2.1 Content Standards & Student Technology Standards
Candidates model and facilitate the design and implementation of technology-enhanced learning experiences aligned with student content standards and student technology standards. (PSC 2.1/ISTE 2a)
Artifact: Ecology PSA WebQuest
Reflection:
The multimedia design WebQuest was completed to demonstrate the ability to design, develop, and implement a developmentally appropriate web-based project for a group of K-12 learners. This assignment addresses both content and technology standards for students. In completing this WebQuest, I had to first determine a topic of study that would be both appropriate and worthy of deeper knowledge. Based on the importance of the topic, I chose to focus on the ecology unit, as students enter high school biology with a thorough surface understanding of the content, but have not had the chance to delve deeper into the content or relate the topics of ecology to their lives. This WebQuest was created independently to inspire students to focus on their individual impact on the environment and encourage others to make changes to benefit our planet in the future.
Standard 2.1 sets the precedent for candidates to both model and facilitate a technology-enhanced learning experience for students. This artifact first demonstrates my ability to both model and facilitate the design of a technology-enhanced learning experience in the form of a WebQuest. Through the creation of the WebQuest I provided a formal model for the layout of an appropriate and engaging WebQuest for high school biology students. The model WebQuest also serves as a platform for other teachers to facilitate a deeper understanding of environmental issues with their students as well. Through the WebQuest I created, teachers are able to view a model of a proper WebQuest with all design elements included and use this to facilitate the creation of their own model or adjust my version.
After creating the WebQuest, the final product was also implemented within my classroom with my biology students. Through the implementation process, I was able to model an appropriate and engaging WebQuest for my students. During the implementation, students were able to pick up on design elements of the WebQuest, but also the material in the WebQuest also addressed a majority of the student technology standards embedded throughout the student activities. The implementation process also facilitated a more thorough discussion of the student content standards for the ecology standard and allowed students to have a more meaningful and authentic experience with the content.
Through the completion of the multimedia design WebQuest, I learned a great deal. My initial experience with WebQuests was what my science colleagues called “WebQuests” which were actually just worksheets with website links on them and questions for students to answer. I did not realize what a true WebQuest was, and this project opened my eyes to the potential for implementation in my classroom. Through the implementation with my students, I also learned what they can learn and create when presented with an authentic and engaging assignment. They absolutely loved it! The one thing I would do differently would be to have a student evaluation component to the WebQuest. Students were provided with a rubric as part of the evaluation, but I was the only person to do the final evaluation. In the future, I would show the PSA videos during class and have students also fill out a rubric and evaluate each other too. This would give more ownership to the final product and students would also get a chance to show off their hard work.
The work of the multimedia design WebQuest had a massive impact on student learning. Instead of students reading about human impact issues and how the environment is impacted, students were able to research this impact first hand. Not to mention, students had to look for problems and think of solutions to these problems with their own communities. The initial assessment of student learning was done through the rubric evaluation of the PSA videos, but long-term assessment of this assignment is even more important. Students can be assessed further by studying their habits and determining if the creation of the PSA videos really did impact the way they view and treat the environment.
The multimedia design WebQuest was completed to demonstrate the ability to design, develop, and implement a developmentally appropriate web-based project for a group of K-12 learners. This assignment addresses both content and technology standards for students. In completing this WebQuest, I had to first determine a topic of study that would be both appropriate and worthy of deeper knowledge. Based on the importance of the topic, I chose to focus on the ecology unit, as students enter high school biology with a thorough surface understanding of the content, but have not had the chance to delve deeper into the content or relate the topics of ecology to their lives. This WebQuest was created independently to inspire students to focus on their individual impact on the environment and encourage others to make changes to benefit our planet in the future.
Standard 2.1 sets the precedent for candidates to both model and facilitate a technology-enhanced learning experience for students. This artifact first demonstrates my ability to both model and facilitate the design of a technology-enhanced learning experience in the form of a WebQuest. Through the creation of the WebQuest I provided a formal model for the layout of an appropriate and engaging WebQuest for high school biology students. The model WebQuest also serves as a platform for other teachers to facilitate a deeper understanding of environmental issues with their students as well. Through the WebQuest I created, teachers are able to view a model of a proper WebQuest with all design elements included and use this to facilitate the creation of their own model or adjust my version.
After creating the WebQuest, the final product was also implemented within my classroom with my biology students. Through the implementation process, I was able to model an appropriate and engaging WebQuest for my students. During the implementation, students were able to pick up on design elements of the WebQuest, but also the material in the WebQuest also addressed a majority of the student technology standards embedded throughout the student activities. The implementation process also facilitated a more thorough discussion of the student content standards for the ecology standard and allowed students to have a more meaningful and authentic experience with the content.
Through the completion of the multimedia design WebQuest, I learned a great deal. My initial experience with WebQuests was what my science colleagues called “WebQuests” which were actually just worksheets with website links on them and questions for students to answer. I did not realize what a true WebQuest was, and this project opened my eyes to the potential for implementation in my classroom. Through the implementation with my students, I also learned what they can learn and create when presented with an authentic and engaging assignment. They absolutely loved it! The one thing I would do differently would be to have a student evaluation component to the WebQuest. Students were provided with a rubric as part of the evaluation, but I was the only person to do the final evaluation. In the future, I would show the PSA videos during class and have students also fill out a rubric and evaluate each other too. This would give more ownership to the final product and students would also get a chance to show off their hard work.
The work of the multimedia design WebQuest had a massive impact on student learning. Instead of students reading about human impact issues and how the environment is impacted, students were able to research this impact first hand. Not to mention, students had to look for problems and think of solutions to these problems with their own communities. The initial assessment of student learning was done through the rubric evaluation of the PSA videos, but long-term assessment of this assignment is even more important. Students can be assessed further by studying their habits and determining if the creation of the PSA videos really did impact the way they view and treat the environment.