Standard 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: Webquest/Multimedia Design Project
Reflection:
This artifact is the WebQuest that I completed in ITEC 7445. I designed this WebQuest for a fourth grade social studies class learning about the events that led up to the Revolutionary War. I designed this WebQuest using Google Sites, and I used a combination of iMovie and MovieMaker to create some videos that I used throughout the WebQuest. This artifact shows mastery of Standard 2.6 - Instructional Design - which states that "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" because a great amount of instructional design went into creating this Multimedia Design Project/WebQuest.
Through this process of creating this social studies WebQuest, I was able to model and facilitate the effective use of research-based best practices in instructional design when designing and developing this technology-enhanced learning experience. As I began planning out how this Google Site would work, I thought about all of the learners that would be participating in this activity. The fourth grade class that tested this WebQuest out for me consisted of regular ed students, gifted students, ELL students, and students receiving special education services. As a result, this WebQuest needed to be designed to meet the needs of all of these learners.
One way that I designed this project is that there is a read-aloud component for every step in the process. That way, students who struggle with reading can have the directions read out loud to them instead. In addition, I made sure to include both websites and videos in each day of research. That way, students can choose which sources they want to use as they research each topic. Students who struggle in reading may prefer watching the video and listening to the information rather than reading it via the websites. The product is differentiated because students are given a choice of how to create their final product. They can use a Google Slide or a Little Bird Tale. Students who struggle in writing may choose Little Bird Tales since they are able to record themselves saying each sentence instead of having to write it.
As I designed this WebQuest, I used both audio and video elements. I recorded my voice using Audacity, and then I used both MovieMaker and iMovie to record the video elements of this project. In addition, I used Voki to record the final message in the conclusion section of the Google Site. I designed the WebQuest with the ability to assess student learning. First, in the evaluation section, students were required to take a Quizizz assessment before completing their final product. Since I and/or the classroom teacher would be able to see how students scored, we would get a clear indication of how much they learned throughout their research. This project would be graded using a rubric that is also embedded into the evaluation section. At the very end of the WebQuest, students were asked to complete a Google Form evaluating the project. They were asked to list two things they learned, one thing they loved about the WebQuest, and one thing that would make the WebQuest better.
This WebQuest seemed to be a fantastic structure for student learning. When I tested it out with students, it was easy to see that they were able to easily navigate the Google Site that housed this WebQuest. I really did enjoy creating this Google Site, and I would definitely use this platform again to create WebQuests in the future. I was glad that this site had an embed feature because I found that embedding all of the videos right into the pages was the way to go. It was also simple to insert images and then link the image to the next page in the WebQuest. To me, that made the project easier to navigate. Looking back, I am not sure if there are better choices of how to incorporate the multimedia elements, but as I research more, I will always be open to trying new things.
I learned so much by doing this WebQuest – I would easily say that it is one of the most beneficial projects I have done throughout my grad school career. In order to develop a project like this, I realized that a lot of time and a lot of planning are key. In addition, a solid understanding of the content being taught and/or referred to throughout the project is very important – especially with a social studies project since so much information is being taught through this particular WebQuest. I believe that the development of the majority of this project went very well. Converting the YouTube videos to MP4 files was a great workaround to the fact that YouTube is blocked in Gwinnett. However, this is a WebQuest that only students in my class could completely use since the Quizizz and the Padlet were both created using my accounts to those sites. As a result, if another teacher were to use this WebQuest, he/she would have to come up with a different way for students to turn in their work. I am not sure I could come up with something that would work for everyone. They would also need to come up with another way to assess their knowledge of the topics since they would not be able to access my Quizizz that I created. In the future, I could create a Kahoot assessment instead and provide the link to it in the teacher page. I may also be able to share a Quizizz that I created in the teacher page too.
This artifact impacted both student learning and faculty development. This WebQuest provided a great way for students to learn some social studies concepts instead of just reading their textbook or listening to the teacher talk. Instead, students learned the information on their own by researching and then compiling their knowledge into a project. The teacher that helped me in implementing this WebQuest with his students absolutely loved this project. He got inspired to create some of his own for his grade level to use in the future.
