Peter Oskin’s Class/Professional Website Proposal

Peter Oskin
poskin@gmail.com
Edtec 541 W 4-7pm Section

Problem, Need, or Opportunity

The internet is becoming an increasingly critical part of the high school classroom experience. It is not enough to occasionally have assignments with an online component, today students and parents expect an entire course worth of materials and resources to be online. By pushing course material to the web students and parents can take increasing responsibility for their learning, especially when absent or out of class.

Additionally, the author has a need for web space for masters work at SDSU, and for information regarding a small consultancy for web design. While a minor part of the overall new site, these needs must be addressed.

Audience

The main audience for the high school portion of the site is primarily students enrolled in the authors 2009-10 Government/Economics course. Additionally, parents of students, fellow teachers, and school administration could all be potentially interested in materials on the site.

Also, with regard to the professional side of the site, two other audience members need to be addressed. An SDSU portfolio will be maintained, which will be accessed during the masters program by instructors and peers as needed. Additionally, potential clients may access consulting information and samples of previous web work.

User Needs

In my past experience I have created classroom other class and consulting websites. In my observation of the past success of these sites, and in speaking with former students and clients I have found:

  1. Students need easy access to assignments and notes, especially with regard to make-up work.
  2. Parents liked easy access to class content, and easily finding my own class policies and contact info.
  3. Potential consulting clients like to see sample work, and to get an overall feel for the style of work of the author.

Needs of the students will be met through a hierarchal list of units studied in the class, with notes, assignments, a pacing calendar, and other relevant links included. Class policies and contact info will also be included.

For consulting clients and SDSU masters work, sample work and links to current/former client websites will be provided.

Environment

Regarding the student end of the site, course information will most likely be accessed while on campus (Kearny School of Digital Media and Design, or DMD), either during instructional time or in a campus lab. Both students and parents may access materials while at home, depending on internet access.

For the professional end of the site, it is expected that users such as SDSU professors, peers, and local businesses interested in consulting work will be able to access the site from a variety of locations and connections.

Resources and Limitations

Resources for this site are all currently available, and are created by the author. The high school class portion of the site will be initially loaded with course materials, class expectations, and timeline, and then modified as needed during the school year. During the school year this will be a daily exercise.

The professional portion of the site will be initially loaded with sample work for interested consulting clients, assignments for the SDSU portfolio, and contact info. This work will then be modified as needed.

The high school class portion of the site will be limited in that it is purely an informational source for students that follows district professional guidelines. These guidelines will also be followed in the professional portion of the site, in that students will have easy access to both. Additionally, given that students and parents may not have internet access in the home, attention must be paid to the authors expectations for web-based student work. For example, no homework assignments will be done entirely online. However, students will be expected to take campus lab time to make up missed work that is posted online

General Solution

A website that addresses the authors high school teaching and professional needs in a clear and useable manner will be a greatly versatile tool. The teaching portion of the site can become an extensive resource for students and parents, and the professional portion can address both SDSU masters program and consultation services. Overall, both audiences can have their needs served in a way that is easy to use, cleanly designed, and serves their informational needs.