EDTECH 503 Instructional Design Work Completed

Instructional Design Work Completed

EDTECH 501 Reflections

EdTech 501 Reflections

WOW! I really can't believe that this class is over.  I've learned so much in this course and hope that the rest of the courses in the MET program are just as rewarding.  I am glad I will have some time to focus on the up-and-coming school year and incorporate the new skills I have under my belt.

The main challenges that I faced during this course were time management and interruptions.  I am the kind of learner that needs it to be quiet to comprehend anything! (I don't remember being that way in school, maybe it's my age!)  Needless to say, my house is not quiet.  My 12 and 6 year old girls "just want to have fun" every second of every day! I tried to overcome these challenges by completing my 501 coursework in the early morning or after my children went to bed.  This was difficult for me because, I'm not as energetic as I used to be. Staying up until 1am and then  getting up early with my children was difficult. However, the success I felt when I turned in my assignments and received an excellent grade was worth the exhaustion I felt.    In early July, I also needed to help my mom for a couple of weeks as she had knee replacement, and it was also difficult to get my assignment completed when visiting with her. One thing worse than seeing your kids in pain and helpless, is seeing your parents in pain.  Once we got through the first couple of days, and figured out what worked and what didn't, it was much better.  Also, my mom talks a lot.  Even with pretty strong pain killers in her blood stream, she was still talking.  I love her so much and really don't get to see her too often, so I asked for extension on the due date for my EdTech research assignment, and enjoyed the time I had to spend with her. 

I have two artifacts that are my favorite.  The Digital Divide the Evaluation are two artifacts that I can actually take back to my district and use again.  I learned so much about my district from each one of those artifacts.  With the EdTech Evaluation assignment, I was able to talk to my curriculum supervisor about technology.  This was a very rewarding experience because I felt like my ideas were taken seriously, and that I may have actually helped our district move in a positive direction with technology. 

Upon my return to school, I plan on taking the skills I have learned in this course, and pass them on to other teachers in our district during instructional coaching time. I would also like to work with my students on using blogger to post assignment like we did for this course, once they receive their Chromebooks. I will also incorporate many of the Google Apps I learned about when researching tech trends.  Finally, and most importantly, the research I did on gender inequalities has literally changed my thinking forever.  What I learned when doing this research will affect how I teach and what materials I choose for my classroom. 

I appreciate all the feedback that I received, and I hope that my comments were positive and helpful. I look forward to taking more classes with all of the wonderful people I've met as we journey through this program together.   



School Evaluation

School Evaluation


Maturity Model Benchmarks


I really enjoyed completing this assignment.  In fact,  this assignment was my favorite because it allowed me to see how educational technology has come full circle.  I was able to see the formal definition of educational technology come through the technology plan of my district in so many ways.  From facilitating and using to improving performance and managing, Eagles landing technology plan does an excellent job looking at each of those areas.  I was also able to have critical conversations with our district leaders about where we are with technology and where we want to be. 


I feel confident about technology integration at my district.  I know that administrative support is there.  Leaders at my district have always been open, or should I say cautiously open,  to what staff members feel is the way to go.  With my new knowledge and skill, hopefully I can make a difference in the way all staff members view the use of technology for the future success of our student body.

EDTECH Research

EDTECH Research

Annotated Bibliography

This assignment was difficult, but now that it is finally completed, I have a new passion for next year.  I did turn this assignment in on my "free pass". While trying to work on this assignment, I was visiting with my parents who live in Ohio.  My mother just had knee replacement, so I was very busy trying to make her comfortable and attend to what she needed.  Needless to say, I didn't get very much done.  In the evenings, we sat on her deck swing talking about life.
While I worked, I spent the bulk of my time reading and highlighting what I felt was important to my objective.  I realized very quickly that I was highlighting too much; but how do you summarize a 20 page article without hitting on many very important points?  I am absolutely positive that my research has impacted me and the way I think about gender in the classroom.  


Citing references using the APA style is still a challenge, but I understand why it is necessary.  If we don't have a strict standard, it would be difficult to know what is being referenced.  I hope you enjoy my research and thoughts on how males' and females' attitudes affect their use of technology. 




Tech Trends

Gaming in Education

My assignment for this week was to read and digest the NMC Horizon Report, 2014, K-12 Edition.  I must admit, what a pleasant surprise.  The Horizon Report, developed by an expert panel, identified 18 topics likely to impact technology planning and decision making.  As I read, I first became a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of technologies that could impact education and the way we view what the educational setting should look like.  I wondered how schools would ever keep up with all of the technologies slated to have an impact, considering cost, training, and changing outdated attitudes. I also wondered which technologies I would focus my attentions on; then I read about gaming. 

In my last assignment, I read five peer-reviewed articles and wrote an annotated bibliography about gender and technology.  Most of my research was focused on how girls' attitudes are formed based on past experiences using the technology, and inadvertent exposure to negative attitudes from parents and teachers about their abilities in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) related fields.  In a post-research discussion, I felt the need to write about how I wanted to plan lessons geared toward either gender.  I am very passionate about the topic of gender because I teach all boy or all girls classes, and I see first hand the differences that exist between the genders.  I recall a TED talk which inspired me for two reasons.  First it talked about how incorporating gaming into the classroom will help to inspire boys, and secondly it was given by an instructional designer and professor from Penn State (my Alma mater), Ali Carr-Chellman. Please take 12 minutes to watch this powerfully, insightful TED talk.

