Reflection:

Reading for information is a skill we must develop to survive in today's world of technology. I have lived on the web for resources from people across the nation for AP Computer Science. My web research, however, was very limited in scope. After spending months on the web for TATC projects, I find myself depending on it for a wider and wider variety of information. Finding ways to validate the information on the web for accuracy is an important part of this widely accessible resource. Realizing the extent of the web's value for research has perhaps been one of the most enlightening parts of my TATC journey. However, when I hear people talk about eliminating the paper trail, I cringe. I doubt that I could ever give up books. I'm too attached! I would prefer to think I have added another facet to my research. I didn't trade one for another.

Caption 13

The first major project, done as a part of TATC, set the stage for what was to come. In the fields of technology, expensive text books become obsolete far too quickly. Even periodicals, which have been my source of more current technology, are limited by publication schedules. Information on new developments in technology is often on the web before it hits the news. While we must be cautious about the confidence we place in web information, we soon become familiar with trusted sources. The web has proven to be a rich source of information in several time frames: historical, state of the art, and projecting for the future.

Indicators: I, II, III, IV, V, 7.23, 7.41, 8.7, 8.9, 8.20, 9.26, 9.41, 11.3, 11.5, 11.7, 11.8, 11.9, 11.10, 11.12, 11.13, 11.14, 11.16, 11.17, 11.18, 11.19, 11.21, 11.23, 11.24, 11.25, 11.26, 11.27, 11.18, 11.29, 11.30, 11.32, 11.34, 11.35, 11.39

Artifact #13

Descriptors: Search strategies, ethical practices, citing resources, validation of information. collaboration, planning content of a presentation, web page design, web development tools s

Title: Busy Buddies Investigate Web Authoring

Course: TATC 100 Foundations

Date Created: , August, 2002

Source: Web Resources

Media: Internet access, Macromedia Dreamweaver MX

Description: Working with assigned group members, we were to select one of the five TATC Tech Aps disciplines and research its impact on society, providing a resource for others interested in the same TA subject. The information could be presented in any format we chose.

Requirements of the report:

• A brief introduction as to the TA subject.
• A brief history of the impact that the specified TA has had.
• Resources listed with a brief summary of each resource site. Two or more resources should be referenced to each company member with the exception of the group leader.

Responsibilities of group members:

• One person will volunteer to be the company leader. This person will make sure things are moving and happening like they should.
• The company leader will be responsible for compiling the report with input from the company members and posting the final report.
• Each company member, except the group leader, should have two or more resources attributed to them.

Rationale: I have chosen my Busy Buddies impact report as the artifact for Standard II because it exemplifies those indicators so well. It was our first TATC group project, and the collaborative effort was effective because the comprehensive list of research topics was divided among us. Information was gleaned from numerous sites, compared for accuracy, and analyzed for breadth and depth of content and clarity. Every member of the group did her job well, and we definitely demonstrated that four heads are better than one. I am much better informed about historical aspects of the web, about the rich variety of educational resources it provides, and about safeguards available to prevent or minimize abuse of internet users, both young and old. The quality of a product rises significantly when everyone in the group is involved in critiquing the product as it is developed.

Implications for future: The future is already carved in terms of information acquisition. I find myself depending on web research in more and more areas. If I can teach my students, not just how to search for information on the web, but also how to compare resources and validate the information they find there, it will be a rich resource for them also.

Reviewer's Comments: This project was very impressing and very detailed. I like the way yall did it in a web page. The resources were easier to acces that way.

Reviewer's Name: Jamie Crider

Title: TATC Colleague

Date Reviewed: August 13, 2002

Reviewer's Comments: Wow. Very impressive PDF. Good use of graphics and hyperlinks within the document. I also like the resources formatted at the end. Well-done.

Reviewer's Name: Peter Ponce

Title: TATC Colleague

Date Reviewed: August 13, 2002

Reviewer's Comments: I am really impressed with the web style report. The timeline of developments was very informative and will be useful to all of us.

Review's Name: Ronnie Miller

Title: TATC Colleague

Date Reviewed: August 13, 2002

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