Multimedia Design Project Assessment (MDPA) Report Template

Product URL: http://revolutionarywarwebactivity.weebly.com/

AnalysisDiverse Learner Characteristics

For this WebQuest, I designed the activity to be used for my resource 11th grade U.S. History class. The object of this WebQuest is to provide students with an understanding of the events leading up to the Revolutionary War. Ideally, students would present their projects as an introduction to the unit. This research project is based on pre-teaching and having students research the concepts themselves to help them gain familiarity with the content.

Since it is summer, I based the activity on the students I had in my classroom last year. I will have students with similar needs in my classroom in the fall. These students are not in the general education setting because of learning difficulties, yet their curriculum follows the same Georgia Performance Standards as their peers. None of the students are reading on grade level, with the majority reading at about a 3rd grade level. As a result, accommodations are needed to help them access the material. None of my students are classified as English Language Learners.

My students have been using 1:1 devices in all of their classes for the last two years, so they have an understanding of how to use the device. In addition, the students should have the technical skills to navigate the internet and access information. All resource special education students use the Speakit accommodation installed on their computer through Google Chrome to help them access information on internet websites. In addition, these students have completed small-group activities in the past since their classes are much smaller than regular education classes (no more than ten students).

Class Characteristics

The class is in small-group setting, with no more than ten students. Each student has a disability that prevents he or she from working in the regular education classroom. Most of my students are considered learning disabled or autistic. The class is for 90 minutes, and we meet every other day. Since it is a much smaller setting, I have the opportunity to work more with my students and have more flexibility in lesson planning to adjust as needed. In order to complete the research and the product, I will plan for four to five class periods (students will work the duration of the block). The presentations will also be included in the five class periods with time permitting.

Technical Considerations

Each student is equipped with his or her own school-issued device. Each student also has the Speakit extension added to Google Chrome. This text-to-speech program is designed to help students access and comprehend information on websites. Last year, there were no students who needed writing accommodations for assignments. However, I am prepared with a program to help students with this if the accommodation is needed.

Teacher Characteristics

I am proficient in technology usage and feel comfortable assisting students throughout the various points of the task. If another teacher were to implement this program, he or she would need a basic understanding of web navigation and an understanding of digital tools such as PowerPoint and Prezi.

Standards Addressed

This project was designed to meet the following Georgia Performance Standard for U.S. History:

SSUSH3 The student will explain the primary causes of the American Revolution. a. Explain how the end of Anglo-French imperial competition as seen in the French and Indian War and the 1763 Treaty of Paris laid the groundwork for the American Revolution.b. Explain colonial response to such British actions as the Proclamation of 1763, the Stamp Act, and the Intolerable Acts as seen in Sons and Daughters of Liberty and Committees of Correspondence.c. Explain the importance of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense to the movement for independence.

The project is designed to be an introduction to these standards; the teaching unit will cover the other aspects of the standards at a later time.

In addition, the project also meets the following ISTE-S standards:Knowledge Constructor (3)- Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.

This project enables students to use a variety of digital resources to construct a project to show their knowledge of the content.

Task Analysis

The purpose of this assignment was to allow students to research and understand some of the key events that led up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. The project addresses the following essential questions:

Were the colonists justified in resisting British policies after the French and Indian War?

How did the major events (Boston Tea Party, Boston Massacre, etc.) led up to the start of the Revolutionary War?

How did the legislation enacted by Parliament during this time (Stamp Act, Quartering Act, etc.) led to colonial dissent and the beginning of the revolution?

In addition, this project is also formatted to help students practice collaborative skills because they are working in partners. The activity will also help them practice research skills as they gain a better understanding of the events in the time period. The project also will be presented to the class, so this will allow students to practice communication skills.

DesignOverview

For the WebQuest, I chose the events leading up to the American Revolution. The concept of the American Revolution is a concept that my students have heard throughout their educational career. As a result, they should have a basic understanding of the purpose and who was involved. However, I added an introduction video at the beginning in case students were unsure of who participated in the American Revolution, its purpose, and when it took place. The events leading up to the American Revolution are included in the Georgia Performance Standards, so the basis of my WebQuest was the exploration of these events.