Gaming and game based learning have a two to three year adoption horizon.  The impact of gaming on generation Y will include adoption of game-like activities including quests, experience points, leader boards, badging, and milestones to name a few. According to A. Jones (2008), from the article  "Video games in education: Why they should be used and how they are being used",  gaming in the classroom will help students develop real life skills including

• Constructing relationships between the world through play
• Mastering the structure of their surroundings
• Better understanding the logic behind rules
• Generating a much higher level of positive emotional engagement
• Generating hypothesis about situations
• Motivating learning by challenging and providing curiosity

Consider this website for educational games:
http://www.gamesforchange.org/


An example of an educational game discussed in the article is http://www.food-force.com.   This game is a wonderful example of how students learn the skills to fight world hunger.  I will be using this game in my all boys health classroom in the lesson plan below during a lesson about global health trends. Gaming in a boys health class: Lesson Plan

References

The New New Media Consortium (2014). NMC horizon report: 2014 k-12 edition
Retrieved from http://cdn.nmc.org/media/2014-nmc-horizon-report-k12-EN.pdf


Annetta, Leonard A. (2008). Video games in education: Why they should be used and how they are being used. Theory Into Practice. (47)3. 229-239.

Learning Objectives for 501 Research

Hello everyone,  

I’m trying to get a jump start on this assignment because I’m heading to Ohio on Tuesday, with my girls, to visit my mother who just had knee replacement.  I’m beginning to get excited about this assignment.  I'm still anxious and a bit apprehensive about the writing aspect, simply because I admit my writing skill aren't what they used to be.  Writing for 15 year olds is far different than writing for a graduate course.  My excitement comes from the fact that there is so much information available on either one of the topics I would like to base my research on. It's refreshing knowing that I haven't come to a dead end on the research part of the project. Anyway, after researching two areas I’m interested in, I came up with learning objectives, but cannot decide which would be best.  

1. I have a great interest in how gender affects technology use and how students attitudes, based on gender, affect their use of technology.  What do you think of this objective?

“Given a homogeneous gender specific health classroom with access to Chromebook technology, the students will be able to correctly identify barriers to technology use and correctly evaluate their own attitudes toward technology when a new skill is required.”

2. I also base most of my health class on the fact that the human body must remain in homeostasis to function optimally.  What do you think of this objective?

“Given a diagram of the human body with the body systems visible, the students will be able to correctly identify how two to three body systems are interrelated, and correctly evaluate consequences of proper nutrition and exercise, or lack thereof, to the systems as a whole.”  

Which do you think is better?  Can I improve?  Where are the weaknesses in either of my objectives?  Thanks for your help!!

Ed Tech 502 Projects

Ed Tech Project List

Plain html website

This plain html website is my first official webpage that I have ever created using html.  Although it looks simple, it was very challenging. http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/teresamyers297/502/plain502.html

HTML with external CSS(cascading style sheets)
This website is my first official webpage that I have ever created using html and css styles.  It was also very challenging because it was my first time using css (cascading style sheets)
http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/TeresaMyers297/502/502.html


Netiquette: Internet Etiquette
My third webpage incorporated everything I have learned thus far about html and css, except this time I added an "aside".  An aside is a box, with contents, that can "float" on the page.  My page focused on internet etiquette with a learner audience of middle/high school students.
http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/teresamyers297/502/netiquette.html


Accessibility: Helping learning disabled students
My next webpage added external links.  The content of my webpage focused on helping students with specific learning disabilities to access the internet and technology tools to help them in the classroom.
http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/teresaMyers297/502/accessibility.html


Scavenger Hunt: Plagiarism on the Internet
Next, my skills expanded to create not only a webpage, but external pages as well.  I created a scavenger hunt with a focus of plagiarism.  I also created a student worksheet and answer key that were linked to my webpage.  I also learned how to embed a video from You tube into my webpage. http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/teresamyers297/502/scavenger.html


Interactive Concept Map: Stress Management for Teens
My next webpage consisted of skills I already have in addition to creating images in Fireworks and imbedding those images into the html code. I found this webpage to be the most challenging, but also the most rewarding because I feel like I've added a lot more of my own style to the page.   
http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/teresamyers297/502/conceptmap.html


Jigsaw Internet Search Activity: Physical, Social, Emotional, and Spiritual Health
This webpage expanded on current skills with the addition of using a table.  The table was created using a table generator.  I found this webpage to be one of the easier pages because we were able to use a template then paste the code into our webpage.
http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/teresaMyers297/502/jigsaw.html


EdTech Home Page
This website was easy and fun to do.  I initially wasted an entire day looking for and trying to figure out how to use CSS templates found on the web.  Then, I gave up using one of those and decided to use a CSS template found right in Dreamweaver.  Once I did that, I was able to finish the webpage quite easily.  I really like my webpage because the header signifies my love of the natural world.  I also like it because it is simple in design and easy to follow.
http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/teresaMyers297/


