Class Members

Dorothy Adams

Denise Delamarter

Ginger Edwards

Russell Hons

Korrie Kunkle

Tara LaFrance

Jef LaFrance

Dave Lutzkanin

Scott Myer

Dana Otis

Mike Phillips

Paula Salsman

Bob Shumway

John Slusark

Mary Sohns

Beth Trowbridge

Sue Turner

Larry Youse 

Syllabus

Click below to access the class syllabus.

syllabusfall07.doc 

 

Final Meeting on 12/13

For the final meeting on 12/13, please be prepared to give a 5 minute presentation about 1 of the assignments you did this semester.  You can choose whichever assignment you want, but I would suggest choosing one you didn't know much about before we started or one that especially interested you.  Your presentation should be about 5 minutes.  Also, we will be doing class evaluations facilitated by either John Swayze or Clinton Rice.  Please be on time so that evaluations can be completed and we can move into our 5 minute presentations.

 

The length of your presentation should be 5 minutes.

 

HTML Tags (due 12/4 @ 11pm)

I continue to have problems with uploading stuff to the wiki dealing with webpages.  I'm not sure if it is trouble with something specifically on my end or if everybody will have the same problems.  So, I am going to ask that you email me the code that you write rather than post it to the wiki.  I am sorry about this inconvenience but as time has gone on, I haven't come up with another viable option.  So,

 

1. Write your code in Notepad as described below.
2. Save your work and test it as described below.
3. Copy and paste the code from the notepad file into an email message and send it to me.

 

I will still be looking for the same elements as listed below.  Also, notice the new due date.  This will be the last assignment that you will have to complete before our meeting on 12/13.  In a few days, I will have more detailed information about what you are expected to do at our meeting on the 13th.

 

Using Notepad as your text editor, construct a web page using tags as discussed on Thursday 11/15 in class.  The theme of your web page is your choice.  I'm envisioning something that has to do with your role in the educational system, but if you would prefer to simply explore and come up with something on a topic you find interesting (favorite sports team, your hobby, etc.), that is also fine with me.  Your webpage should include the following elements:

 

1. Use a background color other than white.
2. Set font attributes (face, color, size).
3. Use at least 1 heading tag (h1, h2, etc.).
4. Use at least 1 horizontal rule.
5. Set up your text in paragraph tags.
6. Use at least 2 links to other websites.
7. Include at least one picture.

 

 

tagshandout.doc 

 

Podcasting (due 11/8 @ 11pm)

This was most definitely not the class favorite as far as the assignments go.  Sorry about that.

 

Before beginning your assignment for this week, please review the document attached below:

 

 

podcasting.doc

 

Your assignment is to search for three (3) podcasts that could be useful to your subject area.  I DO NOT want you to post the podcasts themselves to your wiki page as I don't want anybody to break any copyright laws.  Instead, make a list of the names of the podcasts and a description of the podcast including the following items:

• Video podcast or audio podcast?
• Average length of podcast?
• Authors of podcast?
• Your purpose for choosing the podcast?
• Any other comments you would like to include

 

Blogs (due 11/1 @ 11pm)

One facet of the Internet that has grown exponentially over the past few years is that of blogs.  Blogs can be found on any and every topic.  For more information about blogs, please see the attached PowerPoint presentation:

 

 

Blogs.ppt

 

 

Your assignment for blogs, like WebQuests, can take one of two paths.

 

Choice #1:  Create your own blog for your subject area.  Directions on how to get started on this are in the powerpoint link above.  You should choose a format template for your blog and have at least two posts about something to do with your subject area.  Addtionally, you should have a picture of yourself and you should have a description of yourself with your picture.

 

Choice #2:  Search for three (3) blogs that are related in some way to your subject area.  These can be blogs designed for interaction with students or blogs designed to provide a forum for professionals or a combination of both.  Post links to your blogs on your wiki page and provide a short description of how each one aligns to your curriculum.  Note:  Please make sure that these links are truly blogs- usually allowing for comments from readers, giving times when various message were posted, allowing you to read previous posts.

 

WebQuest (due 10/25 @ 11pm)

It is one thing to have students get on the Internet and mindlessly search for information.  It is another thing to have them do something structured and specific to enhance their knowledge of your subject area.  WebQuests are one example of a structure that can be followed to have students perform and intentional search and complete a specific assignment.  For background information, please go to http://www.webquest.org and see how the WebQuest format had its start.

 

Your assignment for WebQuests can take one of two paths.

 

Choice #1:  Create a webquest for your subject area using the format found at http://www.webquest.org and using one of the templates on that site.  You must follow all of the steps listed in creating the webquest.  Post the webquest on your wiki.  I would suggest using the template listed as "The original one page tempate".

 

Choice #2:  Search for webquests that have already been created by utilizing the "Find WebQuests" link on the WebQuest.org website.  You can search the SDSU database or search Google.  Post links to your selected WebQuests on your wiki and provide a short description of how each one aligns to your curriculum.

