1. Business technology 3 Course Details… Grade: 8th
A Course Review
Business technology 3
Course Details…
Grade: 8th
Instructor: Jason Watts
Semester: Spring, 2011
Reviewed April, 2011 by…
Hope Via
Barry Thibault
David Robertson

2. Content Strengths Rigorous & Age Appropriate Engaging
Well planned & Sequenced
Clear goals and objectives
Weaknesses
Lack of a syllabus
Recommendations
Post a detailed syllabus
Incorporate a student blog

3. Instructional Design Recommendations…
This element was a course strength.
STUDENT TALK
- Discussion boards - “Rate” your peers
TEACHER INTERACTION
- Discussion Board
- LMS address
- Hybrid class
WEAKNESSES
- No syllabus - Missing assignments - Missing tasks - Typos
STRENGTH
- Creatively designed - Good use of LMS - Excellent lesson objectives - Relevant assignments
STRENGTHS
The instructional design element is well documented course strength. Every mark in each of the 16 categories were either satisfactory (or more times than not) very satisfactory. The average score across this element was a nearly perfect
Outstanding use of the Learning Management System capabilities
Watts uses tasks instead of modules to help middle schoolers focus
Well written lesson objectives
Fantastic job using instructor-made Jing videos tutorials on most lessons
Useful and fun activities to teach subject matter
Good use of Internet resources
Outstanding creative thought put into this well-designed course
Multitude of opportunities for student interaction on discussion boards
Instructor builds in choice, rewards innovation, makes room for student opinion
Integrates Web 2.0 tools
Pretests and multiple chances to earn best grades
Basic vocabulary words were appropriate and well designed
Included learning styles assessment
Wordle activity was intriguing
Career Plan Worksheet integrated real-world assignments into the technology package
Implemented "games" for learning (like keyboard games)
Anticipated errors the students might encounter and showed them workarounds
Pointed students to a number of outstanding web sites for current and future resourcing
Used compare-contrast exercise for multimedia component
WEAKNESSES
Absence of syllabus was a glaring ommision (syllabus located on Watt's Business Technology web page)
Tasks 5,7, and 8 were missing assignments
Tasks 9-11 were either missing on not visible
Emerging technologis like podcasts and vidcasts were strangely absent
In some video tutorials Watts talked too fast to keep up
Some videos were ended abruptly - a nice place to end with on an encouraging note
No controls on Jing videos available for students to pause
In some Jing videos, instructor performed work outside view of the student's screen
Task 4: - Keybaroding_games_2.swf is misspelled
INTERACTION BETWEEN STUDENTS AND TEACHER
Teacher provided multiple ways to interact with him:
School address
LMS discussion board
Posted in the Science Fair Project area when he would be on campus for f2f meetings
Watts ed me a photo of he and his 6th grade class taken on 3/14/11 demonstrating that this course, at least for 6th graders, is a blended learning course with ample f2f interaction with their teacher
INTERACTION AMONG STUDENTS
Discussion boards were a prominent part of course
Students were required to "rate" one another's posts using an innovative star rating system
RECOMMENDATIONS
Line by line document listing every typo or grammatical error or font issue that was discovered that can be shared with Jason Watts
Have students compare Mapquest again Google maps and submit a comparison minute reflection and vote on their favorite as a class
Change the name of the dropbox in this lesson from “Scavenger Hunt” to “Scavenger Hunt Dropbox.”
Recommendations…

4. Student Assessment
C.1
Student evaluation strategies are consistent with course goals and objectives, representative of the scope of the course and clearly stated.
C.2
The course structure includes adequate and appropriate methods and procedures to assess students’ mastery of content.
C.3
Ongoing and frequent assessments are conducted to verify each student’s readiness for the next lesson.

5. Student Assessment
C.4
Assessment strategies and tools make the student continuously aware of his/her progress in class and mastery of the content beyond letter grades
C.5
Assessment materials provide the teacher with the flexibility to assess students in a variety of ways.
C.6
Grading rubrics and models of partially to fully completed assignments are provided to the teacher.
C.7
Grading policy and practices are easy to understand.

6. Student Assessment
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7. Technology Strengths
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Understand and Use Technology Systems
Select and Use Applications Effectively and Productively
Troubleshoot Systems and Applications while Transferring Current Knowledge to Learning of New Technologies
Technology Operations and Concepts
STUDENTS:
Mr. Watts’ course Business Technology 3

8. Technology Standard D:
The course architecture permits the online teacher to add content, activities and assessments to extend learning opportunities.
D.3
The course is easy to navigate.
D.4
The course makes maximum use of the capabilities of the online medium and makes resources available by alternative means; e.g., video, CDs and pod casts.

9. Technology Standard D:
Hardware, Web browser and software requirements are specified.
D.6
Prerequisite skills in the use of technology are identified.
D.7
The course utilizes appropriate content-specific tools and software.
D.10
The course meets universal design principles, Section 508 standards and W3C guidelines to ensure access for all students.

10. Creativity And Innovation Communication and Collaboration
Technology
Creativity And Innovation
Communication and Collaboration
Technology Options and Concepts
Digital Citizenship
NETS*T

11. 21st Century Skills
Strengths of 21st Century Skills Emphasized in Course
Well planned, interesting, and useful.
Encourages the use of technology and other 21st Century Skills.
Weaknesses of 21st Century Skills Emphasized in Course
None
Types of and Frequency of 21st Century Skills Emphasized in Course
Initiative and Self-Direction
Productivity and Accountability
Leadership and Responsibility
 Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Creativity and Innovation
Communication and Collaboration  
Information Literacy
ITC
Recommendations
Include media literacy activities that are missing.
Including activities for employment skills to incorporate critical thinking, problem solving activities
Incorporate activities to develop flexibility, adaptability, social/cross-cultural skills and leadership.

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