Instructional+Unit+(Blackboard)

**__INSTRUCTIONAL UNIT (BLACKBOARD)__**

__** Description of Product: **__ For this assignment I used Blackboard to create a virtual classroom for my students. I chose to creat a unit about the Ocean as that is one that is done at the end of the year when Kindergarten students would be able to be more successful on an activity of this type. There were guidelines that I had to follow as far as content, applications, and format when creating my virtual classroom. I started by setting up the environment much like I would first set up my classroom. This set up included menu tabs, a syllabus, expectations, Wimba Classroom session, and more. I also included a discussion board where students could talk to one another and ask questions throughout the unit, links to various internet sites, a webquest activity as well as the opportunity to collaborate with another student. I designed my Virtual Classroom to take three weeks and each week contains a variety of activities. For my Kindergarten students, it is expected that they would have help from an adult either at home with a parent/guardian or at school with the teacher or paraprofessional.

To make my virtual classroom I first set up the environment choosing a theme and colors. I created lessons that would allow the students to be creative and have choice in what animal they were going to research and how they would present what they had learned to the class. I created an instructional screencast to teach my students how to make their homepage and I presented an archived Wimba Classroom session as a way to front load some information about the ocean and it's animals. There were many steps to creating this virtual environment in Blackboard and many layers to the environment as well. I tried to introduce the activities sequentially so that they built upon one another and intersperse new technology applications throughout.
 * __ Process: __**


 * __Virtual Classroom Syllabus:__

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**__Reflection:__** I think that a virtual classroom would be beneficial for older students as opposed to Kindergarten students. Many young children still need help reading and applying what they have read and therefore would need the help of an adult. I liked that I could set up an entire classroom setting that allowed students to move at their own pace and complete assignments without rigid time constraints. The activities are able to be be more open ended and allow for students of all academic ability levels to be successful. For students who do not have regular internet access this type of activity could open up a whole new world for them. By providing links to various websites I was able to somewhat control where my students went if only by guiding them in the right direction. The one down side to this activity is that I will not be able to use this unit as it is created with students. Because it was created in a program that must be purchased, only students and teachers with access could use it. I feel like it was an unbelievable amount of work for something that I will not be able to take back with me into the classroom. I will however be able to use pieces of it such as the screencast and the webquest as they were made on free access internet sites.  //Wimba inc.//. (1998). [Web]. Retrieved from []