M-learning: All about Food Labels
This webpage was extremely frustrating.  Not only did I need to create a webpage for a desktop computer, but I also needed to make sure that webpage looks nice on a tabled and a mobile device.  It was three times the work but rewarding to know how to create mobile learning activities.
http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/teresaMyers297/502/mlearning.html


Virtual Field Trip: A virtual tour of the body systems
WOW, what an adventure.  I hope my students have a much fun completing the activities as I did making them.  I spent hour upon hour creating this multiple page webpage.  First, I started with my main webpage, then created 9 other webpages that went along with the start page. 
http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/teresaMyers297/502/start.html



EDTech 502 Internet for Educators Course Syllabus

EdTech 502: The Internet for Educators

Course Syllabus

Instructor Information

Andy Hung, Ed.D.
Office Hours: by appointment
Phone: (208) 426-5542
E-mail: andyhung@boisestate.edu*
Adobe Connect: http://edtech.adobeconnect.com/hung/

*Email is the best way to reach me. If I haven't responded within 48 hours, please email me again. Contact me in other ways as needed.

Course Description

Locate, retrieve, and evaluate information found on the Internet. Design and produce instructional web pages using a combination of software and HTML5/XHTML/CSS.  Apply appropriate instructional strategies and models to the design of digital curriculum.

Course Outcomes

After completing this course the student will be able to:

• create web pages using HTML;
• structure and style web pages using CSS;
• apply file management skills to maintain local and remote website files and folders;
• write validate HTML5, XHTML, and CSS code;
• create graphics for web pages;
• apply appropriate design principles to create professional looking websites;
• create accessible web pages for individuals with disabilities;
• identify and apply copyright and fair use guidelines for website development;
• create instructional web sites using high-quality instructional content;
• apply responsive design web development principles.

Course Location and Login Information

This is an online course delivered in Moodle. The Moodle login page explains how to login to Moodle. Contact Moodle Support at moodlesupport@boisestate.edu if you have problems accessing Moodle. If you have forgotten your password, click the link below the login box, "lost password?" and you will be able to reset it. When you login Moodle look for a link to EDTECH 502-4201 (SU14).

Course Materials

Required Textbook

The Non-Designer's Web Book: An Easy Guide to Creating, Designing, and Posting Your Own Web Site (3rd ed.)
Authors: Robin Williams & John Tollett
Date: 2006
Publisher: Peachpit Press
ISBN-10: 0321303377

Two places to purchase the textbook: Boise State University Bookstore or Amazon.

Required Video Tutorials

We will use a series of instructional videos provided by Atomic Learning. You will access these videos free of charge by logging into http://my.boisestate.edu and then going to http://www.atomiclearning.com
 

Required eBooks

We will use the following eBooks. These books are accessed through the Boise State library. You have to login with your my.BoiseState credentials to access them. [Note: You can download these books from a tablet and read them on your tablet for short durations if you prefer (e.g., if you use Safari on an iPad and have the free Bluefire Reader app, you can download and read these books for 10 days at a time); but you have to re-check them out every 10 days.]


HTML & CSS: Design and build websitesJon Duckett
http://boisestate.worldcat.org/oclc/796829490



Adobe Dreamweaver CS6: Digital Classroom
Jeremy Olsborn, AGI Creative Team
http://boisestate.worldcat.org/oclc/823387750


Adobe Dreamweaver CC: Digital Classroom
Michael Arguin, Greg Heald, AGI Creative Team
http://boisestate.worldcat.org/oclc/861559495


 

Required Software

 Adobe Creative Cloud
We use Dreamweaver (either CS6 or CC) and Fireworks CS6 in this course.  When you purchase Adobe Creative Cloud (also called Adobe CC), you will have access to Dreamweaver CS6, Dreamweaver CC, and Fireworks CS6, as well as a number of other Adobe Applications. Adobe CC is a subscription service. With Adobe Creative Cloud, you either pay each month (or for an entire year at a time) to have access to their main suite of applications which you can download and install on two different computers.

[Note: Adobe CC is the new cloud-based subscription model Adobe uses. You might still be able to find a copy of Adobe CS6 Design and Web Premium Suite (which includes Dreamweaver CS6 and Fireworks CS6) but the price continues to go up as Adobe phases out this software and moves users to Adobe CC.]

Additional Software
Students also need the following: anti-virus software, Adobe Reader, Flash player, QuickTime player, Fangs Screen Reader Emulator (Firefox add on), and an HTML5 Compliant Browser (i.e., the newest version of Firefox, Chrome, Safari or Internet Explorer).

Additional Technical Requirements

Internet Connection and FTP Capability
You need an up-to-date computer with an Internet connection in this course. You will create a series of web pages over the semester and FTP files to a web server at Boise State University.* If you plan to work from a school or business location, it may be necessary to request help from your network administrator because FTP is sometimes blocked.
*You can use your own web host if you prefer.

Alternative Web Space
The EdTech department provides web space for current students on the edtech2 server. However, sometimes things go wrong with the edtech2 server or students are unable to FTP to it (e.g., students living out of the country). Be prepared to obtain alternative web space if you are unable to connect to the edtech2 server. You may already have web space from your Internet Service Provider. Free or inexpensive web hosting is also easy to find.

