The web is a huge concept to embrace. Even the limited area of the web that we will look at this class, the web for education, is large. The main focus of the class will be on integrating the web into the classroom. Thus, a major emphasis is on actually making linked web pages, and discussing how to design linked pages. The other major focus is on discussing the pedagogical value of both the web sites we make and put on the web and that others have already made and put on the web.

Across the nation there is a strong drive to integrate technology into the classroom. The premise behind the drive to integrate technology is that technology can be a tool to improve both the teaching experience and the learning experience. However, teachers play a vital role in deciding how technology is actually used. They decide how technology is used. They also decide the kinds of technology that are used. This role is very important and is worth examining and discussing. How teachers can use the web for instructional purposes is the main point in the foreground of the whole class. The readings we have selected have been chosen to bring different aspects of the technology-and-teaching-and-learning debate up for discussion in the class.

The readings for class three present different slices of how the literature sees the web. This, in a limited way, is the Grand Tour of the web. These five readings and web sites cover topics ranging from the technical details to the social limitations. The readings are there to provide not just an introduction to the web, but also an introduction to each other. Because we will be designing together, it is important to share our understandings, and expectations of the web can offer.

The readings for class five look at evaluating web sites. We begin with the classroom; what is good teaching, before looking at questions of 1) how to design the integration of technology and 2) how do we know when the design is pedagogically sound. Using what you take from the readings, we will evaluate two websites, one provided and one you choose.

The reading for class seven continues on from the second, but moves from evaluating others to evaluating ourselves. We examine one common classroom web technique; web-quests. This leads to the main project of the semester; building your own web-quest.

There are no readings for class nine.

The reading for class eleven, again, continues on the theme but looks more broadly at hypermedia and multimedia.

The reading for class thirteen moves into a new area: interactivity. The class only touches on this area. However, as the technology advances, interactivity will probably become increasingly more common. It is therefore, an important area for us to examine.

There are no readings for class fifteen.

Class 1 - Introductions

No readings

In Class Activities:

• introductions
• teaching philosophy
• what you know about the web
• what you think of the web as a teaching & learning tool
• very basic html
• intro to Dreamweaver

Class 3 - What is the Web?

These readings provide an overview of the web; its origins and its problems. The web is far too large to capture in one article. The readings provide one snapshot:

1. A simple 10-min. overview - The Web At A Glance
2. An early (1994) article where the writer describes what is was like to be one of the very first people to experience the Web. The (Second Phase of the) Revolution Has Begun
3. The issue of race and web access in America. Bridging the Digital Divide
4. What is the web? Searching the Web: New Domains for Inquiry
5. What is "authentic information" on the web? Evaluating Internet-based Information

Assignment: Use the readings to write and then post linked web-pages on the topic of What is the Web? Post a summary of your pages to our UB-Learns discussion board with a link to your pages.

In Class Activities:

• discuss readings
• web/dreamweaver issues
• how you see the web#2 - any changes in thinking
• choose a curriculum topic area to develop using web

Class 5 - What is the educational value of the Web?

These readings discuss constructivism as a learning theory and how this theory applies to websites.

1. Constructivism in Theory and Practice
2. Web-Based Learning Environments
3. From Instructivist to Constructivist Design

Assignment: Adapt and use the criteria in article #2 to write two reviews of educational websites. Each review should be linked web-pages. Post a summary of your reviews to our UB-Learns discussion board with links to your pages.The sites are:

• on-line marketing to kids
• one educational website of your choice

In Class Activities:

• discuss readings
• group criteria for good learning site
• discuss lessons plans
• review your curriculum topic site

Class 7 - What is a Web-Quest and what makes it educationally valuable

This reading provides an explanation of what a Web-Quest consists of and how it can be designed to help children learn. There are many other sites on the web related to web quests. Do some research yourself. When you find a good resource, please post why you like it and the url to our UB-Learns discussion board.

1. Why Web-Quests? An Introduction

Assignment: Adapt and use the criteria in the Web-Based Learning Environments article to write three reviews of web-quests (one supplied below; one you find on the web; and one that you will make). Each review should be linked web-pages. Post a summary of your reviews to our UB-Learns discussion board with links to your pages. The web-quests are:

• Immigrants
• One web-quest of your choice
• An initial design of your web-quest

In Class Activities:

• discuss web-quests
• web-quest for your curriculum topic site

Class 9 - Making your Web-Quest

No readings

Assignment: Continue developing web-quest.

In Class Activities:

• work & discuss your curriculum topic site

Class 11 - What do you think of the web & learning?

This reading goes back over many of the points discussed so far. In a sense, it is a review, but presented from the perspective of a history teacher.

1. Technology, authentic performance and history education

Assignment: Continue developing web-quest.

In Class Activities:

• What do you think about learning & the web
• How to use multimedia
• How are you going to integrate media into your quest.

Class 13 - What does interactive mean as as an educational term?

This reading deals with the future but is talking about the past - educational CD-ROMs. However, all the points raised can inform us about how to think about the future of the web as a teaching tool.

Assignment: Deconstruct these websites. Make note of what is involved in making the site interactive - what is the pedagogical value; what place does this interactivity have in the classroom?

• writing strategies
• reading diagnosis (use the name "guest")
• Learning Geometry

In Class Activities:

• What is interactivity?
• design an interactive component for your site