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For this project you will identify
a TrackStar track that has potential for use in your future teaching setting.
After you
(1) Identify a track that has
potential but needs improvement, you will
(2) Critique and Evaluate the site using the evaluation form provided
by the instructor,
(3) Write a plan for improving the site, including a rationale for why
the track is worth revising, and
(4) Implement your plan by revising and redeveloping the track.
This project will demonstrate how you can evaluate existing uses of technology and use technology to solve an instructional problem in a specific instructional situation. The project should demonstrate how you have incorporated ideas, concepts, and skills from the course into your use of technology in instruction.
Your critique and revision, and the revised track itself should include sound instructional design practices, including outcome goal(s), well-written objectives, procedures, materials needed, and a means of evaluation/assessment. You also will be responsible for developing authentic activities to accompany the websites used to support your instructional goals. DO NOT simply rely on the activities within the websites chosen; nor on the instructional structure or components included in the original version of the track. Failure to include meaningful, authentic activities and a means of evaluation will result in loss of points.
You will be required to create some pages of your own to go along with this unit -- this should be done using TrackStar's Web Wizard. Your revised track will include a Student Page and a Teacher Page. You may also want to create additional pages for worksheets, puzzles, diagrams, coloring sheets, cut-outs, or other activities that you may design to go along with the instruction. Be aware that TrackStar also provides a QuizStar resource for making online quizzes. This may be useful for your evaluation and assessment.
This assignment will be posted on the web as track.html, which will include a link to the original track, a link to your revision plan (track_rev.html), and a link to your new, revised TrackStar unit.Your completed lesson or "Track" will include links to around five to seven different web sites/pages and annotations (directions, questions) for each web site/pages describing what students should do at each web site.
Via TrackStar, teachers can select the web sites they wish students to visit, as well as provide the order in which students should visit them. This helps keep students from getting lost or aimlessly cruising the internet.
Your completed project is posted to and maintained on a server located at the University of Kansas. This Track will be available to you at any time in the near future. Trackstar has hundreds of other lessons teachers have created.
Additional materials needed should be identified at the beginning of the track or provided within the track.
The initial or final "For the Teacher" description may be written for the teacher, but the site orientations within the track should speak directly to the learners.
The track description should indicate the topic and general purpose of the track, as well as the intended audience.
Interdisciplinary is generally a good thing! Think about how your track can be used to support a holistic theme using methods beyond the major subject area. If the lesson is on a science topic, can you use reading / writing, artistic expression, development of tables or charts, etc. to support the learning experience? What activities can you build in that are done away from the computer?
Each orientation should (a) provide a "hook" that orients the user to the featured site, (b) clearly state what learners are to do, think about, create, etc. and(c) indicate how they are to do it. Donít just ask a question (e.g., "Do you agree with the writer?"). Be clear about how the learners are to respond (e.g., "As you read the article, think about what the writer is trying to communicate. When you are finished write a short essay explaining why you agree or disagree with the writer.").
As you develop the track, think
about what will constitute "completion" of the track from the viewpoints
of both the instructor and the student. If the student has only to
tell the teacher "I'm done," the track is probably lacking in support,
direction, and off-computer activities. A few examples of end products
are essays, notebooks, class portfolios, etc. Be creative!
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Last edited: 02.04.04 - lrw