In-class project reflections
Log of daily activities
Sharing of ideas and thoughts for your classroom
Teaching tips
Aha moments! or overload moments!
Reactions to other bloggers posts
Required Blog Entries:
-In class assignments-Instructor will specify which assignments should be uploaded to the blog.
-Web Application/Webware Presentation-What site are you using? Who will you be working with? Overview of Presentation
-Reflections on at least three recommended readings. You may also locate other articles online instead of the recommended readings.
-Final Project Proposal-What is your web page about? What web tools or software will you be using?
-Your final project-URL (If a web page), paper and other relevant materials
As part of this project you will also have blogging partners who will post comments and feedback to your posts. We will talk more about this in class.
3. Web Application/Webware Presentation 15% Due Sunday of Second Weekend
With a partner, select one Web Application to investigate in depth. You will have 20-25 minutes to give an in-class presentation on the second weekend. For your presentation, you may prepare a hands-on activity (this can be on-line using the site or an educational activity gleaned from the site) for your short presentation. Be sure to focus on the educational benefits of this site and the validity and strengths. You should bring copies of directions or worksheets (if applicable) for your classmates to follow for the hands-on activity. Be sure to add a blog entry detailing what site you shared, what you learned about the site and any other applicable material.
For ideas: http://delicious.com/tonyvincent/webapp?page=2
4. WebQuest --15% (Plan due second weekend)
You will work to develop a Webquest in an area of your choice, which should be specific and relevant to your classroom curriculum or professional assignment. Between the two weekends you should write a draft of your WebQuest and gather any necessary web sites and images to be used in your WebQuest. You will publish the web site on the second weekend in class.Your Webquest should be designed so that other teachers can pick up this Webquest and use it in their classrooms. Make sure you include the title, introduction, task, process, resources, evaluation and conclusion as detailed in the hand-outs. You should include a teacher section that details any materials or knowledge that other teachers should have before using the WebQuest as well as connection to state standards.
Note: You may work on this project with 1-2 other classmates. The quality and depth of treatment of the project should reflect that more than one person worked on the project.
Reminder:*****All that is needed to pass in on 2nd weekend is the complete written draft (not just notes) of your WebQuest along with the sites you will need students to link to. You do not need to create it in a web format. This will be done in class.
5.Video Assignment 10% -Videos are located in the assignment section of MyLesley. After watching each video, go to the Discussion area of MyLesley and react to the content. This assignment will comprise 3 hours of your ten hours of the "Friday" time. The assignment will count for 10% of your grade. There will be a rubric in the Discussion area to guide you in what a great response/reflection might look like.
6. Final Project Proposal-Write a one paragraph description of your final project plan.
7. FINAL PROJECT ---30%
Ideas:
*Develop a curriculum unit that incorporates the Internet as a key component. (E-mail, Web sites, chat, Web site development.) The unit should include objectives, goals, standards being met, subject areas, grade level, three complete step-by-step lessons plans, and assessment tools. Include enough detail so that another teacher could pick up this unit and use it in his or her classroom.
*Develop a presentation and/or grant proposal for your school committee, school administrators, principals or building faculty to support telecommunications including handouts and other materials appropriate to the presentation. Make sure that the proposal is grounded in curriculum, i.e. How is the Internet going to enhance and enrich the curriculum, what subjects, how etc. Be sure to include references to articles and Web sites that support your statements.
*Write an extensive research paper. Read at least 8 articles on a specific topic related to telecommunications. Synthesize, analyze, compare and contrast this information. The paper should be written using APA style. Examples of topic areas: a)Differentiation with technology tools b) a review and analysis of different Web-related software packages and their use in schools; c) uses of telecommunications in a specific subject or use of telecommunications with a specific group of students such as special needs, gifted and talented etc. All sources must be cited.
*Write an article about how you, your school or district uses telecommunications. Submit the article to a journal or magazine such as Learning and Leading with Technology. Guidelines for submission are found on the ISTE Web site. HYPERLINK "http://www.iste.org/LL/submissions/index.cfm" http://www.iste.org/LL/submissions/index.cfm
*Develop a plan for using telecommunications among teachers and/or administrators in your school district. Details such as instruction on use of software and a telecommunications system(s) should be included. The most important aspect of this project is how you will actually use the system and environment so that people have ownership and the plan can be implemented. You should also devise a means to evaluate the success of the project after a pre-determined time span. This project should emphasize curriculum.
