Computer-Based Instructional Objects

When creating computer-based instructional objects, it is vital that the project is organized in an easily accessible manner. If students cannot figure out where their links to resources, assignments, tools, etc... are, they will not be able to complete their end of the assignment. Along with organization, credit must be given where it's due. If a teacher doesn't credit outside sources used, they are condoning the thing they consistently tell their students to avoid (plagiarism). Links must be checked to ensure they work and the sites still exist. When creating a StAIR project, if the link between slides doesn't exist (if PowerPoint is used), students cannot procede to the next element or finish the assignment. On WebQuests, broken links can disrupt the entire assignment.

Along with these elements, access can be difficult to obtain. In my current school, I don't have to worry too much about computer access as my room is adjacent to the computer lab. At the school where I student taught, it was very difficult to book the computer lab in time. In addition, the majority of my students didn't have computers at home and the lab was only open for 40 minutes after school. I don't foresee that problem at my school now, but this is an issue for many students.

WebQuest examples:
Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice
http://homepages.wmich.edu/~j2burke/prideindex.html

William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
http://chalk.richmond.edu/education/projects/webquests/shakespeare/

I chose these particular WebQuests because I liked the layout and information provided. They are easy to access and contain pertinent information. One strategy in the Shakespeare WebQuest is to rewrite the story in a different era. To complete this task, you must research the other era and have a handle on the material presented. If you didn't understand the task, it is difficult to put it into a different context. Students must also change the Elizabethan language into modern language, thus making them experts on both languages. I like that the Shakespeare WebQuest addressed everything with the teachers that might be using this site. The creator included objectives and what the learners need to know ahead of time. Both WebQuests give step by step instructions for group work. I like this because it teaches students are to work together in a group and helps guide them in ways to achieve their goal as a cohesive group.