Collaborative


 * UPDATE Final Wiki Activity** - (Due May 6) Please download and read the Educational Technology WebQuest. It explains the WebQuest activity. Your job is to evaluate the WebQuest activity and make suggestions for improvement on the collaborative page. I modified the assignment so you can spend additional time on your websites. I like how you started and hope you can give me suggestions for improvement. I can use your descriptions in the WebQuest as well.


 * Assignment:** The Wiki Starter will be the editor for this assignment and get the ball rolling. Your work is to continue the story from the first paragraph I have written. Each Wiki member should take a turn and continue the story with a new paragraph that will be consistent with what has been written before it. Once the group goes around the starter will either finish it or continue for another round if the story is robust enough or there are only three or less Wiki members.

The teachers at //Connecticut City Middle School// (CCES) finally got what they wanted. While the principal, Mr. Finkelstein, has given them enough technology to fill two schools, most of the teachers are not able to use it and have been calling for training to finally learn to use this stuff. Mr. Finkelstein has relented and hired a group of grad students from CCSU to come in and provide workshops and training for a week.The pay is good, $500 per day per trainer and the group, Jess and Jim were expected to make significant changes in how technology would be used after the training week was finished. However, the group immediately identified several problems they had to deal with. The first problem was that the principal wanted all the training put online.

Jess decided it was worth a meeting with the principal to explain that many people who are not experienced with technology need the ability to "sit and play" with the software while an "expert" is near. There are many situations where teachers who are not experienced with technology are told to use advanced technology situations to learn new technology. This does not work! Think about the teachers who have been working for 30 years and are not comfortable with simple uses of a computer. They need to be taught in a different way. Jess also addressed the possibility of using both online training and in person training. Many teachers may be experienced with online training and will prefer to use the online courses. You can create a sign-up to ensure that each teacher has either taken an online training or in person training.

Another problem was the amount of time given for the workshop. Jess and Jim were expected to make significant changes in how the technology was to be used. With all the features and capability that the new technology can produce, it is difficult for them to cover everything in just one week. Within that time, only basic features can be taught to the staff.

Jess and Jim decided to continue with their initial plan to give both a hands-on training and an online training. The online training will have more breadth cover all topics of the new technology which week long training cannot accomplish. Tech-savvy teachers can then have the opportunity to learn about the whole spectrum of the new teaching material and be able to share with other staff members as they become more comfortable.