Steven Yarbrough,
Reich College
of Education, Appalachian State University
Artifact 2
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Context
I created this A.P. Calculus WebQuest as part of my CI 3850 course
("Literacy, Technology, and Instruction," Fall 2003), taught by Dr.
Gary Moorman. Using Netscape Composer, AppleWorks, and
Waterloo Maple, I created an online research project for A.P. Calculus
students. This WebQuest requires students to use web sites (many
of which are pre-selected) to investigate various mathematical topics,
to use online tools to perform necessary calculations, and to use
software to describe results and to form and justify a
hypothesis. This WebQuest should be used in an A.P. Calculus
course in which students are familiar with the derivative but are just
beginning work with Riemann sums and integrals.
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Impact
As a part of this WebQuest, students will gain practice with NC S.C.O.S. competency goals 3.01 (definite
integrals), 3.04-a (the integral as accumulated change), and 3.04-c
(approximating Riemann sum) for A.P. Calculus as they investigate these
mathematical topics using suggested web resources. In completing
this project, students will address a number of objectives from the N.C. S.C.O.S. for Computer/Technology Skills;
these include standards 2.02, 3.01, and 3.04 (selecting and using
appropriate tools to work with data), and standard 3.05 (fair use),
since students would be required to cite the source for any information
or tool which was used in the completion of the WebQuest.
This WebQuest offers students opportunities to learn about topics
through multiple approaches -- traditional classroom instruction,
pre-selected web-based resources, or web-based resources of students'
choosing.
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Alignment
Since A.P. Calculus students are expected to be self-motivated, curious
students, the use of an investigation-based WebQuest is appropriate for
students to begin work with Riemann sums and integrals. Since the
WebQuest includes detailed instructions for investigating, using
technologies, and producing work, INTASC principle 5
for management is addressed. This WebQuest might be used as a
follow-up to a traditional classroom lecture, serving as supplemental
instruction for learners who did not gain from the traditional
approach. This artifact satisfies NETS-T standard II-A
and INTASC principle 4,
since it illustrates a learning opportunity designed to meet the needs
of a diverse student population and uses multiple strategies to
encourage critical thinking. Current research shows that students
internalize concepts more readily when learning involves discovery or
investigation; thus this artifact demonstrates standard II-B
(using research when planning learning environments/experiences).
Since many of the resource web sites and online tools (calculators,
algorithms, and graphing utilities) have already been located for the
teacher and provided with instructions, this artifact demonstrates a
plan for managing student learning in a technology-enhanced environment
(standard II-E). In completing the WebQuest, students
would be required to submit mathematics work (printouts and
paper/pencil), a graph, and a piece of writing in which a hypothesis is
formed and justified. In this way, this artifact demonstrates
multiple methods of evaluation of student technology use (standard IV-C).
Since students will be asked to use creativity and to defend a
hypothesis, this artifact addresses standard III-C
for using technology to develop students' higher order thinking
skills. Students could be required to create a WebQuest response
web page, detailing their approach to solving the problem and
illustrating how they arrived at a particular result; students might
also be asked to e-mail their results to the instructor. This
artifact thus demonstrates the capacity to apply technology in
assessing student learning (IV-A).
This WebQuest shows teacher understanding of topics central to
mathematics and research in mathematics; thus INTASC principle 1
is demonstrated.
Since many topics from the NC Computer Skills Curriculum are addressed
in this WebQuest, this artifact satisfies standards 10.1
and 10.4 of the NCATC. Since this WebQuest
requires students to locate and analyze information and draw
conclusions, it satisfies NCATC 12.1.
This artifact satisfies standard 12.7
because the WebQuest is a technology-enhanced learning experience which
addresses curriculum goals and allows for learner expression.
Finally, the WebQuest serves as an organizational strategy that
supports active student involvement and inquiry (12.5).