*Plan and implement a collaborative telecommunication project with someone in this class or another class near or far. Use e-mail or instant messenger to plan your project. Develop a step-by-step plan, so that other teachers could pick up this project and use it in his or her classroom. Include objectives, curriculum areas addressed, and methods to evaluate the effectiveness of your project. Discuss how you will publicize this project and the results. Submit any products created through this collaborative project. (Example:Monster Project)
*Web site design including graphics, internal and external links and blog post for reflection. The Web site content needs to be related to education and developed to make a meaningful contribution to the WWW. As part of this project you will need to examine what other educational organizations have placed on the WWW. You will need to assess the positive and negative aspects of the Web sites they have designed and the content they have included. Based on your assessment you should strive to emulate the positive elements of other Web sites. Your site should be, in part, a reflection of your assessment of other WWW sites. The site needs to be thoughtful, well planned and cover enough information for it to be worthwhile for someone to want to access your site. The blog post should include a rationale for development of the site, the process you went through, what you learned and recommendations for others regarding Web site development. If the Web site is not educationally oriented, then you will need to discuss this with your instructor. All projects must be done for this class. You may add on to or enhance a site you have already started, but material created prior to this class will not be considered for evaluation purposes.
*Propose and develop a 3-4 hour staff development training session that would teach colleagues to establish and use blogs and wikis. (Or some other Web 2.0 technologies.) Use a blog, wiki, or course management site to support this session.
*Develop or enhance an existing course for your students using an online site like Moodle.
Note: You may work on a final project with other classmates. (No more than three to a group.) The quality and depth of treatment of the project should reflect that more than one person worked on the project.
Independent Activity
If none of the above options fits your need, you may suggest an alternative activity you believe fits your classroom AND the overall objectives of this course. Be sure to get approval from the instructor before leaving on the second weekend.
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Recommended Readings :
Adam, A. & Mowers, H. (2007) YouTube Comes to the Classroom. School Library Journal, 53 (1), 22. Retrieved March 2, 2009 from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6403265.html.
March, T. (2003) The Learning Power of WebQuests. Educational Leadership, 61 (4) p42-47. Retrieved March 2, 2009 from http://tommarch.com/writings/wq_power.php
November, A. (1998) Teaching Zack to Think. Retrieved March 3, 2009 http://novemberlearning.com/resources/archive-of-articles/teaching-zack-to-think/
Richardson, W. (2004) Blogging and RSS: The "What's It?" and "How To" of Powerful New Web Tools for Educators. Multimedia and Internet@Schools, 11(1). Retrieved March 12, 2006 from http://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/jan04/richardson.shtml
Schrock, K. (2002) The ABC’s of Web Site Evaluation: Teaching Media Literacy in the Age of the Internet. Classroom Connect. Retrieved February 22, 2004 from http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/pdf/weval_02.pdf
Shea, V. (1998) The Core Rules of Netiquette (excerpts from her book, Netiquette) Retrieved January 27, 2004 from HYPERLINK "http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html" http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html
Siegle, D. (2005) Six Uses of the Internet to Develop Students' Gifts and Talents. Gifted Child Today,28 (2) 30-6. Retrieved March 2, 2009 from http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/siegle/Publications/GCTSixUsesOfTheInternet.pdf.
Vesey, K. (2002) The Internet-only Research Approach: Does the Web Really Have All There Is to Say? From Now On The Educational Technology Journal. Retrieved May 31, 2005 from http://www.fno.org/sept02/internetonly.html
Warlick, D. (2004) A Future Fiction. Library Media Connection. Retrieved May 26, 2005 from http://davidwarlick.com/ff_article/.
Yoder, M. (1999) The Student WebQuest: A productive and thought-provoking use of the Internet. Learning & Leading with Technology, 26(7), 6-9.52-53. Retrieved January 8, 2004 from http://www.lesley.edu/faculty/myoder/webquest.pdf
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Ideas:
*Develop a curriculum unit that incorporates the Internet as a key component. (E-mail, Web sites, chat, Web site development.) The unit should include objectives, goals, standards being met, subject areas, grade level, three complete step-by-step lessons plans, and assessment tools. Include enough detail so that another teacher could pick up this unit and use it in his or her classroom.
*Develop a presentation and/or grant proposal for your school committee, school administrators, principals or building faculty to support telecommunications including handouts and other materials appropriate to the presentation. Make sure that the proposal is grounded in curriculum, i.e. How is the Internet going to enhance and enrich the curriculum, what subjects, how etc. Be sure to include references to articles and Web sites that support your statements.
*Write an extensive research paper. Read at least 8 articles on a specific topic related to telecommunications. Synthesize, analyze, compare and contrast this information. The paper should be written using APA style. Examples of topic areas: a)Differentiation with technology tools b) a review and analysis of different Web-related software packages and their use in schools; c) uses of telecommunications in a specific subject or use of telecommunications with a specific group of students such as special needs, gifted and talented etc. All sources must be cited.