When creating the WebQuest, I used vocabulary and tone to engage the students, yet also maintained it on an easier reading level. In addition, I ensured the sites I chose for the project were appropriate yet accessible for high-school students with reading disabilities. The sites were also checked for historical accuracy and appropriateness. The sites used can be viewed under references. I also included a tutorial on Prezi to ensure students had a review on how to use the program if they elected to use the tool to present their information. Since the students completing the project are special education students, I also ensured they had a graphic organizer to help them clearly understand the concepts. There was also a self-created video to ensure students understood how to complete the graphic organizer based on their research. I also included a rubric with audio accommodations to ensure students understand; Speakit does not always work on word documents.

References:

A Summary of the 1765 Stamp Act (2017). Retrieved from http://www.history.org/History/teaching/tchcrsta.cfm

Boston Massacre Historical Society (2008). Retrieved from http://www.bostonmassacre.net/

Boston Tea Party Historical Society (2008). Retrieved from http://www.boston-tea-party.org/

Currency Act (2017). Retrieved from http://www.revolutionary-war-and-beyond.com/currency-act.html

Editors of the Britannica Encyclopedia (2017). The Intolerable Acts. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/event/Intolerable-Acts

First Continental Congress (2017). Retrieved from http://www.ushistory.org/us/10d.asp

French and Indian War (2017). Retrieved from https://history.state.gov/milestones/1750-1775/french-indian-war

Quartering Act-1765 (2017). Retrieved from http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h641.html

Prezi Classic Tutorial: Get Started in Two Minutes (2016). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zFep1jL92g

Revolutionary War in Four Minutes: Wars for Independence (2016). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmkK9Gx7fqw

Sugar Act (2017). Retrieved from http://www.stamp-act-history.com/sugar-act/1764-april-5-sugar-act/

The Tea Act (2017). Retrieved from https://worldhistoryproject.org/1773/5/10/the-tea-act

The Townshed Acts (2017). Retrieved from http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h643.html

Thomas Paine Publishes Common Sense (2017). Retrieved from http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/thomas-paine-publishes-common-sense

Details

This project allowed for students to access the material in ways other than reading, such as audio and visual assistance. This aligns with the UD principle of perceptible information, which presents the information in different forms. For example, the graphic organizer also included a video with picture and audio to ensure students comprehended the task. The product also aligned with the principle of simple and intuitive use for UD. Since my students struggle with reading and writing, my main goal was to have students be able to grasp the

concepts and communicate their knowledge. The PowerPoint and Prezi have a verbal component as well, so students can orally share what they have learned in addition to the project itself. The project allows for students to be successful even if they do not have grade-level literacy skills.

This project was designed to be a small-group project in which students worked in pairs. I also used multimedia elements to help guide student learning and foster independence in the learning process. For example, I provided a video to show students how to use the graphic organizer and provide an example of how to successfully complete it. In addition, I also added an auditory component on the rubric page because Speakit does not always comprehend work documents. There were also review videos on the Revolutionary War and Prezi usage to help students complete the final project.

In addition to the built-in technology, students will also have access to adaptive technology. For students with visual difficulties or reading disabilities, Speakit will be available to help students comprehend the information presented on the web pages. All the websites also have images and visual components to help aid comprehension. If a student had a physical disability or dysgraphia, the project could be completed with available speech-to-text technology.

DevelopmentThe development of this project went in stages. As the ITEC 7445 class progressed, I learned skills necessary to help me successfully develop the project. I used embed codes for the video I created and the supplemental videos added for student support. Although I knew how to embed videos, I had never embedded an audio clip before. As a result, I had to register with Podbean to upload my Audacity reading and put it in HTML format to embed on my website.

I also became more adept at Weebly as I could design visually-pleasing pages that were also easy to navigate. After the completion of my Weebly, I double-checked all the links and ensured all my material was accessible and embedded correctly. I have used Weebly for past assignments, so I was comfortable with the format. I was easily able to upload my graphic organizer and graphics on the pages.

