Website Project

CAD 660 Website Project

Webpage Assignment based on Special Topics in Cognitive Development

Let’s imagine you have been contacted by a government agency to create a webpage on one of the Special Topics in Cognitive Development from this course (perceptual development and implicit bias, Autism, language development/Multilingualism, Executive Functioning, Causal Reasoning/COVID, and Media & Learning). It is your job to choose a current issue such as Black Lives Matter or teaching children about racism, distance learning, special education, Bilingual/multilingual education, teaching children about media literacy or teaching children about COVID (or something else of interest as long it aligns with course content and uses course materials). The goal is to apply what you have learned to teaching or working with children, youth and families.

Please design your “webpage” to include the following subsections:

· A webpage title - What is your topic (include a webpage title that clearly tells your audience what your webpage is about)?

· Who is your target audience? Make sure to clearly state this (e.g., parents, teachers, youth), perhaps as heading or subheading.

· Why is this topic important or relevant? (2-5 sentences)?

· What is the science behind this topic? (That is, what have you learned about it from a developmental perspective--what have you learned in this class that parents, teachers, and/or youth need to know?) Make sure to include course content in this section (~200 words)

· How can you ensure instruction on this topic is culturally relevant and/or sensitive towards neurodiversity (include how to be inclusive of all children)? (~100-200 words)

· How do developmental theories/frameworks (e.g. Bronfenbrenner or Bjorklund) help to explain this topic? (that is, what did you learn about developmental theories that is relevant to your topic)? (~100-200 words)

· Include at least one activity (something parents or teachers could do with children or youth or that youth could do on their own) and include at least one relevant link to another web resource.

· References – In the text use citations of videos, lectures, articles, and book chapters to support your statements. Use APA formatting and include a reference list on the bottom of the webpage or at the end.

Formatting and Submission Instructions

Your assignment should be formatted as text for a webpage and not simply as responses to the above prompts. Use headings or text boxes to label your subsections. These will should organize your webpage and draw the reader in. Look at webpages to get ideas of headings and layouts. Relevant pictures and images are encouraged. Watch my video on the assignment to see some examples and review the rubric! Be creative and have fun!

Make sure you list your name at the top or bottom of the text as the “webpage” author. You may use bullet points for this assignment but they should be in complete sentences. Altogether your “webpage” text should be between 500-600 words (not including the reference page).

Submit your “webpage” as a Website link, Word document, PowerPoint or PDF on iLearn. If you want to design a real webpage you are welcome to do so (it can be a fun design experience) just submit the link to your page via iLearn and make sure that it has permissions set so I will be able to view it. There is an iLearn video showing how to make a website in Weebly and the instructional aide will host sessions on this.

Free Sites to Make Websites

Here are some places where you can make free websites. Students have been successful using all of these to complete their project.

· Weebly - https://www.weebly.com make sure to choose a regular website (not one with a store)

· Wix - https://www.wix.com make sure not to sign up for premium

· Adobe Spark - https://spark.adobe.com select the web page option to create a magazine-style website. You can use this for free by signing up through SFSU

Grading Rubric

	Possible Points
Content
Topic is stated in title	2
Name is on assignment as webpage author	1
Target audience is specified and easy to find	3
Relevant to class material and specifies connection to course content	5
Has a clear summary statement of why this topic is important and relevant to teachers and/or parents	5
Section on the science behind this topic is thorough	10
Section on how to ensure teaching is culturally relevant and/or sensitive to neurodiversity. Make sure to provide specific examples	10
Connected the topic to developmental theories/frameworks and is specific	10
Content is accurate	5
Content is clear and easy to understand	5
Statements are consistently supported by evidence (uses in text citations)	5
At least one activity and one web resource are included, engaging and age-appropriate	10
Reference list and in-text citations are included and APA	5
Design and Formatting
500-600 words	5
Text reads as a webpage	5
Complete sentences and correct grammar and spelling	5
Graphics are used and support text	3
Consistent fonts, colors, backgrounds	3
Looks like a website. Legible font and layout. Organized design	3
Total
	100