Integrated Unit: Self-Assessment

Completing this integrated study caused me to focus on the purpose of using technology. Because access to technology is sometimes limited, it is important that the time spent is purposeful and meaningful. In this study, technology is used to enhance the effectiveness and potential of a genre of storytelling by increasing the possibilities for communicating visually with the reader and increasing the level of interaction with the text. In other words, the technology expands the creative possibilities for the author and enhances the experience for the reader. It is often difficult to determine whether or not technology used in language arts is being used effectively because there are many task specific tools that are created to simplify and speed up tedious processes (script writing programs, concept-mapping programs). However, seeing as these are the tools used by authors in the real world, often produce greater proficiency, and allow students to publish and contribute to the literary community, they should be considered meaningful uses of technology.
Choose Your Own Adventure stories inherently demand that the reader interact with the text in a unique way. Creating an online interactive story enhances the experience even further by allowing the author to provide more self-contained and controlled interactions through hypertext links to different pages. While the traditional novel format would have pages with multiple choices and paths on the same page, using a webpage with a separate page for each choice allows the author increased control about the information readers are viewing and reading in order to make their choice. Another advantage of using Iweb is that it allows students to publish their interactive stories and share them with other students, family members, and the world. Also, podcasts are used for self-assessment and mind-mapping tools are made available to allow students to represent their learning in a way that capitalizes on their strengths.
Completing this integrated unit enhanced my understanding of the potential uses of web-authoring software. One of my goals for professional growth is to increase my familiarity with technology resources that are common to Calgary area schools. Consequently, I focused on Mac software that will be accessible on school computers (provided they use Macs). Using Iweb to create an online story teaches students (and me!) how to effectively use hypertext links. I also used two web-based tools, mind-mapping and Gcast, which I could use for a variety of purposes in the future. I was hoping to use Webspiration, but the site has temporarily closed sign-ups for new accounts. Planning a unit on IO also taught me how to use the site as part of my planning; particularly for creating meaningful tasks that can be adapted to fit contextual needs of a classroom for future use.
I was excited about using Gcast for phone-in podcasting in the future. Unfortunately, Gcast has begun charging for this feature. Nevertheless, Gcast can still be useful if access to other technology that can be used to create a podcast (Garageband) is available. Also, Iweb can be used for many different purposes and the experience of seeing student work publish to the web is very meaningful for students. It allows them to see what others are doing and to share their work with the greater community.
There are many opportunities for me to improve on my integrated unit. I received a great deal of valuable feedback from my peers. Many of them offered suggestions for different types of learning opportunities and cross-curricular connections. One element missing from this unit is the opportunity to consult an expert in the field. If it were possible, it would be useful to consult an author (not necessarily one who has written a Choose Your Own Adventure story) to help with the writing process or an expert in web design to help with the process of creating a website. In response to the feedback, I will be making improvements to my integrated unit and try to be more explicit with some of the expectations; particularly clarifying opportunities for feedback from peers, parents, and the teacher.