This artifact is the WebQuest that I completed in ITEC 7445. I designed this WebQuest for a fourth grade social studies class learning about the events that led up to the Revolutionary War. I designed this WebQuest using Google Sites, and I used a combination of iMovie and MovieMaker to create some videos that I used throughout the WebQuest. This artifact shows mastery of Standard 2.6 - Instructional Design - which states that "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" because a great amount of instructional design went into creating this Multimedia Design Project/WebQuest.
Through this process of creating this social studies WebQuest, I was able to model and facilitate the effective use of research-based best practices in instructional design when designing and developing this technology-enhanced learning experience. As I began planning out how this Google Site would work, I thought about all of the learners that would be participating in this activity. The fourth grade class that tested this WebQuest out for me consisted of regular ed students, gifted students, ELL students, and students receiving special education services. As a result, this WebQuest needed to be designed to meet the needs of all of these learners.
One way that I designed this project is that there is a read-aloud component for every step in the process. That way, students who struggle with reading can have the directions read out loud to them instead. In addition, I made sure to include both websites and videos in each day of research. That way, students can choose which sources they want to use as they research each topic. Students who struggle in reading may prefer watching the video and listening to the information rather than reading it via the websites. The product is differentiated because students are given a choice of how to create their final product. They can use a Google Slide or a Little Bird Tale. Students who struggle in writing may choose Little Bird Tales since they are able to record themselves saying each sentence instead of having to write it.
As I designed this WebQuest, I used both audio and video elements. I recorded my voice using Audacity, and then I used both MovieMaker and iMovie to record the video elements of this project. In addition, I used Voki to record the final message in the conclusion section of the Google Site. I designed the WebQuest with the ability to assess student learning. First, in the evaluation section, students were required to take a Quizizz assessment before completing their final product. Since I and/or the classroom teacher would be able to see how students scored, we would get a clear indication of how much they learned throughout their research. This project would be graded using a rubric that is also embedded into the evaluation section. At the very end of the WebQuest, students were asked to complete a Google Form evaluating the project. They were asked to list two things they learned, one thing they loved about the WebQuest, and one thing that would make the WebQuest better.
This WebQuest seemed to be a fantastic structure for student learning. When I tested it out with students, it was easy to see that they were able to easily navigate the Google Site that housed this WebQuest. I really did enjoy creating this Google Site, and I would definitely use this platform again to create WebQuests in the future. I was glad that this site had an embed feature because I found that embedding all of the videos right into the pages was the way to go. It was also simple to insert images and then link the image to the next page in the WebQuest. To me, that made the project easier to navigate. Looking back, I am not sure if there are better choices of how to incorporate the multimedia elements, but as I research more, I will always be open to trying new things.
I learned so much by doing this WebQuest – I would easily say that it is one of the most beneficial projects I have done throughout my grad school career. In order to develop a project like this, I realized that a lot of time and a lot of planning are key. In addition, a solid understanding of the content being taught and/or referred to throughout the project is very important – especially with a social studies project since so much information is being taught through this particular WebQuest. I believe that the development of the majority of this project went very well. Converting the YouTube videos to MP4 files was a great workaround to the fact that YouTube is blocked in Gwinnett. However, this is a WebQuest that only students in my class could completely use since the Quizizz and the Padlet were both created using my accounts to those sites. As a result, if another teacher were to use this WebQuest, he/she would have to come up with a different way for students to turn in their work. I am not sure I could come up with something that would work for everyone. They would also need to come up with another way to assess their knowledge of the topics since they would not be able to access my Quizizz that I created. In the future, I could create a Kahoot assessment instead and provide the link to it in the teacher page. I may also be able to share a Quizizz that I created in the teacher page too.
This artifact impacted both student learning and faculty development. This WebQuest provided a great way for students to learn some social studies concepts instead of just reading their textbook or listening to the teacher talk. Instead, students learned the information on their own by researching and then compiling their knowledge into a project. The teacher that helped me in implementing this WebQuest with his students absolutely loved this project. He got inspired to create some of his own for his grade level to use in the future.