Creating an Inquiry Based Assignment

Once I switched the topic for my IBA I really enjoyed this assignment. The initial topic i chose, Federalism, was difficult since I couldn't really find a website that went with the topic whatsoever. Relying solely on the textbook really ruined the assignment since it was technology based. The topic I did use, the Constitution, worked much better. I was able to find an interactive website that followed the textbook really well. The assignment wasn't that hard once it got going and was very useful for learning how to do an assignment like this in the future.

IBA's would be useful in the classroom because they promote NETS•S standards and can encourage collaboration depending on how the assignment is done. It's also a nice way for students to learn about a topic by doing the learning and research themselves as opposed to having it lectured to them, which personally I think works much better. Also I feel that students would remember things better if they did the actual research themselves and would benefit from the hands on experience.

Rocking Wikis About Rocks

The rockstar trading assignment was really interesting to me. The assignment itself was not an arduous task. It was easily completed in class and really just involved finding the information provided on the website that was given. The point behind the assignment is what I found to be really neat. After each group had finished the class had the ability to study and learn about each different gemstone right there on the wiki. This would be especially useful in a classroom in preparation for tests and exams. Instead of a teacher putting together a study guide for students, wikis allow the students to create their own study guides with each others easily accessible information. As a prospective history and government teacher I see many uses for this technology. For example, when studying topics like U.S. Presidents, or Constitutional Amendments, or Supreme Court cases, students can be grouped and assigned individual topics and then through the wiki study the subjects as a whole. This also benefits the teacher because it easily shows what information or topics the students are struggling most with based on what pages are viewed the most, or aren't entirely complete with the necessary information.

Blog Post about Webquests about Webquests

Learning how to use a webquest was not a trying or difficult task. But it did involve taking the time to sit down and analyze all the different aspects of a webquest. It was important to make sure that the webquest emphasized the use of technology and actually functioned (i.e. had working links). The best webquests promoted students collaborating together and thinking critically. Nothing is fun or interesting if it is so simple that it becomes tedious and boring. Most importantly though a good webquest is efficient. There is no point in assigning students a lengthy webquest that will tire them out and need several classes to complete if nothing useful is going to be attained. Long webquests should conclude with a full and complete understanding of the covered topic. 

Webquests can be very useful in the classroom, especially with social studies. The example from the assignment on the Nixon-Kennedy debates was fantastic. The topic was interesting, it involved students working together and did not consume more time than was really needed for the subject. In the end students had an understanding of the role the visual media (television) has had on politics over the last five decades. The conclusion was also thought provoking because it leaves open the question would certain Presidents have been elected if there was the same television coverage then compared to know. 

Evaluating Websites

Evaluating a website for use in a classroom is crucial. If the website is too difficult to use, the students won't learn anything. And if the website is too inappropriate then you'll find yourself in hot water with the parents and likely school administrators. The website I evaluated for this assignment was www.ushmm.org. This is the website for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum located in Washington D.C. I visited this museum when I was on a field trip in 8th grade and it was a unique experience. The museum thrusts you into the world that Holocaust victims experienced and it truly weighs on you. It was quite informative and powerful. However planing trips to the nation's capital isn't always easy so the website makes a good substitute for a virtual field trip.

Before it could be used for this purpose however, it must be evaluated for classroom use. The process of evaluating the website was not terribly difficult, but it did require searching through the numerous areas of the site. It was important to make sure that the site was easily accessible for students and that the information provided was actually accurate. In this case I was searching a site that is regarded as one of the premier locations for Holocaust information, so accuracy wasn't too much of a concern. Once the evaluation was completed, and its usefulness and effectiveness determined, it was really easy for me to highly recommend its use for not just students but also teachers in the classroom.

This exercise was highly helpful in meeting the learning objectives associated with it. I was able to understand that using a website for the classroom was more of a process than logging into Goggle and searching. I had to make sure that everything on the site functioned, could be easily accessed, used by a wide variety of students and most importantly was appropriate. I am now confident in my ability to evaluate websites in the future for classroom use.

My Expectations for the Course

My expectations for this course are to become better acquainted with using technology and web 2.0 tools. Thus far things haven't been too difficult since many of the programs we have used are pretty user friendly. By the end of the course I hope to be able to effectively use things such as websites, blogs and wikis to communicate with students and parents. 

Since my education program will involve me working with high school students it is crucial that I learn, understand and master these programs and concepts. My generation is already technology dependent and the use of computers in the classroom and as part of the education experience will only grow. Students and parents being able to access information from class will make the learning experience more fun in my opinion if done properly.