2.6 Instructional Design
Candidates model and facilitate the effective use of research-based best practices in instructional design when designing and developing digital tools, resources, and technology-enhanced learning experiences. (PSC 2.6/ISTE 2f)
Artifact: Multimedia WebQuest
Reflection:
The Multimedia WebQuest was created for ITEC 7445 Multimedia Design and Web Development and implemented in my 9th grade Literature and Composition course. The project teaches students about plagiarism and other copyright issues common for high school students, requires students to demonstrate the ability to recognize, correct, and avoid plagiarism using citations, and asks students to create an interactive online poster using Glogster to teach others how to avoid plagiarism and cite sources correctly. This assignment was used at the beginning of the school year to establish basic expectations regarding plagiarism, citing, paraphrasing, and quoting that students would need to use throughout the entire school year. Other technologies included Wordle, which students used as a method of depicting and analyzing various definitions of plagiarism for some commonalities.
The WebQuest demonstrates my ability to not only model effective use of technology, but also to facilitate a well-designed technology-enhanced lesson. The WebQuest is aligned to content and technology standards, contains a learner analysis and content analysis, and offers specific learning objectives. The WebQuest also incorporates research-based best practices in instructional design. Student expectations are thorough and address multiple technology-enhanced learning methods, including interactive tutorials, Wordle, online YouTube videos created by community colleges, online resources such as the online writing lab (OWL) at Purdue, and Glogster, an online poster website. The WebQuest include assessment guidelines and rubrics, as well as enrichment and extension activities for those who complete the project early. The project contains an interesting storyline (Avoid being sent to jail by not committing plagiarism!), as well as relevant examples from contemporary culture about those who do commit plagiarism. Students are allowed opportunities to retake quizzes embedded in the WebQuest until they reach mastery, and they are required to make certain grades before completing subsequent sections of the WebQuest.
In reflecting on the artifact both in theory and in practice, I do not think that Glogster is the best platform for the final component in which students must teach others about plagiarism, citing, paraphrasing, and quoting. For students to accomplish each of the tasks, their font on the Glogster was too small to be easily read. Instead, I would suggest that students use a PowerPoint, Prezi, or other comparable presentation tool since doing so would allow for more flexibility in terms of legibility and incorporating specific examples. Also, my school system still has access issues with Glogster and each time I need to use the site, I must submit a request to have the site unblocked from the school server.
The WebQuest engaged students and facilitated student learning, as evidenced by final quiz scores and final presentations, and more importantly the ways in which students apply the specific concepts on writings throughout the school year. Though I did not conduct scientific research, I would suggest anecdotally that I had fewer instances of plagiarism this year in my 9th grade class after students completed this extensive WebQuest. More importantly, the WebQuest compiled numerous resources about plagiarism, citing, paraphrasing, and quoting so when students struggled with any of these concepts in their written compositions, I re-assigned them specific sections or resources contained in the WebQuest for them to review as needed. Since concepts of plagiarism, citing, quoting, and paraphrasing are paramount to any writing course, having these resources compiled and easily accessible made remediation simple to assign and easy for students to accomplish. Only a few had to complete any of the given sections more than a few times.
The Multimedia WebQuest was created for ITEC 7445 Multimedia Design and Web Development and implemented in my 9th grade Literature and Composition course. The project teaches students about plagiarism and other copyright issues common for high school students, requires students to demonstrate the ability to recognize, correct, and avoid plagiarism using citations, and asks students to create an interactive online poster using Glogster to teach others how to avoid plagiarism and cite sources correctly. This assignment was used at the beginning of the school year to establish basic expectations regarding plagiarism, citing, paraphrasing, and quoting that students would need to use throughout the entire school year. Other technologies included Wordle, which students used as a method of depicting and analyzing various definitions of plagiarism for some commonalities.
The WebQuest demonstrates my ability to not only model effective use of technology, but also to facilitate a well-designed technology-enhanced lesson. The WebQuest is aligned to content and technology standards, contains a learner analysis and content analysis, and offers specific learning objectives. The WebQuest also incorporates research-based best practices in instructional design. Student expectations are thorough and address multiple technology-enhanced learning methods, including interactive tutorials, Wordle, online YouTube videos created by community colleges, online resources such as the online writing lab (OWL) at Purdue, and Glogster, an online poster website. The WebQuest include assessment guidelines and rubrics, as well as enrichment and extension activities for those who complete the project early. The project contains an interesting storyline (Avoid being sent to jail by not committing plagiarism!), as well as relevant examples from contemporary culture about those who do commit plagiarism. Students are allowed opportunities to retake quizzes embedded in the WebQuest until they reach mastery, and they are required to make certain grades before completing subsequent sections of the WebQuest.
In reflecting on the artifact both in theory and in practice, I do not think that Glogster is the best platform for the final component in which students must teach others about plagiarism, citing, paraphrasing, and quoting. For students to accomplish each of the tasks, their font on the Glogster was too small to be easily read. Instead, I would suggest that students use a PowerPoint, Prezi, or other comparable presentation tool since doing so would allow for more flexibility in terms of legibility and incorporating specific examples. Also, my school system still has access issues with Glogster and each time I need to use the site, I must submit a request to have the site unblocked from the school server.
The WebQuest engaged students and facilitated student learning, as evidenced by final quiz scores and final presentations, and more importantly the ways in which students apply the specific concepts on writings throughout the school year. Though I did not conduct scientific research, I would suggest anecdotally that I had fewer instances of plagiarism this year in my 9th grade class after students completed this extensive WebQuest. More importantly, the WebQuest compiled numerous resources about plagiarism, citing, paraphrasing, and quoting so when students struggled with any of these concepts in their written compositions, I re-assigned them specific sections or resources contained in the WebQuest for them to review as needed. Since concepts of plagiarism, citing, quoting, and paraphrasing are paramount to any writing course, having these resources compiled and easily accessible made remediation simple to assign and easy for students to accomplish. Only a few had to complete any of the given sections more than a few times.