 

Please note:  I realize a few class members are in disciplines for which it will be a bit more time-consuming to find 5 webquests.  I have done some searching in various disciplines and found some webquests in each.  However, I am aware that the ones that pop up might not apply to your specific subject area.  If you opt for choice #2 and have trouble finding 5 webquests, please email me and we'll see what we can do.

 

Graphics Editing (due 10/18 @ 11pm)

For those of you who are unable to attend the session on Thursday 10/11, please access directions for this software below:

 

graphicsdirections.doc

 

Note:  This software (Fireworks) is available at Wyalusing.  If you are not in class or are unable to complete your assignment during class time, I would recommend using a computer at school to do so.   You can download a trial version of this software by using the link provided in the directions document, but if you have a dial-up connection at home, it will take a long, long time to download the software.

 

Your assignment for the week is to edit an image using Fireworks.  Preferably, you will edit a picture that you can use on a web page- like the one you are going to have to create later this semester.  You should use at least two (2) of the tools under the Bitmap section.  You should use at least one (1) shape from the Vector tools.  This shape should include something out of the ordinary- a gradient, a pattern, an effect... something of your choosing.  You should also have at least one instance of text on your graphic.  Finally, you should export your file to compress the file size.

 

Please post your picture for now on your wiki page.

 

Another note:  I am leaving town (for sunny Florida) on Thursday the 18th and will not be returning to town until late Monday the 22nd.  I might be a bit slow on responding to your assignments if you wait until Wednedsay (10/17) or Thursday (10/18) to post them.  I am going to have the following week's assignment posted by Wednesday the 17th for you to do (I hope).

 

Week of 10/11

We are scheduled to meet in person this Thursday night.  Please remember that we will meet at 6pm in room 18 at the high school in Wyalusing.  Because we are meeting, you have no specific assignment for this week.  However, our topic for this week is graphics editing.  Later in the semester, you will be required to create a web page that will contain pictures/graphics of your choosing.  It may be helpful to use pictures/graphics for this week that you can reuse later.  If you have specific pictures/graphics saved on your computer that you would like to use on a webpage later, please bring them with you (in digital form).  If you do not have any pictures/graphics with you on Thursday night, you will be able to search for some via the Internet that you might find useful.  See you Thursday!

 

P.S.- Those of you who are unable to be there because of open houses:  I will have some directions and things posted for you by Thursday night.  You can use these directions to help you complete the assignment for the week.

 

Del.icio.us (due 10/4 @ 11pm)

Click on the link below for information about del.icio.us:

 

delicious.doc

 

Click here to go to the del.icio.us website.

 

Your assignment that is due this week is as follows:

• Create a del.icio.us account.
• Put several links (at least 5, but the more the better) to websites related to your field of expertise.  You must use the tag system for each link you enter.
• Put a link to your del.icio.us site on your wiki page.

 

• Google
• Yahoo
• Ask

1. What is the text entered into the search box?
2. For the basic search, how many results are returned?
3. Using the first 10 results, how many appear to be useful?
4. Make links to three sites that appear to be useful.
5. Refine your search by using the advanced search features.  What did you do to refine your search?
6. Are the results returned significantly different in number or content?
7. Compare and contrast the homepages for each of the search engines.  What features do you like/dislike about them?
8. Compare and contrast the results pages for each of the search engines.  What features do you like/dislike about them?
9. Which of the three do you find best?  Why?

 

Message Board (due 9/20 @ 11pm)

 

9/19/07:  Sorry, sorry, sorry to those of you who have had so much trouble getting on the message board.  Google is really supposed to work so much better than that!  I hope that at the least, you are able to take away that technology still doesn't always work the way we plan it to work.

 

9/17/07:  Good discussions so far on the message board!  I have replied to every message that is on there, so feel free to read my comments.  I'm looking forward to more insights!

 

9/16/07:  Please make sure you check your email for an invitation to the message board if you haven't already posted messages.  As of this morning, messages have been posted by Beth, Russ, and John.  Also, Wyalusing people:  your email invitation may get stuck in the Barracuda Spam Filter.  Please look for it if you supplied me your wyalsuingrams.com email address.

 

Also, if you don't have an account with Google, you might have to set one up.  It is free and they don't send you all kinds of stuff, so I don't think that should be a problem.  You should be able to set up the account with an existing email address, so you don't have to set up a new email address.

 

If you have any trouble accessing the message board, please email me and let me know ASAP!

 

Click here to access the class message board.

 

Your message board assignment is to find your district's Internet Usage Policy and to discuss it on the message board.  We have at least 4 district represented, with a heavy representation from Wyalusing.  Discussion items can include but are not limited to things you like about the policy, things you dislike about the policy, differences between different districts, things you think limit academic freedom, how the policy is implemented in practice, or much more.

 

Please make sure that you post at least two messages by next Thursday at 11 pm.  Your posts can be original posts or responses to posts that somebody else has already started.