1. Teaching Web Technologies: Understanding the Acronyms George Easton Information and Decision Systems

2. Design a platform for students to create and deploy HTML, XML and RSS technologies. Assemble the platform with ‘scaffolding’ so students can detect the relationships between these technologies. Proposed Innovation

3. Innovation Effort –Students became RSS “Feed Providers.” –Developed a process and technology platform to teach students HTML and XML concepts. –Used “scaffolding” to help students understand the relationships between various technologies.

4. –1 st Level: Develop web page with HTML. –FTP and Web server configuration with SSH –2 nd Level: Develop RSS feed with XML. –RSS “channel” is Student’s Name and Class –RSS “item” is Student’s HTML web page. –FTP XML file to web server. –3 rd Level: Subscribe to RSS feed. –NewsReader is Bloglines Innovation by Level HTML RSS XML

5. HTML This is example of a fictitious business website. Assignment required using specific HTML tags.

6. This is the RSS “channel” information. This is “item” information. Item points to the student’s web page XML

7. This is an “item” in the feed that links to the student’s HTML assignment Students created individual RSS “feeds” RSS

8. Assessment Results 1 st Level: Develop business- oriented web page using HTML tags. (Success defined as >= 70% possible points) 2 nd Level: Create operational RSS feed. (Success defined as “it worked.”) 3 rd Level: Subscribe to RSS Feed 92%85% 55%40% No Assessment Class 1; n = 216 Successfully Completed Assignment Class 2; n = 118

9. Assessment Conclusions 1 st Level: Develop business- oriented web page using HTML tags. (Successful defined as >= 70% possible points) 2 nd Level: Create operational RSS feed. (Successful defined as “it works.”) 3 rd Level: Subscribe to RSS Feed Relatively easy assignment No special software required Plenty of resources and documentation “Hard copy” assessment No familiarity with XML and RSS Required properly configured web server Required use of FTP client RSS feed either “successful” or “not” Not assessed

10. Technical details of configuring Rohan accounts to “host” HTML and XML documents. –Instructions on Rohan for creating “public_html” directory are outdated –Some accounts created at “last minute” Inexperience with FTP Large-size classes –Inattention to details –Missed class = missed instructions Project Challenges

11. Proposed Changes Enhance XML discussion and requirements Provide better instructions Increase assignment points Begin process earlier in semester –This will allow multiple student-created RSS “items” in Feed Create incentive to encourage students to “subscribe” to classmates RSS feed. Make it “fun!”