Assignment Policy and Grading Scale

Assignment Information

Detailed information about each assignment is posted in Moodle. Assignments are always due on Tuesdays. Check Moodle and your Boise State email regularly each week; announcements and course updates can be posted at any time.

	Assignments	Points
1	Scavenger Hunt (Module 1)	10
2	Bio & Introduction (Module 1)	15
3	Plain HTML 502 page (Module 1)	50
4	External CSS page for 502 page (Module 1)	50
5	Netiquette (Module 2)	75
6	Web Accessibility Hot Links (Module 2)	75
7	Copyright Scavenger Hunt (Module 3)	75
8	Interactive Concept Map (Module 4)	75
9	Jigsaw Activity (Module 5)	75
10	EdTech Homepage (default.html) (Module 5)	75
11	m-Learning Activity (mobile learning) (Module 6)	75
12	Virtual Field Trip (Module 7)	150
13	WebQuest (Module 8)	150
14	Participation in Online Discussions (Modules 1 - 8)	50
	Peer Support (extra credit)* (Modules 1 - 8)	50
	Code Academy Badges (extra credit)**	75
	Total Points	1000

*Earn up to 50 points extra credit for helping fellow classmates with technical & design problems. See Module 1 for more details.
**Earn 75 points extra credit by earning badges on Code Academy. See Moodle for more details.

Standards

The assignments in this course are aligned to the AECT standards
This table lists the assignments by number from the previous table and the associated standards

Assignment(s)	AECT Standards
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11,12, 13	1.1.2.b Create instructional plans that address the needs of all learners, including appropriate accommodations for learners with special needs.
9	1.1.2.c Integrate information literacy skills into classroom and media center instruction.
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11,12, 13	1.1.2.d Incorporate contemporary instructional technology processes in the development of interactive lessons that promote student learning.
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,12, 13	1.1.3.b Demonstrate personal skill development with at least one: computer authoring application, video tool, or electronic communication application.
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11,12, 13	1.3.b  Identify at least one instructional model and demonstrate appropriate contextualized application within practice and field experiences.
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11,12, 13	1.4.b  Describe and/or document specific learner characteristics which influence the selection of instructional strategies.
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,11,12, 13	2.3.2 Design, produce, and use digital information with computer-based technologies.
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11,12, 13	2.4.1 Use authoring tools to create effective hypermedia/multimedia instructional materials or products.
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11,12, 13	2.4.2 Develop and prepare instructional materials and products for various distance education delivery technologies.
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11,12, 13	2.4.4 Use telecommunications tools ... to develop instructional and professional products.
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,12, 13	2.4.5 Develop effective web pages with appropriate links using various technological tools.
6	3.4.3 Identify and apply copyright and fair use guidelines within practice.
6	3.4.5 Identify policies & regulations which apply to the utilization, application, and integration of distance delivery technologies.

Final grades are based on the following scale.

Grade	Points Required
A	940 - 1,000
A-	900 - 939
B+	870 - 899
B	840 - 869
B-	800 - 839
C+	770 - 799
C	740 - 769
C-	700 - 739
D	600 - 699
F	0 - 599

Submitting Assignments: Most of the assignments are web pages that are submitted by posting the URL to the web site in the discussion forums.
Asynchronous Discussions: This is not a discussion heavy course. Most of the discussions focus on giving each other feedback; in each module you will post your work online and be expected to give your peers constructive feedback. Asynchronous discussions are worth 5% of your grade. Your best 10 posts will be graded during the last module of the course.
Synchronous Discussions: We will meet four times this semester for Happy Hour in Adobe Connect. Happy Hour is a time to meet to talk about the course, problems you might be having, or anything else that is on your mind. These meetings are optional. I will record them and post the recording in Moodle. I will log off if nobody shows up during the first fifteen minutes.

• 1st Happy Hour: tbd
• 2nd Happy Hour: tbd
• 3rd Happy Hour: tbd
• 4th Happy Hour: tbd

Grading Cycle

All assignments are graded together as a group to maintain a higher level of consistency. Grading begins on the first day after a due date and is typically completed before the next due date. You may track your progress through Grades in Moodle. At the instructors discretion, you may be able to pick up some points lost on web page assignments by fixing any problems (within a week of the assignment being graded) and reposting the URL to the assignment in the course and emailing the instructor about the update.

Feedback

Feedback varies throughout the course. Some assignments simply get a grade if they are done correctly. Other assignments will get detailed feedback and at times include video feedback. I strive to give every student video feedback on his or her work at least once during a semester. Feedback is posted in the gradebook and sometimes in the discussion forums as well so that everyone can benefit from it.

Late Work

Due Dates: All assignment are due on Tuesdays. Assignments must be submitted by 11:59pm Mountain time on scheduled due dates.

Point Deduction for Late Work: Ten points may be deducted for each day an assignment is late. For example, an assignment that is two days late can lose 20 points as a late penalty.

Emergency Pass: If you have a major event such as a death in the family, illness, hospitalization, or you are out of town, you may turn in one assignment under the emergency pass. This assignment may be up to one week late and still qualify for full credit. After the one week extension has passed ten points per day can be deducted until the assignment is no longer worth any credit.

