This page is designed to provide information related to the course CURR 880 Introduction to Web Teaching taught by David W. Brooks. Please check this page often, as it might be updated frequently by the instructor(s) using input from members of the class.
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David Brooks teaches many of the technology courses at UNL. He works in the area of technology, and especially with high school chemistry teachers. You can learn more about him at his Web site or his biosketch.
With pride, he posts the doctoral dissertations of the recent education doctoral students he has mentored.
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For teachers, creating Web courses has changed quite a bit. Software packages such as Blackboard simplify tasks that used to be fairly complicated. At the end of this course, we'll practice with Blackboard. Creating a course for Blackboard will be a main thrust of this project.
A major thrust in this course is a Web page project. The idea of the project is for you to demonstrate that you can set up a fairly sophisticated Web site and be its Webmaster. Quality, not quantity, counts. Expect to spend about 15 hours developing a Web page, and 15 hours developing a model course.
There are near weekly assignments intended to keep you aware of Web-Teaching issues. Expect to spend about 2-3 hours each week searching the Web, writing brief reports about your findings, and communicating your findings.
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You may use the account of a relative or friend, but you'll need to check the account at least twice per week. Although most accounts (like Alltel or Road Runner) work OK, AOL accounts will not handle our Web work easily. If you do use AOL, be sure to use a browser like Netscape Communicator or Internet Explorer.
All assignments are turned in using the Internet. I may post these assignments (anonymously) on the WWW. (This is the fastest and cheapest way for me to share class writings among class members.)
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Any day that your assignment is late or missing, whether or not you show up, counts as a missing assignment.
Classroom discussion counts. Basically, there's a point per day for discussion -- and this is awarded pass fail (earned/not earned). If you miss class, you may earn the point via an e-mail discussion with me.
If we lose a day (or two) due to weather and the university closing down, those days don't count toward the absence penalty system. We may use the final exam session to make up missed work.
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My book, Web-Teaching (2nd edition), is on-line. You may find this book useful if you take on serious Web-based teaching.
A book from Yale University Press, also, online, presents an array of web-design features worthy of your consideration.
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An A+ will be awarded for those who complete all work and for whom the instructor feels that special creativity or ingenuity has been demonstrated.
An A will be awarded to students who complete all work at a professional level. Work that, in the opinion of the instructor does not meet standards, will be returned for revision. When I return work to you, I expect to give you specific comments about what needs to be done to improve the work.
I try to use a modified mastery approach. Essentially, your grade is no higher than a 'C+' until all of your weekly tasks are of 'A' quality! I expect all work that is not of 'A' quality to be resubmitted -- in a timely fashion -- for an 'A-' evaluation.
Work that, in my opinion, does not meet "A" standards will be returned for revision. When I return work to you, I expect to give you specific comments about what needs to be done to improve the work. Also, I will comment if your classroom work is not appropriate (i.e., A- level).
In other words, the default grade in this course is A-, not A. A is given for quality work performed in a timely fashion first time around.
As already noted, I hold a mastery learning philosophy. Rather than give a grade less than an A-, I expect to return all less-than-A work for revision and resubmission until it meets the A standard. A grade of less than A from me means either that you did not meet the standard, or that you often turned in less than standard work. (If I feel that I'm always returning work, then I'll give a B or C . After all, this is a graduate course. It's not my job to tell you over and over if your work is not up to the standard.)
A grade of W (Withdrawal) will be issued for those who withdraw in compliance with UNL guidelines.
A grade of F will be issued for academic dishonesty, submitting plagiarized work, misuse of UNL computing facilities, or similar unacceptable behavior.
ALL resubmitted small assignments must be in BEFORE the close of business Wednesday, December 19, 2001. Also, the final Web site project must be started with a substantial amount of work completed by this time. I will consider enhancements of Web sites for the purpose of grade change until the close of business Monday, February 11, 2002. For work that comes in late, sloppy, or incomplete often, the grade of A- is not assured.
