Reflection on the process of creating the final product for TIE 542

When I think back to the beginning of the TIE 542 course when I first reviewed the syllabus I was really concerned about the amount of work that was ahead. I became even more overwhelmed when I found out that it was required that I learn DreamWeaver software and create a WebQuest. The DreamWeaver thing got me because I just get nervous about web design, for some reason, and WebQuest was an issue because I was unfamiliar but knew enough to realize how much work designing one would require. I didn’t know if I could do it.

Well, I did it. With the help of members of my cohort and my instructor I finished the final project and created something that I am proud of. I did learn the basics of web design using DreamWeaver, very importantly how to “Google” questions I may have regarding the software. I had true feelings of accomplishment when I was able to bring up the live site and have it look and function in the way I wanted. I also gained valuable experience with WebQuest evaluation and design. The evaluation of 10 WebQuests using a rubric I designed was helpful in designing my own. In the project I have created, students seek information by asking the questions about what kind of learner they are, what kind of intelligences they have, various strategies to help them learn and display their intelligences, and potential careers or vocations. The answers to these questions will develop over time for students and the information will serve them throughout their lives. Even though students are answering on-line assessments, they should also be questioning themselves in order to answer accurately. I also believe that my activity puts questions in context and in a framework. The questions are focused and the inquiry is at various levels from answering set questions to students questioning and determining how to best express themselves in light of their various intelligence(s).

The members of my cohort who acted as critical friends in the development of my project did so through providing their work for me to look at and also giving me critique on my work. One of the other aspects that helped me was during our class meetings I realized that some class members had similar questions to mine so I did not feel as if I was the only one who was struggling with one thing or another. I really look forward to building more diverse Critical Friend relationships professionally because so many of my colleagues and cohort members have areas of expertise that they are willing to share. I also believe that I have something to offer them as well.

Description and Evaluation of a WebQuest: "Presidential Advisory Commision on Life Threatening Food Allergies"

I found the WebQuest “Presidential Advisory Commission on Life-Threatening Food Allergies”
by Anne Blake, Wayne State University through Questgarden.com in the category of Life Skills grades 6 – 8. The purpose of the WebQuest is for students to take on roles of presidential advisers who are responsible for providing a Top Secret report to the President regarding keeping children with food allergies safe when they are at school. The role playing format and topic are what caught my attention. The fact that I can recommend this WebQuest to teachers at my school is why I am sharing it.



The visual appeal is simple but engaging. The color scheme is red, white and blue which goes with the theme and there is a presidential seal which makes it seem authentic. Navigation through the WebQuest flows easily; students should not get confused or lost though they should be told how to identify the hyperlinks because they are not underlined. The overall mechanics of the site are tight. All links are connected to a working site.

The introduction is engaging because explains to the students that they are working for the President of the United States (a pretty popular guy these days for some students) and gives them the roles of Surgeon General, Secretary of Education, Director of Homeland Security, and U.S. Senator. The topic is one that many students are aware of if not affected by – food allergies, so this should be interesting and motivational to students.

The task is connected to the areas of language arts (research, writing, reading), health/PE (food allergies), Life Skills/Careers (Professional Roles), Science (food allergies). The task is cognitively appropriate for the 6th – 8th grade students it is designed for thought the reading level of 7.2 may cause some difficulty for any students reading below level.

The Process is very clear and easy to navigate by students. It should require little explanation from the teacher/facilitator. The scaffolding of the activities is formatted so students work independently, then collaborate to share information, and finally create a presentation. The activities are rich and require students to use higher order thinking skills to answer real-life questions within a timely scenario.

The quality of the resources used by students in the WebQuest is very high. There is not a separate section for the resources but the hyperlinks to the various websites work. The sites are all credible, connected to reputable sponsors.

The evaluation section provides students with the rubric and criteria that will be used to grade them on their individual work in their roles, teamwork, and the final presentation. The criteria are somewhat too subjective, as students are not given quantifiable requirements.

Overall I thought this was an engaging WebQuest that could be used with students in my school. I mostly appreciated the role playing aspect, the timeliness of the topic, the learning activities, and the obvious work that the author put into designing it.

Description and Evaluation of Classroom 2.0

Recently, I was looking for more Web 2.0 resources and came across Classroom 2.0 a Ning (web platform for creating social networks) for teachers. Created and managed by Steve Hargadon of Lincoln, CA, this educator’s on-line social network has over 27,000 members. I submitted a request to join and was accepted into the network about 24 hours after. I am not sure what kind of criteria is used to decide whom to accept, but I guess I passed.





Classroom 2.0 has some very excellent features. There are links to several “hosts” who are available to help and answer questions posed by members. There are many resources for infusing technology into the classroom including tutorials on Wikis, blogs, and Elluminate software. A member can create and select the appearance of his or her own page, add colleagues (like a friend on Facebook), join and create groups and share photos. We can add blog posts and start discussions. Discussions that are already in progress can be accessed based on what kind of technology tool they focus upon, by topic or school subject, or by areas (AUP, administration, Internet Safety, etc.). We can also join groups delineated by schools, subjects and topics and other categories as well. Live conversations (through Elluminate) are outlined on a calendar and include Professional Development in the areas of EdTech Talk, and Classroom 2.0. Members receive e-mail alerts for events. There are also Wikis containing podcasts and videos organized by various topics, including how to create Wikis. Members can also submit and present their own workshops using the Wikis format. LearnCentral.org, Elluminate, Wiki Spaces, VoiceThread, and Diigo sponsor classroom 2.0.

This is not an endorsement for membership in Classroom 2.0 because I have only been a member for a short time and have not had a chance to do any in depth exploration. I am looking forward though to using more of the resources and to making some connections with a wider network of teachers who share my interests and may have expertise in the practice of using technology and specifically web 2.0 in the classroom. You might want to check it out for yourself. If you do, add me as a colleague.