Your Responsibility with Late Work: If you are going to be late turning in an assignment for any reason, please e-mail the instructor at andyhung@boisestate.edu on or before the scheduled due date. When the assignment is completed you must send a follow-up email to let the instructor know it is ready to grade. This is how the late work penalty is calculated. Failure to notify the instructor could lead to a grade of zero.

Avoid End of Course Late Work: Please note that there are University deadlines for submitting grades at the end of the semester. All work must be turned in at least a week before grades must be posted.

Technical Difficulties

On occasion, you may experience problems accessing Moodle or class files located within Moodle, Internet service connection problems, and/or other computer related problems. Make the instructor aware if a technical problem prevents you from completing coursework. If a problem occurs on our end, such as Moodle or EDTECH2 server failure, then an automatic due date extension is granted.

Reasonable Accommodations

Contact me privately if you may need accommodations based on a disability. You will also need to contact the Disability Resource Center at 208-426-1583 to talk with a specialist and coordinate reasonable accommodations for any documented disability.

Academic Honesty

Students are expected to create original work for each assignment. Students must follow the Boise State Student Code of Conduct as well as observe U.S. copyright laws in this course.
Please adhere to the following guidelines:

• Please do your own original work for each project. Projects that were created for other classes may not be submitted for credit in this course. Each project may only be submitted for credit one time by the person who created it. The BSU Student Code of Conduct states: "Academic dishonesty also includes submitting substantial portions of the same academic course work to more than one course for credit without prior permission of the instructor(s)."
• All projects and other assignments should be composed in original text that is written by the student who is submitting it. The exception to this is the use of small amounts of quoted material that is properly cited. Copying and pasting from other websites or projects (including the instructor's examples) is not permitted.
• The practice of copying code from the instructor examples is strongly discouraged. It is best to write your own HTML/XHTML/CSS. The work you submit should be clearly unique and different from the instructor example code.
• Images or other media used in projects should be original, used with permission of the owner, or come from the public domain. Please check terms of use on sites containing these items. If in doubt, don't use it.
• Please cite the source for materials that are obtained for your projects unless they are created by you. If permission is granted for use of copyrighted materials please post a statement explaining that near those materials.

In the event of academic dishonesty, a complaint is filed with the Boise State Student Conduct Office with supporting documentation. This complaint remains on file and actions may be taken against the student (e.g., loss or credit, grade reduction, expulsion, etc.).

Course Schedule

Detailed information about assignments is posted in Moodle. The instructor reserves the right to make changes to the schedule as needed. Readings and videos have been identified for each module to help you learn the key concepts to successfully complete each assignment. Some of the readings are chapters in ebooks provided through the library, others come from the textbook in the course, and others are simply electronic articles or web pages. We created some videos for this course; other videos were found on the web and others videos are provided by Atomic Learning. Depending on the version of Dreamweaver you are using though, you might have to find other videos to support learning certain concepts. Keep in mind though that the goal of this course is not to teach you how to use a specific version of Dreamweaver but rather for you to learn the necessary skills that would enable you to use any HTML editor. Adobe updates their products regularly so as an EdTech professional you need to be able to move from one version of Dreamweaver to the next as needed.

Important!

Students are expected to spend 18-24 hours during summer semester each week on each EdTech course. However, some students spend more time than others learning HTML / CSS / Dreamweaver. For each module, there are various readings and videos to help you complete each project. Some students like to watch many (if not all of) the videos and complete all of the readings; others focus more on the videos and less on the reading. And yet, a small group of students often chose not to use any of the resources and just dive into the software. You have to determine the best way you learn software.

Estimated times for each video are listed to help you plan your weeks accordingly. We recommend completing any reading and videos at the beginning of each module in order to give you enough time to complete each assignment (as well as enough time for any troubleshooting).