After I had the project requirements and website created, I also uploaded a rubric to ensure students understood the requirements. I chose to keep the rubric basic and focus upon the key elements found in the research from the graphic organizer. I also ensured there was a spot for professionalism to reward students who were conscientious about the visual appearance of their project.

ImplementationI plan to implement this project in the fall to introduce the American Revolution unit. My students have access to computers throughout the day since all students are 1:1 with devices. In addition, Wi-Fi is provided throughout the school. There would also be no need to rearrange my schedule as all of my students come to my room every other day for U.S. History. Since this lesson is an introduction to the American Revolution, I will minimally cover the America Revolution (key countries, reason for fighting, etc.). This WebQuest will serve as a base for our unit, and I will cover any areas that need more concentration or re-teaching in class.

This WebQuest will follow a normal class schedule, which is 90 minutes every other day. This project should take four or five class periods to complete. For each session, I also plan to have time at the end of class for discussion of events and questions. Throughout the project, I plan to be the facilitator as students explore the information on their own. The project could take longer if students do not have the projected technical skills for their grade-level, so I have added the fifth “cushion day” as a result.

On the teacher page, I have explained the setting of my classroom and the accommodations I have provided to students, such as Speakit. I also noted that students have to option for an electronic graphic organizer or a paper one if needed.

EvaluationStudent Learning

To assess student learning, I will evaluate the projects that students created with the rubric. The most important aspect of the project is historical accuracy; I want to ensure students have accurate information in their presentations. The students will also need to include the necessary components from the graphic organizer. I will also look at their graphic organizers to see if they were able to extract the necessary information from the websites provided. I also plan to assess informally throughout the lesson and note group participation and effort. In addition, I potentially would have students conference with me individually to discuss their thoughts on the project.

Product Design –

To determine the effectiveness of the project, I will closely observe students and take notes. In addition, I will also have discussions with students about the usability of the assignment. I plan to have students orally discuss the reflection component with me due to their writing difficulties.

Since it was summer, I was not able to implement the program to the entire class. However, I was able to conduct a usability test with a high-school student who is familiar with how to use the accommodation Speakit. I spoke with him about the ease of navigation and which areas needed improvement. He also suggested I change one of the websites I used in the WebQuest due to it being difficult to understand. I implemented the change on my final project.

Here is a photo of the student using the website:

ReflectionProject Development

The development of the project focused on a strong introduction to an important unit for students. The process was more time consuming than I originally planned for. In the future, I would like to have a plan for the entire WebQuest designed prior to beginning website construction. Planning is an essential component of a successful WebQuest, and a detailed outline would help ensure the WebQuest included all the elements needed. In the future, I would still use the Weebly platform because of its ease of design features.

Instructional Design

This project allowed for me to take concepts I have learned throughout my courses and apply them to task for students. I enjoyed using the Weebly site because of its ease and plan to create more Weebly sites in the future for student

use. Throughout my ITEC course, I have learned various skills and elements of project-based learning, which I incorporated into this task. By having students use web tools to design their projects, they can also learn important technology skills as they learn the content. In addition, I enjoyed learning about Audacity and plan to use it in future assignments as an accommodation for my students.

Personal Growth

Throughout this process, my patience was often tested. One aspect of successful web design is an attention to detail, which requires precision. I would often get frustrated if things do not align properly. In addition, I had never created a WebQuest before, so it took time to gather the resources and find websites that were both challenging yet developmentally appropriate. Although I was not 100% satisfied with the aesthetics of my first WebQuest, I am more confident in my abilities to create one and implement it with students in the future.

For Others

When designing a WebQuest, I would suggest to teachers to have a clear idea of what they want the finished project to look like. This will help determine which resources students should use. In addition, teachers need to have plenty of time for design. If someone has never created a WebQuest before, it would not be wise to only plan for a weekend to design it. Teachers also can ask other teachers or even students for feedback on tools and sites to use; collaboration is often key to expanding and improving a project.