Assignments

=**Assignments**=



In this assignment, we were introduced to Microsoft Word. We used the assignment to create an introductory letter to the parents of our (future) students. In this letter we provided a brief background about ourselves, our plans for using technology in the classroom and how we plan to communicate with the parents. We used many Word features such as word art, clip art, text boxes etc. Click on the pdf below to see my letter. [|Assign1_DBull-1.pdf]
 * __Assignment #1 - Working With Word__**

This assignment was designed to introduce us to Microsoft Excel. I have worked with Excel quite extensively at work, so this assignment was not difficult for me. But, it did give me a chance to see how this program could be used for data analysis activities in a classroom. I could see how Excel would be useful as a tool to analyze and chart scores for student grading. Click on the link below to see the Excel charts we made from provided water data. [|Assign2_DBull.pdf]
 * __Assignment #2 - Excel__**

For this assignment, we needed to find and review an educational website and a virtual tour that would be appropriate to use for our target students. We were provided with an in-depth evaluation template that indicated the types of features and attributes that a website or virtual tour should have in order to be appropriate and useful for the classroom. I found a Physics website called Newton 3.0 that offered many different Physics simulations and experiments. I found a virtual tour about knee replacement surgery that takes the student through the surgery process step by step, and asks pertinent questions along the way based on the information already provided. Click on the link below to see my evaluations of these two web-based instructional tools. [|Assign3_DBull.pdf]
 * __Assignment #3 - Evaluations__**

This assignment was a fun and interesting exercise. It is a way to take a typical series of educational principles and build it into a pictorial map. Presenting the information in concept map form creates a more visual representation of the data, and in doing so it provides another means for the student to learn and retain the information. Concept mapping could be used for students of all ages. For the very young students, a map could be created for them and could be used to enhance their learning of what comes first, what comes next and how each element of the map is related to other elements. Older students could be given an assignment to create their own concept maps. This assignment also gave us the first exposure to grading rubrics. Creating detailed rubrics can be quite time consuming for a teacher, but it is the best way to ensure fair and valid grading for complex and non-traditional projects and assignments. It also gives the students a very clear indication of what is expected for the assignment. Click the links below to see my concept map about Newton's Laws and the associated rubric. [|Assign4_DBull.jpg] [|Assign4_Rubric_DBull.pdf]
 * __Assignment #4 - Concept Mapping__**

In this assignment, we used Weebly to create a classroom website. In this age of technology, it seems almost inappropriate if a teacher and/or school cannot make classroom information available via a website. A website is a very useful and convenient way for the teacher to post assignments, test schedules, study aides, grading scales and other pertinent class information. Parents could be informed of the websites so that they could easily see the scedules of assignments and tests for their child's classes. Websites can also be set up to allow for secure access via userid and password. This type of login would allow students and/or parents to see their grades without that information being available to the other website users. Click the link below to access the class website that I created. http://danette.weebly.com/index.html
 * __Assignment #5 - Classroom Website[[image:TN_pressure_417.gif width="216" height="170" align="right"]]__**

In this assignment, we learned about the web-based project tool called WebQuest. We used Wikispaces to create our webquests. Webquests are ideal for setting up longer-term group assignments. Each page of the webquest can be designed to provide information for the various roles to be developed in the assignment, details about the chronology of the project, and links to resources that would be helpful to the students during the assignment. One very attractive feature of WebQuests is that they can be used for projects that have more than one group participating. For instance, students could work on a joint project with students from another country, and in doing so they would gain a knowledge and appreciation of other cultures and areas. Because they are web-based, WebQuests are also a helpful way for teachers to find and share project ideas. Click the link below to see my WebQuest project about catapults. http://jasperspace.wikispaces.com/introduction
 * __Assignment #6 - WebQuest__**

In this assignment, we used Audacity to create an audio file. We learned how to record and edit audio files and to import music clips and sound effects. This is another interesting way to present information to students, so they can learn in an auditory way instead of just reading from a text. There are many uses for podcasts, including recording lecture notes, creating problems to solve or listening to old archived news or radio clips from historical events. Students can also create their own podcasts to have fun sharing information or problems with others. The links to my podcast and the associated lesson plan are shown below. [|EDT511-Podcast.mp3] [|Assign7_DBull.pdf]
 * __Assignment #7 - Podcast__**

__**Assignment #8 - Digital Video**__ This was a very time-consuming but fun project. We used Windows Movie Maker and Audacity to create a digital video that would be appropriate and interesting for our students. We learned how to import audio files, pictures and video clips and to arrange them into a story-telling sequence. With the popularity of websites like Youtube, I can see how this learning medium would be very attractive to students. Older students would probably find it to be a very interesting way to work on a large assignment. This would be much more fun and incorporate more creativity that just writing a term paper, for instance. My digital video about Physics and flight can be accessed by clicking the link below. [|Assign_8_DBull.wmv]