Major Assignments	Readings & Videos
Module 1: Getting Started with Dreamweaver, HTML, & CSS (6/9 - 6/15)
Scavenger Hunt Bio and Introductions Create plain 502.html page Create external CSS style sheet for 502.html page	Course Introduction (9 min) [The following readings and videos will help you complete the plain 502 page] Reading HTML and CSS by Duckett Ch. 1: Structure Ch. 2: Text Adobe Dreamweaver CS6 Digital Classroom by Osborn et al. Lesson 1: Dreamweaver CS6 jumpstart Lesson 2: Setting up a new site Adobe Dreamweaver CC by Arguin et al. Lesson 1: Dreamweaver CC Jumpstart Lesson 2: Setting Up a New Site Videos Connect to edtech2 Plain 502 page project Validate HTML5 Code Atomic Learning: HTML5 & CSS3 - Basics Training (17 min) B. HTML5 Overview (5 videos) Atomic Learning: Dreamweaver CS6: Intro Training (PC) or Intro Training (Mac) (50 min) A. Workspace Basics and Viewing (12 videos) B. Setting up a Site (8 videos) C. Working with Text and Paragraphs (10 videos) Atomic Learning: Dreamweaver CS6 - Building a Simple Web Site Training (8 min) B. Building Your Site (6 videos) [The following readings and videos will help you create your external style sheet for your 502 page] Reading HTML and CSS by Duckett Ch. 3: Lists Ch. 8: Extra Markup Ch. 10: Introducing CSS Adobe Dreamweaver CS6 Digital Classroom by Osborn et al. Lesson 4: Styling your pages with CSS Lesson 12: Working with code-editing features Adobe Dreamweaver CC by Arguin et al. Lesson 4: Styling your pages with CSS Lesson 13: Working with code-editing features Videos Introduction to CSS 502 page project Validate CSS Atomic Learning: HTML5 & CSS3 - Basics Training (27 min) C. HTML Text and Page Formatting (10 videos) D. Page layout Tags (7 videos) G. Creating CSS Style Rules (8 videos) H. Basic formatting and cascading order (11 videos) Atomic Learning: Dreamweaver CS6: Intro Training for a PC or Intro Training for a Mac (50 min) F. CSS (10 videos) Atomic Learning: Dreamweaver Creative Cloud - What's New? Training (27 min) A. CSS Designer (8 videos)
Module 2: Typography and Accessibility on the Web (6/16 - 6/22)
Create netiquette page Create accessibility hot links page	[The following readings and videos will help you complete the netiquette page] Reading HTML and CSS by Duckett Ch. 11: Color Ch 12: Text Adobe Dreamweaver CS6 Digital Classroom by Osborn et al. Lesson 5: Creating page layouts with CSS Lesson 6: Advanced page layout Lesson 7: CSS3 transitions and web fonts Adobe Dreamweaver CC by Arguin et al. Lesson 5: Creating page layouts with CSS Lesson 8: Using web fonts Non-Designer's Web Book by Williams Pages 245 - 255 Videos Netiquette project Atomic Learning: HTML5 & CSS3 - Basics Training (40 min) I. Page layout using CSS J. New CSS3 Rules Atomic Learning: CS6: Intro Training for a PC or Intro Training for a Mac (17 min) C. Working with Text and Paragraphs [The following readings and videos will help you complete the accessibility hot links page] Reading Reading HTML and CSS by Duckett Ch. 4: Links Videos (43 min) Accessible hot links project Web Accessibility-An Overview of Rules and Guidelines The Fangs Screen Reader Emulator
Module 3: Copyright and Fair Use (6/23 - 6/29)
Create copyright scavenger hunt	Reading no recommended reading Videos Scavenger hunt project Atomic Learning: Fireworks CS6 - Intro Training for a PC or Intro Training for a Mac (101 min) A. Basic Techniques & Tools (11 videos) B. Working with Images (13 videos) C. Vector Objects & Text (16 videos)
Module 4: Images for Web Pages (6/30 - 7/6)
Create interactive concept map	Reading HTML and CSS by Duckett Ch. 5: Images Ch. 16: Images Adobe Dreamweaver CS6 Digital Classroom by Osborn et al. Lesson 3: Adding text and images Adobe Dreamweaver CC by Arguin et al. Lesson 6: Advanced page layout Non-Designer's Web Book by Williams Pages 167 - 198 Videos Interactive concept map project Atomic Learning: Dreamweaver CS6: Intro Training for a PC or Intro Training for a Mac (22 min) D. Working with Images (12 videos) Atomic Learning: Fireworks CS6 - Intro Training for a PC or Intro Training for a Mac (71 min) D. Live Filters (7 videos) E. Layers & Masks (10 videos) F. Slices, Rollovers & Pop-up Menus (12 videos)
Module 5: Creating Tables for Web Pages and Using Templates (7/7 - 7/13)
Develop Jigsaw activity Create default.html page	[The following readings and videos will help you complete the Jigsaw project] Reading HTML and CSS by Duckett Ch. 6: Tables Ch. 14: Lists, Tables & Forms Adobe Dreamweaver CS6 Digital Classroom by Osborn et al. Lesson 8: Working with tables Adobe Dreamweaver CC by Arguin et al. Lesson 9: Working with Tables Non-Designer's Web Book by Williams Pages 113 - 135 & 155 - 167 Videos Jigsaw project Atomic Learning: HTML5 & CSS3 - Basics Training (8 min) H. Basic Formatting and Cascading Order (Videos 8 & 9) Atomic Learning: Dreamweaver CS6: Intro Training for a PC or Intro Training for a Mac (14 min) D. Page Layout Tags (Videos 2-4) [The following readings and videos will help you complete the default page] Reading HTML and CSS by Duckett Ch. 13: Boxes Ch. 15: Layout Ch. 17: HTML5 layout Adobe Dreamweaver CC by Arguin et al. Lesson 12: Maximizing site design Videos default.html page project Finding and Using CSS Templates
Module 6: Web Pages for Mobile Devices (7/14 - 7/20)
Create m-learning activity	Reading Adobe Dreamweaver CS6 Digital Classroom by Osborn et al. Lesson 15: Mobile design and layout Adobe Dreamweaver CC by Arguin et al. Lesson 16: Responsive design and layout for mobile devices Videos m-Learning project Atomic Learning: Dreamweaver CS6: Intro Training for a PC or Intro Training for a Mac (13 min) E. Designing for a Mobile Platform (6 videos) Atomic Learning: Dreamweaver Creative Cloud - What's New? Training (6 min) C. Fluid Layouts (2 videos)
Module 7: Virtual Field Trip (7/21 - 7/27)
Create virtual field trip	Reading Adobe Dreamweaver CS6 Digital Classroom by Osborn et al. Lesson 10: Adding Flash, video, and sound content Adobe Dreamweaver CC by Arguin et al. Lesson 11: Adding video, audio, and interactivity Non-Designer's Web Book by Williams Pages 142 - 152 Videos Virtual field trip project Misc. Videos (26 min) YouTube Video "How to create a 'My Map' in Google Maps" Wrap an Image in a Hyperlink  HTML 5 audio and video Atomic Learning: HTML5 & CSS3 - Basics Training (11 min) F. Adding JavaScript, Media Elements and the Canvas Tag (Videos 2-5) Atomic Learning: Dreamweaver Creative Cloud - What's New? Training (9 min) E. Working with HTML 5 (3 videos)
Module 8: WebQuest (7/28 - 8/3)
Create WebQuest	Reading HTML and CSS by Duckett Ch. 18: Process & Design Adobe Dreamweaver CC by Arguin et al. Lesson 7: CSS3 transitions and styles Non-Designer's Web Book by Williams Pages 263 - 289 Videos WebQuest project
Last day to submit discussion posts and final assignments is August 3rd