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There are Web-based assignments due in weeks 2 through 11. In week 13 you will demonstrate a Web page that you prepare as a Web quest, and in week 15 you will demonstrate a model Web-based course.
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The assignments will be turned in using the WWW. You will access the Web page for the assignments from my main Web page -- click on Assignments under CURR 960. This will bring up a page from which you will choose the particluar assignment you need to enter. Enter URLs and written paragraphs.
About four hours before class, I pull together ALL of the material that has been entered together onto one Web page. I use this to guide my discussion in the class.
Avoid embarrassment. As you enter your assignments, keep in mind that everyone else may read what you have entered. Also, your name may be linked to your entry.
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The writing samples submitted in this course are to be original with the named author or authors. Submitting any string of 40 or more characters that are written by someone else but not attributed is considered plagiarism. to cite the work of others, use quotation marks and give a citation sufficient that I can readily determine the exact original source.
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None.
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1. Write one paragraph that includes the following: What is the Internet? How did it start? Who runs it? How is it paid for? What is the WWW? How did it start? What is a URL?
2. Assume you have asthma. Find five URLs that deal with this disease.
3. Find the exchange rate between Australian dollars and Italian lire on one specific weekday during the interval 8/29-9/5/01.
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1. Write a sentence suggesting a search that would be appropriate either for students in your classes or employees at your place of business. Conduct this search, and report 3 key URLs resulting from the search.
2. Locate URLs for two different colllege courses offered in two different states. Choose courses that are not a part of the same consortium (like Western Governors' University).
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1. Locate URLs for three different K-12 courses/classes offered in three different states.
2. Write a brief report that summarizes features offered to students in these courses . Try to contrast the K-12 courses with college courses. Are the K-12 materials really courses or supplements?
3. For college courses (due week 4, but discussed in week 3), write a brief report that summarizes features offered to students in these courses (how do they get e-mail; order books; pay fees; submit assignments.)
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1. Locate URLs for supplements for three different college courses/classes offered at UNL.
2. Find two URLs for supplements appropriate to the specific teaching area of interest to you.
3. Write a brief report that summarizes features offered to students in these courses. Do these sites have common characteristics? In your view, what features seem to be most valuable?
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1. Find URLs for 3 DIFFERENT businesses on the WWW. Include some information companies (like but other than Yahoo) and some companies that transact traditional business (like but other than Amazon).
2. Pick one Web business. Describe in one or a few paragraphs what makes this business tick. What is its 'capitalization?' Who are its customers? What seem to be its prospects?
3. If you have had experience buying something over the Web, describe your experience. Think of a specific purchase. Were you satisfied?
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1. Find URLs for 3 DIFFERENT teaching sites that make use of interactivity. That is, find sites that demand inputs from the user, and give the user feedback based upon their input.
2. Provide a discussion of these three sites; in particular, discuss your perception of the effectiveness of the interactivity.
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1. Find a URL for a site that supports-describes software that supports interactive Web-based communications.
2. Find a URL for a site that includes an interactive Web-based communication system.
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1. Provide the URLs for two sites that deliver sound over the WWW.
2. Provide the URLs for two sites that deliver movies over the WWW.
3. Provide the URL for a site that transmits streaming video.
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1. Find a URL for a site that offers Web security advice, software, and/or hardware.
2. Find a URL for a news article or similar piece describing a Web security issue.
3. Find URLs for two sites that discuss copyright issues as they pertain to the Web.
4. In a paragraph, explain either how UNL handles copyrights, or how these are handled by your organization.
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1. Compare and contrast one program from each group:
BBEdit
PageMill, HomePage
GoLive, Dreamweaver
2. What is XML? What is the difference between HTML and XML?
3. What is SCORM?
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1. Work on Web Quest. No assignment due week 12.
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1. Web Quest materials due today.
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1. Work on model course. No assignment due week 14.
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1. Blackboard site due today. There is NO final examination in this course.
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None.
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http://dwb.unl.edu/dwb/Courses/CURR880/Syl880F01.html
The following e-mail address is provided for you to contact the instructor: