ASU logo
EDT 545:
Internet and Communications Technology

Description
Objectives
Text
Format
Policies
Assignments
Schedule
Evaluation

Course Description

Professor: Dr. Alice A. Christie
Office: FAB S247
Office Phone: 602-543-6338
Classroom Phone: 602-543-8287

Scheduled Line Number:  59078

Mondays - Fridays, June 5 - 16, 2006 1:30 - 5:00 PM
and
Saturday, June 10 9 AM - 4 PM

Time Frame: Summer Session 1, 2005
Credit Hours: 3 Credit Hours
Office Hours: Before Class or by Appointment

EDT 545 is a hands-on exploration of the Internet, Web site creation, electronic mail and conferencing, and other areas of electronic communications of interest to educators. It is geared to meet the needs of K-12 educators and emphasizes collaboration between participants. Theoretically, this seminar is structured to view technology as a useful tool for integrating curriculum and for helping educators re-vision curriculum. Social, philosophical and theoretical issues surrounding the use of technology in education are the central focus of class readings and discussions. Previous experience with computers is required.

Course Objectives


An important goal of this course is for students to be empowered by technology and telecommunications tools. Students should gain a solid understanding of telecommunications and the motivation to use technology for personal and professional purposes. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

  1. demonstrate good information management habits such as consistently backing up files, labeling disks, maintaining a back-up disk, and using server space for storing and moving files;

  2. approach telecommunications tasks with greater confidence and use key telecommunications terms and concepts with confidence;

  3. analyze some ethical and social issues related to the increased use of telecommunications in education, business and society;

  4. develop an Internet and telecommunications Acceptable Use Policy for an elementary, middle or secondary school;

  5. demonstrate an understanding of and an ability to use electronic mail (email) to communicate with others;

  6. upload and download files electronically;

  7. demonstrate an understanding of and an ability to use a variety of browser tools and processes: navigation, search engines, bookmarks, image saving, etc.;

  8. demonstrate an understanding of and an ability to use both HTML and a web page editor for the development of an educational Web Site for the Internet;

  9. develop (through the integration of the class readings, class discussions, personal use of the Internet, and personal philosophy of education) a theoretically informed argument for using the Internet for enhancing and/or re-visioning curriculum;

  10. develop a WebQuest which incorporates Internet use by both teachers and students;

  11. develop a Web Site to be posted on the Internet for use by fellow teachers and students;

  12. use assessment rubrics provided by the instructor to self-evaluate class assignments;

  13. learn to deal with personal frustration inherent in using technology.

Required Texts and Materials

Course Format

Students will participate in an action-oriented classroom which will feature illustrated lecture, discussion, demonstration, hands-on activities and presentations, and project presentations. The emphasis will be on doing rather than talking about computers and telecommunications.

Additional lab time beyond the scheduled course hours will be necessary to fulfill the course requirements. University policy specifies that students should expect to complete two hours of work OUTSIDE CLASS for every hour of work IN CLASS. You may use the computers in Fletcher Library and Technopolis any time the Library is open. Hours for Fletcher Library and Technopolis for Summer 2005 are:

Monday - Thursday

8 AM - 7 PM

Friday and Saturday

8 AM - 5 PM

Sunday

11 AM - 7 PM

Closed: July 4

Our classroom lab, CLCC 216, is open before and after class at the following times between June 5 and July 1:

Monday - Friday

10:00 AM - 1:30 PM and 5:00 PM - 8 PM

Saturday

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM (unless EDT 546 is in session)

Sunday

Closed

The classroom lab will also be open July 5, 6 and 7 between 10 AM and 3 PM.

Graduate students who are knowledgeable and willing to help are available at all times before, during, and after class at all times the lab is open. Software and hardware needed to complete assignments are also available whenever CLCC 216 is open.

Your assignments provide you with what I consider to be a minimum amount of hands-on time. The more you use and experiment with computers and software, the richer your learning experience will be.

Course Policies
  • All assignments should be word processed or completed in Nvu™ and consistent with upper division university writing; that is, university level grammar, correct spelling, and logical, clear organization.

  • Class sessions will begin on time. Please make every effort to be prompt.

  • Attendance is mandatory. Please call the instructor before class should an emergency arise.

  • Cheating: Cooperative or collaborative learning is encouraged! However, understand the fine line between collaboration and cheating. Turning in the work of another person is considered cheating and offenders are subject to university disciplinary action.

  • Group assignments require collaboration and cooperation with other students.

  • Be considerate of your classmates: turn OFF cellular phones and pagers to vibrate during class so ringing phones will not interrupt class.

Course Assignments

Email | Course Readings | Educational Autobiography | Web Site | AUP | WebQuest/KidQuest
Digital Camera Project | Top Twenty-Five Internet Sites | Why Technology Essay | Reflections

  1. Electronic Mail

    You will use electronic mail to communication with me and your classmates. The minimum requirement is to respond to the following as specified by your instructor:
    • Any questions you have;
    • Any personal information regarding attendance;
    • Any comments about class or your progress in class.