Refer to the Boise State Academic Calendar for University dates and deadlines (e.g., the last day to drop).

Conceptual Framework

College of Education - The Professional Educator: Boise State University strives to develop knowledgeable educators who integrate complex roles and dispositions in the service of diverse communities of learners. Believing that all children, adolescents, and adults can learn, educators dedicate themselves to supporting that learning. Using effective approaches that promote high levels of student achievement, educators create environments that prepare learners to be citizens who contribute to a complex world. Educators serve learners as reflective practitioners, scholars and artists, problem solvers, and partners.

Department of Educational Technology Mission

The Department of Educational Technology supports the study and practice of facilitating and improving learning of a diverse population by creating, using, managing, and evaluating appropriate technological processes and resources. Believing technology is a tool that enhances and expands the educational environment, we promote the use of current and emergent technologies for teaching and learning in a dynamic global society. Educational technologists are leaders and innovators, serving in institutions of higher education, public or private school settings, federal, state, or local educational agencies, and educational organizations in the private sector.

Version 1 © 2014 Patrick Lowenthal (adapted from original materials created by Drs. Chareen Snelson and Andy Hung)



Using RSS in Education

RSS in Education

Rss is an easy way for people to acquire information without wasting time researching for it.  Simply, RSS brings valuable, up-to-date information to the users, instead of the user laboriously researching for it.  RSS feeds are specific websites chosen by the reader, and contain information important to the user.  RSS also sends updates to the users account regarding changed or new content on the websites.
News Aggregator:  an application that collects websites of specific content and categorically displays them for the user.  Feedly is an example of a news aggregator that brings information together and shares it with subscribers.  
Setting up a Feedly account:  Go to the Feedly website: www.Feedly.com.  Once the account is set up, the fun begins as the user chooses which feeds they would like to subscribe to.
This screenshot shows an example of how to search for feeds.  In the box, type what you are interested in.

A drop down box will appear.  Simply choose which feeds you would like to subscribe to.

Organizing feeds is also very easy.  Once you choose the feeds you want, click on +feedly.  From here you can create a new category or check an existing category to organize. 

Here are examples of feeds I have chosen and organized.

It's that easy!

This is a fun screenshot I created using Thinglink, an application found on the educational technology feed.
Use your pointer to explore the screenshot.

Uses of Feedly

The Classroom
In the classroom, I plan on using feedly to organize class content related to my subject areas of earth science and health.  Feedly will be incredibly helpful in finding current events for my earth science or health classroom.  My students love to discuss new and exciting information. With Feedly, I can easily go to my favorite earth science or health feeds and inform my students of daily information regarding those subject areas.  An earth science feed that I subscribed to contains maps of various places.  I plan on projecting the map image onto the interactive smart board in my classroom, to use as a teaching tool.  I will also have students come to the map and label specific information that we are covering in class.  Feedly will be an invaluable tool to inspire new thinking, and gain ideas to incorporate technology into my classroom.
I also feel that my students will benefit from Feedly. They could easily categorize feeds that are important to them.  In addition, they could have a category for class.  I could send the students reminders, updates, or announcements through Feedly. 


Professional Development
Feedly will also help with professional development.  Feedly would be an excellent tool to facilitate professional learning communities among staff members.  It will also save time for me, considering I will not have to search for the latest information about a topic.  When choosing my feeds, I found numerous websites that have tech tools for teachers listed.  I will share this information with other teachers to expand their knowledge of technology tools for the classroom.  Feedly will be incredibly helpful with regard to the latest updates in education.  

Personal Use
Two categories that I have created for personal use are cooking and Christianity.  Even though I have tons of cookbooks, sometimes it is easier to look online for a recipe.  It is also really important for me to maintain a strong spiritual connection in life.  It is easy to see that feedly will be a powerful tool in and outside of the classroom.

