This week’s assignment task for CEP 811 is to evaluate a MERLOT resource using the following guidelines:
- Quality of Content
- Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching-Learning Tool
- Ease of Use.
The selected resource I chose comes from Tammy's Technology Tips for Teachers and was featured on the MERLOT database as reference material.
Quality of Content:
Tammy Worcester Tang has over twenty-five years of educational experience and is currently an Educational Technology Specialist. She has provided many tips ranging from ABCya to iFake Text. She provides valid and educationally significant concepts, models, and skills for any teacher who is looking to integrate technology into their classroom.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching-Learning Tool:
What stages in the learning process/cycle could the materials be used?
- Explanation: Tammy explains the each technological tool she presents as a tip each week
- Demonstration: She shows how to use it with easy step-by-step instructions both in text & screen shots
What is the learning objective? What should students be able to do after successfully learning with the materials?
- Students will be able to use technological tools in the classroom
What are the characteristics of the target learners
- Teachers
- Any subject area
- Want to integrate technology into their classroom
- Have basic computer skills
Does the interactive/media-rich presentation of material improve faculty and students' abilities to teach and learn the materials?
- Tammy provides her viewers of screen shots of the technological tool addressed in each tip, but doesn't provide interactive or media-rich presentations in any other form
Can the use of the software be readily integrated into current curriculum and pedagogy within the discipline?
- Yes, teachers can easily find a tool they want to integrate into the classroom by browsing through Tammy's tips. She even provides a search bar to search her website for exactly what you are looking for.
Can the software be used in a variety of ways to achieve teaching and learning goals?
- No, it is a simple text/picture tutorial website. Educators who struggle with technology may have to use another resource in order to properly learn how to use these technological tools.
Are the teaching-learning goals easy to identify?
- No, there are many resources provided on this website. The author of the site allows the teachers using this resource to create their own learning goals in order to use it in their own classroom.
Can good learning assignments for using the software application be written easily?
- No, this is a resource not something students who would be using.
Ease of Use:
Are the labels, buttons, menus, text, and general layout of the computer interface consistent and visually distinct?
- Yes, the website is easy to navigate.
Does the user get trapped in the material?
- No.
Can the user get lost easily in the material?
- No, it is organized by tips and each section has its own tab.
Does the module provide feedback about the system status and the user's responses?
- No.
Does the module provide appropriate flexibility in its use?
- No, it is only a simple, informational resource.
Does the learning material require a lot of documentation, technical support, and/or instruction for most students to successfully use the software?
- No, this is mainly a resource for educators in order to start using a technological tool in the classroom. It isn't meant to fully learn all the components of said tool.
Does the material present information in ways that are familiar for students?
- Yes, students are use to being given step-by-step instructions with visuals. It isn't as detailed as one might need if they are not familiar with computers.
Does the material present information in ways that would be attractive to students?
- No, this resource is directed for educators and doesn't have the appeal for students.
