4. COMPUTER RESOURCES

a.         Finding Computer Resources

Good computer resources could come from anywhere. Always check first in comPADRE (physics and astronomy) and CSERD (computer science).

http://www.shodor.org/refdesk/

http://www.compadre.org/

Check ChemEd DL resources also. You can find molecules in Models360, for instance, that enable you to highlight any one of numerous concepts in molecular structures.

Resources could be animations, where you just put it up on the screen, and it shows (usually, a particle model of) some chemical idea.

Resources can be interactive simulators, where students and teachers can press buttons and change whatever is going on within the simulation.

Resources can also be walk-through interactive lessons, where students see animated models and answer questions about the concept being simulated.

There are three important factors for any computer resource. Always test it out.

1. It works! Resources need to work every time. Do they work on every computer and in every browser? Some schools have web stations, so it would have to work in the browser, not a download. Do you need any extra software or plugins?
2. It is easy to use! Either the resource comes with its own clear instructions or it would be easy enough for a student (and certainly a teacher!) to figure out how to use. If it is too complicated with too many poorly labeled buttons, the focus is not on learning a concept, but on how good students are at guessing which buttons to push.
3. It is scientifically accurate! No resource is good if it is not correct on some real level. (No model can be 100% correct, by definition.) But if the simulation says one thing but looks like another, this just confuses everyone.

b.         Adding to ChemTeacher

1. Go to Computer Resources on the left-hand menu. You must be logged in.
2. Click Add Resource.
3. Select the articles that will show the video in the top blue box. Make sure to click Add Article. You can add as many as you would like.
4. Enter Title.
5. Leave the box Add to ChemEd DL Database? Unchecked.
6. For Pathway, you can add the name of the Pathway (comPADRE or CSERD) where you found the resource. Also add the URL to the landing page (the page you get from the comPADRE or CSERD search before you get to the final resource.)
7. Enter the URL.
8. Enter a Description.
9. Enter the Metadata. From other Pathways, most of this information can be found on the Pathway landing page.
   1. Publisher will be the company or web site where you found the resource.
   2. Contributor will be the person who wrote/programmed the resource.
   3. Source is the URL of wherever you found that resource.
   4. Rights and Licensing is how the material is owned. Look at the bottom of a page for this or at the site’s About page or Terms and Licensing page or Terms of Use page to find out exactly.
   5. Access Rights is how you got the resource If you did not have to log in, it is “Free Access.”
   6. Intended Audience is the appropriate age for the resource.
   7. Chemical Domain is what field of chemistry. There are fields for “Demonstration” and “Public Understanding”
   8. Educational Format is what type of resource you found.
   9. Related Elements if there are any specific elements mentioned / used in the resource.
   10. Resource Type will usually be “Movie/Animation”
10. Save.
11. You will not see your resource appear automatically! It needs to be approved by Gerad or a Super-Admin.

c.         Adding Worksheets for Computer Resources

Once you have added a resource, and it is approved, you can go back to add files, like instruction sheets, worksheets, answer sheets, and the like.

1. Go to any computer resource page. (Not Edit, but just the static page.)
2. Click Add File.
3. You need a Title.
4. You can upload any PDF, Word Document (DOC or DOCX).
5. Save.