Digital Divide/Digital Inequalities

This week has been filled with excitement and new discoveries.  I enjoyed completing the digital divide project as it exposed me to new technologies which I could incorporate into my own classroom.  One of the multimedia principles I focused on in my presentation was keeping it simple and that more is not better.  Oftentimes when I watch a presentation, it is difficult to read text on the slide while simultaneously listening to the speaker.  Using simple pictures to represent what will be said, helps those viewing your presentation to understand exactly what point(s) you are trying to make. It is also very important to remember that when you are going to use text on a slide, not to add too much.  People will quickly lose interest in your presentation if there is text overload.  


As I read and digested the information about digital divide, I realize that even though students in my district are very fortunate to have access to many technologies, there is a huge difference in skill.  The difference in skill exists not only between students, but also between teachers.  To close this gap, my district needs to unite on the technology front and all agree that technology IS extremely important to learning. I learned that even though students do have access, how the technology is used is vital to digital literacy.


With this new knowledge of technology, I would like to help my peers incorporate technologies into their classrooms more effectively.   I hope to help my peers with this point in the fall as I participate in professional development for educators. Throughout the EdTech program, course work includes an enormous amount of exposure to new technologies.  I'm hopeful that as I work through the classes, I will build that knowledge base and teach others how to apply those technologies into their classrooms. 


I wish I could have done this project during the regular school session, so that I could survey teachers, students and administrators about technology use.  I feel this would have supported my statements about skill level and justified my ideas for improvement within my district.


I hope you enjoy my presentation on Digital Divide at the Tyrone Area School District.


Digital Divide/Digital Inequalities Presentation


Google Slides Presentation

Week Two Reflection

Technology for Everyone

As I reflect back on the weeks activities, all of the discussions surrounding the definition of educational technology, and the wonderful collaborations between peers I have been wondering about something that hasn't been discussed.  There may be that rare student or students who resists your attempts to integrate technology into your curriculum.  My question is: Is technology for everyone?  We live in a ever changing, globally digital, technology rich world, with digital literacy standards to uphold.  I would love to see everyone have access to technology, but are there examples of people who really just do not want anything to do with it?




I experienced this in my classroom last year on a couple of occasions.  First, from parents and then from two students.  The majority of the students attending the district in which I work come from hard working families that live at or below the poverty level.  My students who are freshman, all received Google Chromebooks last year.  When talking to these particular parents, they just didn't want the added responsibility of their child having the Chromebook, and what it would cost to fix it.  In my classroom, I experienced resistance from two students, on separate occasions.  These students had similar reasons why they didn't want to use the technology.  They felt it was easier to write by hand rather than writing on their Chromebook,  they didn't like researching, and they really didn't like having to carry the Chromebook around with them all day long at school.  It is difficult to work with students who are hesitant to use the technology. 


With the last two weeks behind me, hopefully with greater exploration into the definition of educational technology ahead, I will have a solid answer to my question. 

EDTECH Welcome

My name is Teresa Myers and I am excited to be part of the educational technology program at Boise State.  I am a high school Health and Earth Science teacher of 8^th and 9^th grade for the last 13 years, in a small rural community of Tyrone, PA.  I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from Penn State University, along with teacher certification in Health and Earth Sciences. My husband of 17 years and my two lovely daughters, ages 6 and 12, are the light of my life.

The purpose of my learning log is to showcase what is completed in courses throughout the MET program.  It will also serve as a communication tool between myself, professors, and classmates where we will help each other improve. Finally, it will help me to see what has been accomplished, and what still needs to be accomplished to reach my goal.

Elements of Educational Technology

Elements of Educational Technology 

Elements of Educational Technology Paper

As I reflect back on the last couple of weeks of my first two courses through the MET program, I am amazed at how much I have learned already.  I set up a Google+ profile to collaborate with peers so that we can share ideas, help each other with assignments, and as a way to learn about important announcements from Professor Saba.  Using hangouts was great because we could literally communicate with our peers at an instant if we had a questions that needed immediate answers.  I also set up my very own Blog and began using it as a digital notebook of assignments completed in the EdTech program.  Being able to post videos on the Blogger App was very easy to do and is a powerful communication tool as well. 

Educational Technology is not cut-and-dry.  The thirteen elements of educational technology need to be taken into account when determining the success of students.  It was difficult to choose three that were most important.  Professor Saba's diagram even showed elements overlapping, as if one could not exist without the other.  The thirteen elements are equally important and mutually dependent. In my classroom, I'm sure I will be looking at my classroom in such a different light after reading about the elements of educational technology.  I have already began thinking about one of the most important aspects of educational technology to me which is "study".  It is very important for me to know that the technology  I am using is actually helping my students.  I hope to develop assessments to measure this with my students in the fall. 

Apprehension for starting my first two online courses is beginning to subside.  Balancing my coursework with my family life, learning how to be a student again, and making time relax has been difficult. After completing several assignments in both of my courses, I'm beginning to feel as if I can do this.   I realize that the road is still a long one, and I have a tremendous amount to accomplish.  I know that I will have the support peers and professors along the way to help when I'm struggling.