Response #3

How will you apply the concepts from the NetQuest, Online Rearch Module/Model, WebQuest in your final web-based learning experience project for this course?
What content area are you thinking about using? You might have a unit that needs some "sprucing up".
What websites have you found so far that you would like to use? Share an online learning experience that you found that you feel could support your curriculum (post the URL).

I'm not sure how to include a NetQuest into a lesson for a preschool special ed lesson, but while I ponder that, I will discuss a way I have thought of for a lesson for the teachers. Working in special education, I would like to set up a way for teachers to research different genetic disorders or disabilities that they encounter in their classroom. Questions that would be included to research would include: How does the disorder/disability characteristics effect learning? How will the classroom's physical design need to be changed to accomodate the child? Which is the best method for presenting information?
These questions can be answered through researching the links that are listed on the site. For report out, the adaptations will be included in the specially designed instruction section of the child's IEP. The field testing will be the use of the adaptations in the classroom. If they are not working, then further research might be necessary.

Here are some websites that I found that might help staff with their research:
Genetic Disorder Descriptions
Genetic Disease Information
National Human Genome Research Institute
National Institutes of Health
Human Genetics: A Resource Guide for Teachers

Response #2

The puppy is in place of a child ... I didn't have any pictures of children I was comfortable putting on the web. But just like puppies, children need to experience to learn.

Reference to the REAL analysis is taken from Alan November's book Web Literacy for Educators.

It is tough with preschool children. I think you need to go with the basics. Going through the REAL analysis will be a start.

• R - read the URL. Well, these are preschoolers who don't know how to read (remember they are developmentally delayed - so if they are reading, they probably won't be in our classes / program). This would be the teachers responsibility (later I will expand).


• E - evaluate the content. The children need to be able to understand what is on the page. There needs to be more pictures than words, although words for pre-literacy and beginning site reading is encouraged. I would think that graphics and drawings would be more interesting than pictures. Also, animation is a must for the preschool level. The actions needed to use the site should be intuitive.


• A - author. I think this again relies on the adults, although websites such as Dr. Seuss or Sesame Street would be some good educational sites interesting to preschool children.


• L - links. Again, the adults should investigate the links prior to letting children go onto these websites.

So, ultimately the children will give input by telling you what they liked and didn't like (if they are able to express - otherwise, you need to figure it out by their desire to go to the different sites). they would evaluate websites mainly by evaluating the contents.

The teachers -t hat is who is really going to evaluate the websites for their preschool children. they need to follow the REAL analysis method and I would expand on that, coming up with REAL'N. Since time is limited, as with most people, I would attempt to get a small group who was interested in increasing the use of computers and websites in their class. I would attempt to meet them initially to determine the best method to communicate between members. The first meeting (in person or online) would include the explanation of REAL'N:

• R - read the URL. Sharing and explaining the extension guide would be a good start, along with the country codes in the book. This would be incorporated into a conversation about how to read the parts of the URL and what to note when looking at it (~ and %).


• E - evaluate the content. They need to have a number of websites for their children to test. That will help them determine what is going to entice the children and enhance their learning. The teachers need to look at all the pages of the website, make sure the language and any text on the screen are appropriate for the age range. Make sure the content is appropriate for the developmental level of the children in the class. For example, children working on counting shouldn't be on a site focused on division.


• A - author. The teacher needs to figure out who the author of the site is. Make sure that the people who author the site are listed somewhere (either the name of the person or the company) and if they are able to correspond to the authors. People who you can get in touch with are more likely to have a site that is well maintained.


• L - links. Teachers will also need to check the links that are on the site. Make sure the links within the site go to the appropriate places as well as links that might take you away from the site. If the links don't work, then the author hasn't maintained the site (or if you can contact them - let them know - they may need to fix it). While I would encourage the teachers to check the links both to and from the site, I doubt they would do it. It would be a talking point and they would be encouraged to do so.


• 'N - navigation. The teachers need to look at the site navigation. Make sure it is intuitive and inviting for a preschooler. Are the buttons on the screen and the navigation tools big enough for children to use while still developing fine motor skills? Is text located close to the corresponding picture? All questions that will help with determining the appropriateness of the navigation.

The Kathy Schrock elementary evaluation tool for elementary may be able to be adapted for the preschool teacher to use to evaluate the websites they find for their students. I would like to see a question or tow about animation, use of color, and navigation from the preschoolers perspective.

Response #1

Topic: Your initial thoughts about using the Internet to enhance the teaching and learning process.

Prior to my classes at PSU, I was reluctant to encourage the use of the Internet in classrooms, but my eyes are opening and by expanding my knowledge about the use of the Internet, I can see how it can be an asset to the educational environment. Working with preschoolers ages 3-5, it will really be a stretch to coming up with ways to incorporate it into a classroom for research / information retrieval, but there are websites that incorporate the concepts and early development that preschoolers need. The emphasis with these children is for social play and learning basic concepts (not social networking), but figuring out how to share and play with other humans.

I do see it as a way for the teachers to keep up with things going on in the world of early childhood education. It is a place to find state of the art teaching techniques. It is a resource for teachers to form groups to discuss what is going on in their classrooms. It is a place for these individuals to communicate, try ideas, post what has worked well, ideas for problems encountered.

The information written in Chapter 1 was great. While I knew some of the info, some of it was new. I knew the most of the extensions, although my understanding of .com was company not commercial - not that it makes much of a difference. Even though I knew much of the info, I didn't use it when searching - I didn't look at the URLs of what comes up and analyze them - I will now. It is a powerful tool that I think needs to be a prerequisite for students using the web in school or to do school work.

Unfortunately, I was reading this while in traffic on our way home from the Phillie's game today - since I wasn't driving I didn't want to waste the time - (Oh yeah - Yeah Phillie's WON!), so I didn't get a chance to try some of the things out as advised by Dr. Fritz - but I look forward to trying many of them. The ones that stick out in my mind were from Chapter 3 (yep - there was A LOT of traffic) - the easyWhois and The Wayback Machine!

So, my mind is changing as to my perception and belief of using the Internet in the classroom (currently - for primary grade children or older). With that being said, I have to say that I think it can be used as a tool (like a calculator, pencil, paper) and can never take the place of a great teacher.