  2. Course Readings

    The online and text-based Course Readings were selected to challenge and broaden your thinking about the use of technology and telecommunications in educational settings. Each article should be read BEFORE class as listed in the class schedule. Optional Readings are provided to broaden your understanding in areas of interest to you.

    There is a required reading for each day to which you will     respond. In your reading responses, you will briefly summarize key points on the daily topic and discuss the most important concepts you gleaned from your daily reading. Email your reading responses to you Reading Mentor who will respond to you each day. 

    In addition, you and two other class members will form a Collaborative Reading Team. Each member of the team will read one or two articles BEFORE CLASS from the daily reading assignments, and then share key points from the reading with other Reading Team members.You will then verbally share this information with the other members of your Collaborative Reading Team, and engage in a discussion about the daily reading topic.

    Click     READINGS to go to daily readings.


  3. Educational Autobiography

    You will write a short description of your development as an educator. You may include stories of how you chose education, how you teach and organize your classroom, why you're interested in incorporating technology into your classroom, etc. This piece will become part of your Web Site.

    Please limit personal information to a minimum for security purposes. In this electronic era, there is evidence that personal identities are stolen regularly. Therefore, it is important to carefully consider the kinds of information you are willing to place on the Internet.

    View the following examples (written by former students in EDT 545) for ideas on types of information to include in your educational autobiography:
    Example 1 | Example 2 | Example 3 | Example 4 | Example 5 | Example 6



  4. Web Site Development

    You will develop your own Web Site and post it on the Internet. Using a Web page editor (Nvu™) you will develop a Web Site. You will evaluate your Web Site using a Rubric. Your Web Site must include:
    • your educational autobiography (Assignment # 4)
    • your theoretically informed argument for using the Internet for enhancing and/or re-visioning curriculum (Why Use Technology Essay - Assignment # 10)
    • your Acceptable Use Policy (Assignment # 6)
    • your WebQuest (Assignment # 7)
    • your Digital Camera Project (Assignment # 8)
    • your Online Internet Project (Assignment # 9)

    and may include:

    • your picture
    • a picture and/or description of your school
    • your philosophy of education
    • your hobbies
    • requests for collaboration with other schools or teachers
    • students' work
    • other appropriate items (using your Appropriate Use Policy as a guide)

    Sample Web Sites of previous students can be viewed at

    Publishing your pages requires that you create an FTP account on the College of Education server where your pages will reside. Establish your account here. Instructions for using your account as well as other important information can be found using these links to FTP Instructions and Publishing Tips, Issues, & Warnings. You will have access to the software you need within the classroom but you may want to use some of the same software or similar software which is compatible with your home computer.



  5. Acceptable Use Policy for Internet Usage and Web Site Content for Schools

    Many educators and parents are concerned that the Internet is NOT a safe place for children. Accordingly, schools must clearly define and communicate to students and parents what they consider to be acceptable use of the Internet and acceptable content of teacher or student Web Sites. In groups of three or four students, you will develop an Acceptable Use Policy for Internet usage and school-sponsored Web Sites based on a quadrant developed by Dr. Christie. Find the AUP for your school or district and bring it to class.

    Dr. Alice Christie's AUP Resources and Examples
    Dr. Alice Christie's AUP Quad
    Jamie Mackenzie's AUP Suggestions

    Responsible Netizen - Effective strategies to assist young people in acquiring knowledge, decision-making skills, motivation, and self-control to behave in a safe, responsible, and legal manner when using the Internet and other information technologies. Browse through this site.

    Creating K-12 Acceptable Use Policies - Guidelines for creating AUPs.


  6. WebQuest/KidQuest Creation

    The theoretical stance of this class is that technology can help educators move away from a "sage-on-the-stage" view of education in which the expert teacher dispenses prescribed knowledge to a group of empty-headed and passive students to a "midwife" view of education in which students are considered active and knowledgeable participants and teachers are thought of as midwives who facilitate the birth of new and open-ended ideas among all members of the learning community. Given this theoretical stance, you will develop a WebQuest or KidQuest which should:
    • include a theoretically informed argument for using the Internet for enhancing and/or re-visioning curriculum (Why Use Technology Essay - Assignment # 10);
    • be appropriate for your grade level;
    • explore a fairly broad theme;
    • cut across curricular boundaries as much as possible;
    • incorporate the use of technology as much as possible.

    Numerous examples (possible models) of WebQuest are available at the following sites:

  7. Digital Camera Project

    You will use one of the digital cameras to take numerous pictures on a topic of your choice. If possible, it should in some way support your WebQuest. You will incorporate your digital pictures into your Web Site

    Good articles on digital camera use in education:
  8. Top Twenty-Five Educational Internet Sites

    During this class, you will have ample time to explore the Internet. So that this experience has some meaningful direction, you will develop one section of your Web Site which lists and describes sites of personal or professional interest or resources for your classroom, your students, your students' parents, and/or fellow teachers in your school. Please use a format similar to this:
    • Name of the site
    • URL (address) of the site
    • Intended audience
    • Description of the site

    You should expect to list a minimum of 25 sites for this assignment, and you may include more if you wish. Categorize your sites as needed (e.g.: Students, parents, Teachers). Consider this a never-ending project and continue building on this assignment after our class has finished.



