About Student Web Development Projects:

I've found student web development projects to be an outstanding way to address standards and integrate a multitude of curriculum areas in an open-ended, student-centered learning experience. The students work collaboratively to create a content rich web site that is published for an International audience. Best of all, it's a continuing learning experience for me, and energizes my teaching. Challenging, yes, but highly recommended.

About Our Project:

Education Technology Standards:

1. Social, Ethical and Human Issues - Students understand the ethical, cultural, and societal issues related to technology. Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.

• Demonstrate knowledge of current changes in information technologies and the effect those changes have on the workplace and society.

2. Technology as a tool for Productivity - Students use technology tools to enhance learning, encase productivity, and promote creativity. Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology =enhanced models, preparing publications, and producing other creative works.

• Use content specific tools, software, and simulations to support learning and research.
• Apply productivity/multimedia tools and peripherals to support personal and group productivity and collaboration and learning throughout the curriculum.

3. Technology as a tool for communications - Students use technology to communicate, to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences. Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.

• Design, develop, publish, and present products using appropriate technology resources that demonstrate and communicate curriculum concepts to audiences inside and outside the classroom
• Collaborate with peers, experts, and others using telecommunications and collaborative tools to investigate curriculum-related problems, issues, and information and to develop solutions or products for audiences inside and outside the classroom.

Technology Standards	Excellent	Satisfactory	Needs Improvement
Social, Ethical and Human Issues	Student consistently demonstrates a high level of responsible and ethical behavior when using technology. Student contributes significantly to obtaining proper credits and permissions for material used.	Student demonstrates responsible and ethical behavior when using technology. Student contributes to obtaining proper credits and permissions for material used.	Student does not demonstrate responsible and ethical behavior when using technology. Student doesn't contributes to obtaining proper credits and permissions for material used.
Technology as a Tool for Productivity	Student demonstrates a mastery of most technology tools used for the project, and uses them to significantly enhance product.	Student demonstrates ability to use most technology tools used for the project, and uses them to enhance product.	Student demonstrates little understanding of technology tools used for the project, and is unable to use them to enhance product.
Technology as a Tool for Communication	Student has made an insightful and content rich contribution to project. Student has contributed as a peer coach and leader to team effort. Student has communicated significantly with experts and others outside of team.	Student has made a content rich contribution to project. Student has contributed well to team effort. Student has communicated with experts and others outside of team.	Student has made little contribution to project. Student has not contributed much to team effort. Student has not communicated with experts and others outside of team.

Hardware: iMac G3 - OS 9.2 iMac G4 - OS 10.2	Multimedia Tools: Cannon ZR-45 MC Digital Video Camcorder iMovie SimpleSound QuickTime Movie
Web Development Software Claris HomePage 3.0 HyperStudio 4.5 GIFBuilder (shareware)	Browser Internet Explorer

Process:

1. Team Development -Students form team, contest rules and scoring rubric are reviewed, parental permissions obtained.

2. Brainstorm - students create a list of categories and topics they were interested in, and select one topic.

3. Storyboard - using chart paper, students create a basic web site layout - identify pages needed, diagram of how pages will link, and design a basic page layout template.

4. Research - students use a variety of resources; books, Internet, videos, interviews, to gather information. Proper citations and permissions are obtained.

5. Web development skills. -Students learn to use the software programs by creating a web page about themselves.

6. Web site development - Students create basic web site.

7. Uploading site - Students upload basic site to Internet and test links.

8. Bells and whistles - additional elements such as interactive games, polls, and multimedia elements are added.

9. Editing and Revising - Editing, revising, checking of links by the coach and students is ongoing until final submission of the site.

Timeline: The following timeline could be used with a 5 month time period for the project. You can adjust it to fit the time you have available (more is better!). No matter how much time you give yourselves, you will always feel the time crunch at the end!