Ryan Lucas

University of Colorado-Denver

Information and Learning Technologies Portfolio

Interactive Web site
How to create a bibliography

Problem Statement (top)

Throughout sixth grade, students learn research skills and apply their skills to various research projects. The problem is that every time students are asked to create a bibliography, teachers find themselves taking time to reteach how to create a bibliography instead of what they had planned.

Situation Analysis (top)

While reteaching a skill provides an opportunity to reinforce the importance of not plagiarizing, often students need help documenting different types of sources and whole-class instruction that applies to only a few students is not a good use of time and the practice can lend itself to behavior problems. Additionally, and more importantly, although students know that they are expected to document their sources, many students don't know exactly what information that they will need and often resort to avoidance instead of sorting through a disorganized binder to find a handout, waiting in line for a teacher's help, or asking a parent that might not know exactly what the teacher is expecting.

As a result of this problem and my situation I want to:

• Create an interactive online tool that students can use as a resource when they have questions about creating a bibliography

Rationale for Approach (top)

I created an interactive Web site that accomplishes three things:

• provides background information
• is interactive
• provides examples

By providing students with background information online, students can have access to the information both at home and at school. Additionally, students cannot use their favorite two excuses, "I lost it" and "I didn't know."

Since my Bibliography Web site is interactive, students do more than just click and watch. Following the background information students find multiple choice questions about the information that they just read. When students select an answer and click on submit, a dialogue box pops up and students find out whether they were correct.

Finally, I provide examples of not only each type of source that students might encounter, but also of a completed bibliography because I know that many sixth grade students need to see what is expected of them in addition to having it described.

Results (top)

Overall, students found my bibliography Web site useful. Students enjoyed the interactive aspect of my site, possibly a little too much. The first time that my students used the bibliography Web site they spent more time "playing" with the questions than navigating the site. However, since their first time, I have referred students back to the Bibliography Web site to find out how to document various sources instead of taking class time to reteach

Evidence of Value (top)

My Bibliography Web site is not only being used by students in my class, but also by students using my school's library. Instead of referring students to posters in the library when students have questions, our librarian has taped the url of my site to the computer monitor and bookmarked it on several computers and now refers students to my site for help. Since students are already working on a computer typing their bibliography, my school's librarian believes that there is less disruption in the learning process because students don't have to move across the room to find the information that they need. Instead, they can open up Internet Explorer, cut and paste the example into their bibliography, and replace the example with their source's information. Additionally, she believes that students are more productive because the possibility of being off task is reduced when students are focused on their work instead of moving across the classroom.

Reflections (top)

My Bibliography Web site was the first site that I created using the CourseBuilder extension. I was disappointed that students spent so much time playing with the multiple choice questions the first time that they accessed my site, but soon realized that their "playing" was actually learning. Perhaps the biggest "ah-ha" moment was when I reflected back on the first time that I referred a student back to my site instead of taking class time to reteach something that would have only benefited a few students. I remember thinking as I helped the student navigate to my site that had I taken class time to reteach, the other students that were in different parts of their research would have had to stop to listen to information that they already knew or that they weren't ready to hear yet.

I'm not sure that as a result of accessing my Bibliography Web site that students know exactly what information that they need to complete a bibliography. I think that as students complete more and more bibliographies they will learn what information that they need. Instead, my site serves as a resource for them that is available both at school and at home.

Responsibilities Fulfilled (top)

Responsibility 3: Uses a variety of media to deliver instruction to students and to engage students in learning

Please answer the following question:

My Bibliography Web site ________________.

is just a high tech instruction book for students
uses a variety of media to support learning
offers little educational value
has not been used since I created it

Responsibility 4: Understands how to capitalize on the capacities and abilities of each learner

I created my Bibliography Web site with the knowledge that all students learn differently. Some students need to understand the reasoning behind a task before being able to complete it successfully. For these students I provided background information explaining the reasoning behind and the process for creating a bibliography. Other students need to find the task stimulating and interesting before they can be successful. For these students the "hook" is the multiple choice questions. Although the answers are occasionally corny and silly, they hold the interest of the students that need immediate feedback. Other students need to see an example of an entry for different sources. For these students I provided examples of each different type of source and an example of what a finished bibliography looks like.

Perhaps the best example of my awareness of the range of needs of learners is that many middle school students, depending on the time of day, how hungry they are, whether they are fighting with their best friend, or angry with their parents, don't fit neatly into a learning style box. Instead they fluctuate and my Bibliography Web site allows for a variety of learners to quickly find and understand the information that they need.