Webquest review

3. Blog #3: Webquest Strengths and Weaknesses. This should be completed on your blog (Ithink most of you use Blogger.com). (30 minutes)You are to go to the Questgarden Webquest Examples page (Curriculum x Grade Level Matrixsection -- enter your requested info and search) and view 1 example webquest.

 Please try andsearch for a webquest that is from a subject you teach (or, at least a similar grade level), if youteach or want to teach; otherwise, you can select anything. When you've selected a WebQuest,use the questions below to evaluate the selected WebQuests.Identify 1 strength and 1 weakness in the each the following areas:

Provide the Webquest location (URL) :  http://questgarden.com/132/09/5/110926192034/

A.      Introduction.

Strength:  It is written in a personable way, directly to the student.  Weakness: By asking a couple more questions, the student would be more motivated to want to learn more.

B.      A task that is doable and interesting.

Strength:  The worksheet is great, many practical expenses that the student will have. Creating a Glogster pie chart is a great idea. Weakness: The students start off with an amount of money to budget - $1750/month – 21,000/year; however that is before taxes (are taken out) – taxes are not mentioned in the rest of the worksheet.

C.       A process (do learners know what to do and when?).

Strength:  Students have a step by step process with some guiding questions, for making decisions that would affect the budget. Weakness: Include Glogster URL, and possibly directions on how to create an account.

D.  Evaluation. Strength:  Really good rubric Weakness: One of the requirements mentioned in the rubric was a poster; however a poster was not mentioned in the “Process” or “Task”

     E.  A conclusion that brings closure to the quest, reminds the learners about what they've learned...Overall thoughts.  Strength:  It attempts to put the student at ease, and the students have created a project that they can refer to in the future. Weakness: There is a typo. Overall thoughts – answered in “G”. 

    F.  And, lastly: Not sure what the strengths and weaknesses would be in this section J

   G.  Is this a webquest you think you could use without modification in your classroom (not for the project in this class -- that should be your own creation)? What might you have to change? Yes. Overall thoughts:   I think this is a great webquest that I can use in my classroom – and I do intend on it…There is only one major thing that I would change and that would be to show them the difference in a pay check before and after taxes, and the students need to budget – with the after taxes amount.

METS

9-12.TC.5.

The school that I work at is an alternative high school were students are at least 16 and at least one year behind in their classes.  Students complete all of there classes online.These students were not successful in completing their courses at their base high school for one reason or another. If a student is able to catch up to their grade level, they have the option to return to their base high school...however most students prefer to stay at our school.
So for this assignment I was thinking about how assistive technology could assist students who are behind. One of the items that I'm attempting to get for our school is tall tables, similar to the ones you see at coffee houses or even McDonalds. Many of the students I come in contact with have a hard time sitting for any length of time  The district is asking these students to sit at a computer for six hours a day to complete classes. The students are also asked to sit in regular hard "school chairs", without any type of cushion. Office style chairs are few and far between and are usually the first chairs taken.  Are they special education students?  No, not all of these students have an "IEP", however a good number of students still  have a difficult time with sitting for any length of time.  Having tall tables in each of the classrooms would provide students an option of standing at a table to work, using a laptop (each classroom has laptops available).

I do not have any budget available to purchase these tables. I've looked on-line and they are expensive. We have a few at the church that I attend, however, they were not purchased but made by someone in the church who donated them. I've asked the principle and even the special education supervisor, but without a budget for it, it's gone no where. I've been pushing for this for almost a year. I would like to find a company who is replacing or updating their tables and would consider donating them to the school...but who? I'm open for any suggestions.

Another idea for assistive technology is several exercise balls. Some students enjoy sitting on a ball to complete their work, it actually helps students keep focus. Even GVSU tried it with one of their courses, and the students not only liked them, but stated that they were able to focus and stay on task better...grades went up.identify an example of an assistive technology and describe its potential purpose and use

I attempted to post this blog at http://edtechtoolbox.blogspot.com/2011/07/this-site-is-via-jeff-thomas-at-tech.html#comments  about 10 times without success. Not sure why is did not post on the site. Here is what I wrote to put on that site. I've spent way over an hour already, and I had to give up so that I could do other assignments.

I teach High School students and I really enjoyed your 50-ways-to-anchor-technology article. Of the 50, I can start using about 19 of them now. The others are either for elementary (which I think elementary teachers would love) or the sites will require some additional investegation on my part. The best part is: they are free. I've tried to find sites to use in the past and I would get so far, only to find out there was a cost attached. I am so glad that you put this list together. Thank you.

Blog assignment 10/9/11