*Write an article about how you, your school or district uses telecommunications. Submit the article to a journal or magazine such as Learning and Leading with Technology. Guidelines for submission are found on the ISTE Web site. HYPERLINK "http://www.iste.org/LL/submissions/index.cfm" http://www.iste.org/LL/submissions/index.cfm
*Develop a plan for using telecommunications among teachers and/or administrators in your school district. Details such as instruction on use of software and a telecommunications system(s) should be included. The most important aspect of this project is how you will actually use the system and environment so that people have ownership and the plan can be implemented. You should also devise a means to evaluate the success of the project after a pre-determined time span. This project should emphasize curriculum.
*Plan and implement a collaborative telecommunication project with someone in this class or another class near or far. Use e-mail or instant messenger to plan your project. Develop a step-by-step plan, so that other teachers could pick up this project and use it in his or her classroom. Include objectives, curriculum areas addressed, and methods to evaluate the effectiveness of your project. Discuss how you will publicize this project and the results. Submit any products created through this collaborative project. (Example:Monster Project)
*Web site design including graphics, internal and external links and blog post for reflection. The Web site content needs to be related to education and developed to make a meaningful contribution to the WWW. As part of this project you will need to examine what other educational organizations have placed on the WWW. You will need to assess the positive and negative aspects of the Web sites they have designed and the content they have included. Based on your assessment you should strive to emulate the positive elements of other Web sites. Your site should be, in part, a reflection of your assessment of other WWW sites. The site needs to be thoughtful, well planned and cover enough information for it to be worthwhile for someone to want to access your site. The blog post should include a rationale for development of the site, the process you went through, what you learned and recommendations for others regarding Web site development. If the Web site is not educationally oriented, then you will need to discuss this with your instructor. All projects must be done for this class. You may add on to or enhance a site you have already started, but material created prior to this class will not be considered for evaluation purposes.
*Propose and develop a 3-4 hour staff development training session that would teach colleagues to establish and use blogs and wikis. (Or some other Web 2.0 technologies.) Use a blog, wiki, or course management site to support this session.
*Develop or enhance an existing course for your students using an online site like Moodle.
Note: You may work on a final project with other classmates. (No more than three to a group.) The quality and depth of treatment of the project should reflect that more than one person worked on the project.
Independent Activity
If none of the above options fits your need, you may suggest an alternative activity you believe fits your classroom AND the overall objectives of this course. Be sure to get approval from the instructor before leaving on the second weekend.
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Recommended Readings :
Adam, A. & Mowers, H. (2007) YouTube Comes to the Classroom. School Library Journal, 53 (1), 22. Retrieved March 2, 2009 from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6403265.html.
March, T. (2003) The Learning Power of WebQuests. Educational Leadership, 61 (4) p42-47. Retrieved March 2, 2009 from http://tommarch.com/writings/wq_power.php
November, A. (1998) Teaching Zack to Think. Retrieved March 3, 2009 http://novemberlearning.com/resources/archive-of-articles/teaching-zack-to-think/
Richardson, W. (2004) Blogging and RSS: The "What's It?" and "How To" of Powerful New Web Tools for Educators. Multimedia and Internet@Schools, 11(1). Retrieved March 12, 2006 from http://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/jan04/richardson.shtml
Schrock, K. (2002) The ABC’s of Web Site Evaluation: Teaching Media Literacy in the Age of the Internet. Classroom Connect. Retrieved February 22, 2004 from http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/pdf/weval_02.pdf
Shea, V. (1998) The Core Rules of Netiquette (excerpts from her book, Netiquette) Retrieved January 27, 2004 from HYPERLINK "http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html" http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html
Siegle, D. (2005) Six Uses of the Internet to Develop Students' Gifts and Talents. Gifted Child Today,28 (2) 30-6. Retrieved March 2, 2009 from http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/siegle/Publications/GCTSixUsesOfTheInternet.pdf.
Vesey, K. (2002) The Internet-only Research Approach: Does the Web Really Have All There Is to Say? From Now On The Educational Technology Journal. Retrieved May 31, 2005 from http://www.fno.org/sept02/internetonly.html
Warlick, D. (2004) A Future Fiction. Library Media Connection. Retrieved May 26, 2005 from http://davidwarlick.com/ff_article/.
Yoder, M. (1999) The Student WebQuest: A productive and thought-provoking use of the Internet. Learning & Leading with Technology, 26(7), 6-9.52-53. Retrieved January 8, 2004 from http://www.lesley.edu/faculty/myoder/webquest.pdf
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