I.T Based Projects: The Web-Based Projects

I.T Based Projects: 
The Web-Based Projects
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In this area students are to create and post webpags on a given topic. But creating this so-called webpage may be too sophisticated and time consuming in the part of the average students.
However, posting of webpages in the internet allows the students, which is now consider as webpage creator, a wide and active audience. Students can also be linked with some other related sites in the internet in connection with the project. But as of today, this creativity project may be too ambiguous as a tool in the teaching-learning process.



More teacher-librarians are discovering that the Internet can be a useful tool for resource-based learning. Online software and special sites like Filamentality, are being used by these educators to create online projects for their students.


The WebQuest is becoming a favoured approach, moving resource-based learning into the electronic learning environment. 


Whether you are using an email connection with other learners or implementing a fully developed WebQuest with your students, it is important to remember that "doing an Internet project" should never be the sole purpose for students, the Internet should be an interactive and exciting tool they use for individual or collaborative inquiry and problem-solving, and for creating knowledgeable and creative products; sharing their own learning with others.


The web-based software must provide tools for planning, organizing and managing resources to achieve project goals and objectives.


References:
Educational Technology 2(Book)
http://www.edu.pe.ca/bil/bil.asp?ch1.s2.gdtx

I.T Based Projects: The Guided Hypermedia Projects

I.T Based Projects: 
The Guided Hypermedia Projects
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What is Hypermedia?
Hypermedia combines the concepts of hypertext and multimedia to allow rich interaction between the user and the material. Hypertext itself is basically the same as regular text except that it contains connections within the text to other documents (Hughes, 1994). 


Students as Audience of Hypermedia
In the role of audience to hypermedia, students interact with hypermedia environments developed by others. Examples of this type of interaction would include reading articles in online encyclopedias, observing a PowerPoint presentation (with links and other multimedia elements) developed by a teacher, playing interactive adventure games, or looking at various interactive websites on the Internet.


There are two different ways of  approaches in the production of self-made multimedia project:

• As an instructive tool, such as in the production by students of a power-point presentation of the selected topic.
• As a communication tool, such as when students do a multimedia presentation (with text, graphs, audio, video, interviews and other more to stimulate the intellectual capacity of the student.)

HyperStudio (by Roger Wagner Productions) is a kind of multimedia software. Handling the production of a similar computer software material is said to be too sophisticated or that technical for those average students. But, it is allowed for the students to produce poster design, computer tools and the required development of appropriate creative skills, as well.



References:
Educational Technology 2(Book)
http://edtechstudentsblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/guided-hypermedia-projects.html
http://www.squidoo.com/hypermedia

I.T Based Projects: The Simple Creation

I.T Based Projects: 
The Simple Creation
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The second I.T based project is the Simple Creation.
In this area, students are assigned to create their software materials to supplement the need for relevant and effective material.


If resourced-based projects aim to develop the ability of the students in the information gathering aspect, simple creation focuses mainly on student's progression to effectively present information.


Creative Writer (by MS) on writing, KidWork Deluxe (by Davidson) on drawing and painting are just some of the available software materials that can be used.
Creating is taught to be more consonant with planning, assembling, designing or building. 


It is said that creativity combines three kind of abilities or skills :

• Analyzing – it is by distinguishing similarities and differences while seeing the project as a problem to be solved.
• Synthesizing – making of spontaneous connection among ideas which makes an interesting or new ideas.
• Promoting – selling of new ideas for the public to test the ideas by themselves.

In developing creativity, there are five key task that is being recommended :
1. Define the task. The goal of the completed project is stated and clarified to student.
2. Brainstorm.  Students here are encourage to generate their own ideas on the project through active exchange of ideas and informations.
3. Judge the ideas. Students are let to judge, give appraisal or any against. Teacher would only intervene if the students are of completely off tracked.
4. Act. The students are ones to do the work and teachers are only to facilitate them.
5. Adopt flexibility. Students are allowed to change gears and not follow an action which is rigid.


References:
Educational Technology 2

I.T Based Project: The Resourced Based Project

I.T Based Project: 
The Resource-Based Project
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The first of the four information technology based project is the Resourced-Based project, in these project the teacher steps out of the traditional role of being a content provider and information provider, and instead lets the students find their own facts and information.


The involvement of the students in gathering informations and content interpretation is emphasized in this approach. The learning of the student would also become wider because in the process of gathering information on a particular topic, he is also given the chance to explore other subject areas that may not be the main concern of the given topic, but also provides insights and it might pave way into a more concrete understanding, this is an advantage that may lead to the student's higher way of thinking. 


Research-based projects is "student-centered," thus students have a bigger accountability in the learning process. Their skills in "accessing, evaluating, using, and applying information are the main target in these higher I.T based project, it is in line with the goal of ensuring them to meet the expectations of the approved curriculum. 


Although the concern of this project is the students, teachers must always remember thier critical role as facilitators, they must always cater student-involvement and encourage the students to explore on various subject areas, the teacher must motivate the students to become lifelong learners capable of  an independent decision making.


The identified general flow of events in the resourced-based projects are as follows:
1. The teacher determines the topic for the examination of the class.
2. The teacher presents the problem to the class.
3. The students find information to the problem or question.
4. Students organize their information in response to the problem or question.


Since the central principle of this area is to make students go beyond the textbook and curriculum material, then the goal of exposing the students into a wider choices of information resources is achieved. The internet will also become a knowledge playground to the students, with some guidance from the teacher about how to use the world wide web effectively, looking for information would be a click away, this will lead to an innovation in the teaching-learning process.
The resourced based project also higlights the inquiry approach or discovery approach wherein the "process" is given more importance than the "product", this means that the value of knowing "how to" is greater than the "end result."


One must remember that in the traditional learning model, teacher is expert and information provider while in the Resource-based learning model, teacher is a guide and facilitator.

References: 

Educational Technology 2(Book)

http://www.edu.pe.ca/bil/bil.asp?ch1.s2.gdtx