Product URL: Amonettpfwebquest.weebly / Analysis

different concepts and allow student multiple methods to show these differentcomprehensions. Students must transfer skills and content they learned from previousunits of study to be able to complete the task. In addition, students must transferinformation they learn from the early steps to complete the final steps. The fourthelement comes from the principle of providing multiple means of action and expression.This WebQuest will provide options for navigation and respond. Students will be able torespond through their workbook and through their final reflection posts as the conclusion.This activity is designed to be completed by students individually. Throughindividual work, the students are relying on their own decisions, not just coping someoneelse. This WebQuest used a blog as a discussion form and used videos from YouTube.In addition, all of the information was accessed using a webpage. This activity cannot becompleted through just using the workbook. All of the decisions are in the workbook,but the students must navigate the WebQuest to determine which decision is theappropriate decision for them. The use of multimedia videos, graphics, and external sitesis appropriate for the age group, the level of instruction they are used to using, andmeeting the curriculum and technology standards applied to this assignment. Forstudents who need assistive technology, this can be easily adapted. The teacher or coteacher can read the information from the board and ask questions for the student. INaddition, a print out of each page can be made for technology to read from. Students canindicate their response to the teacher or co-teacher. Because it is all electronic andcreated by the teacher, it can all quickly be adapted for any learning purpose a studentmay have,DevelopmentThis activity was developed in 2 weeks of work. I used Weebly to create the overallWebQuest interface that the students will use and Microsoft Word to create the workbookand the rubric that the students will have available as they complete the assignment. Thecreation elements of Weebly are similar to the creation elements of a page being builtwithin the Learning Management System my system uses. I had to innovate how tocreate a graph, since Weebly will not allow the construction of a graph on the pages. Ilined up columns of text and use spacing to ensure that the information was in line. Idesigned the resource pages for the steps myself; because I could not find an external sitethat would provide the information I needed. Before beginning the Weebly, I first builtthe workbook pages and the budget, with the plan to use the Weebly as the directions tocomplete the activity. Before I could begin building the Weebly, I had to complete myown research on occupations that are available in my area and determine the yearly salaryfor these occupations. I had to make sure that the information I wanted the students toknow about each occupation could be located easily on Bureau of Labor Statisticswebsite. After gathering research, I began construction of the Weebly. The first stage ofconstruction was to create the shell. I created each of the different pages, decided whichpage would be available through the menu and which would be available through links Idesigned. The second thing I did was work on the task page, to ensure that it made sensewhat I wanted the students to complete. I imported the video I had created for a separateassignment to explain the workbook and the importance of each step. Next, I begin to

populate the different steps with directions and images. I used red buttons to allow fornavigation among steps within the Weebly, external links, and files that the student coulduse. Once I built the WebQuest, I created the teacher resource page. This was designedto give other teachers the written information on how to implement the WebQuest, howto make simple modifications for more detailed focuses of the activity, learningobjectives, and standards that are met through the completion of this WebQuest. Beforeclaiming success at creating my first WebQuest, I worked through each page, makingsure that the links worked and the videos would play correctly.ImplementationBecause the creation of this WebQuest happened during the summer, I have notbeen able to fully implement this WebQuest with students. There were some aspects ofthe WebQuest that I implemented through a different assignment with students a fewyears back, that worked very well. I knew that 9-12 students would enjoy creating abudget using real prices from the area through this early implementation of a simplebudget activity. I plan to implement this WebQuest this year, if I teach economicsstudents. I have already emailed the other economics teachers and given them access tothe Weebly to look over and discuss if they want to use this with their students this yearas well.To implement this as intended, I will need to have access to an iPad cart. Lastyear, I was able to be the home classroom for an iPad cart, so most lessons I havedesigned utilize this feature. In addition to access to the Internet, the students will eachneed a copy of the workbook. This is done to limit the amount of time required for theInternet. Students can access a page on their own devices without putting to much of astrain on their data plans, so they are able to work on this assignment in the classroomand at home as needed. This assignment is designed to progress at the pace of thestudent, so classroom management requires monitoring progress of students and beingavailable for individual questions. I like this level of progression, because it will allowme to work more closely with students who are struggling. Because students are usingtheir iPads, I must move around the room to ensure that devices are being used foreducational purposes instead of playing games. I would also have “spot checks”throughout the activity. Whenever I give an assignment, I provide my students a calendarof what should be accomplished by each day. At the beginning of a class, I would choosea number of random students to check and see their progress, giving a participation gradefor being on task. This keeps the students on task and completing assignments in atimely manner. The overall timeline is 14 days total. This allows the students a day foreach step. It is designed to work at the discretion of the teacher. Given that I designedthis for the time after the GA Milestone EOC for economics, which has been 2 weeks,that is the only other element students are working on. However, it could very easily bean assignment to complete for homework or during class. My design is to work in it inclass, and complete one step per day in class. Each step requires students to make afinancial decision and then analyze that decision. One of the modifications is for parts tobe completed at home, but that is not the initial design. Because I have an iPad cart andtwo student computers in my classroom, all of my students are assigned an iPad that is

theirs to use during class. All students will have equal access within my classroom to theInternet to compete this task. I have shared this with the other economics teachers, butjust as a suggestion for something to use during that 2-week period after the EOC test.In the teacher notes page, I provide a short explanation of how to implement theWebQuest, with links to the required handouts for the students. There is a rubric builtinto the Weebly to provide how to grade the student work. I also provide suggestions formodifications for several specific learning objectives that teachers may want as well asmethods to differentiate this for students.EvaluationStudent LearningTo assess student learning, I plan on using several different elements. I will use therubric provided as the major summative assessment for student learning. Thesecond element is the blog comment that students will make at the end of theWebQuest, where they answer several key questions. For the third element, I willuse are formative assessments throughout the activity through generatingdiscussions with students based on the different steps they are at. Thesediscussions will occur as whole group and one‐on‐one to allow students who are shyto express their thoughts to be in a more intimate setting. Students will be expectedto create a final monthly budget where all needs are met and they did not go overbudget. Each step of the workbook asks the students a few higher‐level thinkingand analysis questions, requiring students to defend their choice verses theopportunity cost and determine the tradeoff with their decision. Students willengage in a self‐assessment through the completion of the final step, having to postwhat they learned and how they can apply this to their everyday life. Because thisactivity is designed to run for 14 days, it is important to implement formativeassessments throughout. I especially hope to be able to generate some one‐on‐onediscussions with students through walking around the room, to ask them why theymade a particular decision. Another area where I will have the ability to take aformative assessment is with the drawings for unexpected financial issues thatoccur in step 9. I will be able to see the student budgets as designed before this stepand see what changes the students made during this step. I can ask students whythis change was made, to rationalize a change in home or change in entertainmentchoice for the month.Product DesignIf the students are able to complete the assignment as designed, this will be the best wayto determine if the activity is well designed. Because this is the first attempt at this typeof activity, I will take notes of student reactions. Whenever I try a new strategy for myclassroom, I always seek student feedback on how it went – since students are brutally

honest. If students are able to articulate a level of understanding that meets the learningobjectives, this will be the best method to determine the success of the assignment andthe task. Because the WebQuest is easy to modify, I can make adjustments as we go. Ifduring my walking formative assessments, there is a key concept the students arestruggling with, I will add more resources to that step to help explain. If my studentsencounter a part of the assignment that does not work, I will immediately repair the issueto keep the flow of the activity. I will be able to implement this with all of my economicsstudents, which will help provide even more opportunity to research the validity andreliability of the overall product. My only questions that I would want addressed with apilot group are regarding timing. While I want to implement in 14 days, could it becompleted in less time? What components can be achieved at home and whichcomponents require the student to be in the classroom. The multimedia aspects of theWebQuest truly enhance the simulation, because it provides a more authentic learning forthe student, giving them access to real, current information to use to make these financialdecisions.PictureHere is a picture of my wife working through my module, providing feedback.

