Context & Conditions:

There were a number of products completed in the fall of 2005 in partial fulfillment of a course entitled: MIT 512: Computers in Education. I have decided to profile only two here. An ADA compliant computer lab was designed to ensure accessibility for all students and a web quest which included both a lesson and unit plan, was also designed and developed. Both projects were developed under the guidance of Dr. Sue-Jen Chen. The web quest was designed to fit into the into the North Carolina fifth grade social studies curriculum. It covered American train history, the impact of trains in America, and the current status of trains. 

Scope:

For this WebQuest students were assigned the authentic role of a travel agent and are required to research various aspects of train history, compile the information, design a presentation, and plan a cross-country journey by train. Students were required to use the internet and Microsoft Power Point. A unit plan was initially developed and then appropriate railroad resource web sites were found. The unit plan was then used as a guide to the design and development of the web site and lesson plan portions of the WebQuest. 

For the ADA compliant computer lab ADA regulations were followed as well as standards required by the “No Child Left Behind” legislation. Recommendations for required classroom modifications, as well as furniture, hardware, and software purchases were made. 

Role:

I completed the WebQuest project by myself undertaking various roles. I worked primarily as curriculum designer in designing the unit and lesson plans and web developer in developing the actual WebQuest. 

The ADA Compliant computer lab was completed as as a group effort. At various points in the process we all worked as designers and researchers.

Reflection:

The Railroad WebQuest has been included in this e-portfolio because it reflects my ability to quickly adapt to and apply new skills. Coming from a non-education related background this project proved challenging. I am proud of this project because of my quick adjustment and the final draft's quality. I also see how the proper structure (objectives, content, assessment) can be applied to the K-12 setting. If I was to create this WebQuest again I would include a little more group interaction and inquiry-based learning.