  9. Why Use Technology Essay

    You will write a three - five page essay on why it is important to use the Internet and technology in K-12 classrooms. Your essay should be a theoretically informed argument. Using information from the class readings and class discussions will strengthen your argument.


  10. Reflections

    After you complete all assignments write a three - four page reflective piece that discusses your growth in EACH of the following areas:
    • Use of the Internet as an educational tool
    • Use of email and electronic conferencing as communicative tools
    • Using scanners and digital cameras
    • Web Site development
    • AUP development
    • WebQuest Development
 

Course Schedule

Schedule for EDT 545:
Internet and Communications Technology - Summer 2006

DATE

IN CLASS ACTIVITIES

ASSIGNMENTS

June 5
Day 1

Introductions
Review of Syllabus
Electronic Mail/Reading Mentors
Forming Collaborative Reading Groups
Review of the EDT 545 Web Site
Introduction to the Internet/Firefox
 Bookmarks/Bookmark Organization
Review Educational Autobiography
Taking Digital Photos of Students

Purchase Flash Drives or CDs

June 6
Day 2

History of the Internet
Technology Integration
Begin Top Twenty-Five Sites
 Introduction to Nvu™
Creating of PLAY Site
Bring Educational Autobiography into Nvu™
Establish Accounts: COE Server

Educational Autobiography
Day 2 Readings

June 7
Day 3

Search Engines
Internet Exploration
Nvu™ Instruction and Practice
 Introduction to HTML
File Structure Simulation
Rubric for Web Sites
WebQuests/KidQuests: Introduction/Discussion

Day 3 Readings

June 8
Day 4

Review of File Structure
Continue Discussion of WebQuests/KidQuests
 Nvu™ Instruction and Practice
Continue Top Twenty-Five Sites
Rubric for WebQuests
Begin Web Site and WebQuest/KidQuest
Copyright, Fair Use, & Intellectual Property
Using Digital Cameras
Web Site Design
Web Site Navigation

Day 4 Readings

June 9
Day 5

Review of File Structure
 Nvu™ Instruction and Practice
Continue Web Site and WebQuest/KidQuest
Continue Top Twenty-Five Sites
AUP Introduction and Group Work
Technology Transforms Education
 Using Scanners

Day 5 Readings

June 10 AM
Day 6

Safe Internet Use
Saving Images from Internet
Saving Sounds from Internet
Resizing Images for Web Sites
Continue Web Site and WebQuest


Day 6 Readings

June 10 PM
Day 7

Finish Top Twenty-Five Sites
Information Literacy: K-12
Acceptable Use Polity Group Work
Continue Web Site and WebQuest
School Web Sites
Global Learning Communities
Uploading/Downloading Files

Top Twenty-Five Educational Internet Sites
Day 7 Readings

June 12
Day 8

Digital Equity and the Digital Divide
 Continue Web Site and WebQuest
 Resizing Images for Web Sites
Review of File Structure
Discussion of Internet Providers

Day 8 Readings

June 13
Day 9

Collaborating/Building Global Communities
"CARS"
 Continue Web Site and WebQuest/KidQuest

Acceptable Use Policy Due
Day 9 Readings

June 14
Day 10

Evaluating School Web Sites
Continue Web Site and WebQuest/KidQuest
AZ K-12 Technology Standards
NETS for Students
NETS Standards for Teachers

Day 10 Readings
Why Use Technology Essay Due

June 15
Day 11

Evaluating Impact: Technology in Education
Networking Issues
Connectivity Issues
Finish Web Site and WebQuest/KidQuest
Post Web Sites to COE Server

Day 11 Readings
Web Site Due
WebQuest/
KidQuest Due

June 16
Day 12

Sharing Web Sites
Sharing WebQuests/KidQuests
Conclusions and Evaluations
Celebration

Day 12 Readings
Any Optional Reading
Reflections Due

Notes

Bolded Items represent written assignments due that day.
Read and respond to Readings BEFORE class each day.
 

Evaluation

 

EDT 545 is a graduate course which includes both theoretical and practical experiences. All written work, oral work, and class participation will be evaluated. Feedback will be provided regularly.

You will be evaluated on all aspects of your Web Site (your electronic portfolio), your email and electronic conference participation, and your reflections. In addition, participation is considered to be one of the most important aspects of your evaluation. Since this class is highly participatory, attendance and a high level of participation are mandatory.

Rubric for evaluation of your Web Site design, organization, navigation, etc. 

Rubric for evaluation of educational content your Web Site.

WebQuest Rubric to be used for the evaluation of your WebQuest. Printable WQ Rubric


Each of the class components will be assigned weights as follows:

Electronic Mail/Reading Responses

10%

Web Site Design & Navigation

10%

Acceptable Use Policy

10%

WebQuest/KidQuest

25%

Digital Camera Project

10%

Top Twenty-Five Sites

15%

Why Use Technology Essay

7%

Reflections

7%

Participation

6%


A

90-100%

B

80-89%

C

70-79%

D

60-69%

E

0-59%

 

Back to the EDT 545 Main Page

Back to Dr. Christie's Home

 Updated June 5, 2006