ReflectionFrom creating this Multimedia Project, I learned the importance of planning.I also that, while it is more time consuming to create your own information pagesand images, it is more rewarding and helps facilitate more authentic learning byhaving control in every aspect of the planning. I learned the importance of arealistic timeline as well. While I was able to complete this assignment over thesummer within the 2 weeks, I would have take longer to complete this level ofassignment during the school year. I also wish I learned the importance of workingwith students while creating something like this. It would have been beneficial tohave a group to test some of the steps on during the unit plan to determine whatworks best. As for the project itself, using Weebly worked better than I originallyanticipated. I enjoyed the ease of developing the different pages and linking them. Ialso enjoyed the ease of embedding videos as needed for different content. I woulduse Weebly again to create mini‐tasks as well as information pages for students. Ifeel that, through this WebQuest, my students would be able to learn better.Through a WebQuest, this allows for a more constructivist approach. Creightondescribes the constructivist classroom as on of the strongest to generate moreauthentic learning.As I was creating this activity, I realized that this style of activities is one thatI am more comfortable designing. Having worked in a technology classroom for 6years, I am used to focusing on designing lessons that can be completed by studentswith varying levels of technology proficiency. I also appreciate the ability to allowstudents to work at their own progress that a WebQuest affords. I think a teacherwill be more effective if he is able to better differentiate for the students.WebQuests allow students who are more proficient to move along when they areready and at the same time allows the teacher more time to work with thestruggling students one‐on‐one. This is one aspect of this procedure that will makeme want to continue and create more WebQuests to use in my classroom. Mydecision on this topic came from struggling to find something to do with mystudents after the state testing. We finished with 2 weeks available. I did not wantto introduce new content nor did I want to just let the students have down time. Iwant a project that uses skills learned throughout the year, and offers the studentsan application of their learning from the class. This WebQuest provides a real worldapplication of concepts learned and reinforced throughout the semester inEconomics. The only thing I would change is to add some student‐generatedmultimedia aspects. I would like to find a way to have the students create someform of multimedia component as part of their assessment for the activity. It wasdifficult to complete this as I wanted with Weebly, but the LMS at the school mightallow for a little more flexibility with regards to PowerPoints, Wikis, and videos.I was also able to reflect on personal growth through this activity. I learnedhow focused and detailed orientated I am during the completion of this assignment.Many times, I realized that I could accomplish the same intent for the ITECassignment with less content, but I wanted to create a finished product I would be

able to use within my class. I did not just want to create something for myassignment, but create something that could be implemented in my classroom andmeet specific standards. I also learned my frustration with Weebly. While I statedearlier that the site worked better than I anticipated, I still reached several levels offrustration. The frustration was because I was trying to input too many things andthe program struggled to meet the demands. I feel, through the formation of thisWebQuest, I provided myself with proof that I am not only a user of technology, butcan be a facilitator of technology as well. While designing the WebQuest, I wasfocused on how other teachers within my department could adapt this to meet theirneeds. One of the easiest parts of the resource page was the modification section.This shows that I am improving on my ability to make accommodations to activitiesbased on more specific needs.I would recommend that, for teacher who is designing a WebQuest for thefirst time, to take an activity they have implemented through low‐tech means and“spice it up.” This way, the teacher is focusing on the technology, instead of bothcontent and technology. If a colleague of mine were to ask for suggestions for aWebQuest, I would recommend that they find one that is already published, and seehow they can adjust it for their classroom. This would allow the teacher theopportunity to adapt a WebQuest to meet the needs of their students beforejumping into creating a new WebQuest. This would also help ensure success for theteacher, because the content and technology would already be chosen and all theteacher would need to do is know his kids, which is something all teachers can do!Reference:Creighton, T. (2003). The principal as technology leader. Thousand Oaks, CA:Corwin.

chance to experience the personal finance decisions that most adults face. The students will ultimately create a monthly budget where all bills are paid using the income of an assigned job. The activity is designed to allow the students to work at their own pace, . WebQuest was designed to allow students to read information, watch the .