Online Movie Rentals

20 Points

 

Objective- Students will learn how to access and use online movie rental sites for their benefit

 

Objective- Students will learn to rate the top online movie rental sites based on their own criteria and expectations

 

Objective- Students will learn to organize information and opinions of sites in a web document to be used at a later time

 

Introduction- Getting to a video store, searching the shelves for the right movie, and dealing with late fees are all issues that come up when renting movies. In education, finding access to a DVD player can be another hassle. Fortunately, all this can be avoided by visiting one of the many online movie rental sites on the web. These sites provide all different services and benefits for the average person looking for a chick flick on a Friday night or an educator looking to find the right movie to portray the nurses’ roles in WWII. This activity will take you through the process of learning the pros and cons of online movie rentals and determining the best sites for various uses. 

 

Readings and Discussions- Visit the following sites to familiarize yourself with the business of online movie rentals. Take note of some positives and negatives of them and how online movie rentals could be beneficial to you.

 

Links:

Consumer Savvy Tips-http://www.consumersavvytips.org/the_new_world_of_online_movie_rentals.html

Online Movie Rental Business-

http://www.dare.co.in/opportunities/services/online-movie-rental-business.htm

The New York Times Article-

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/26/business/media-showdown-begins-in-movie-rental-business-blockbuster-tries-a-remake.html

 

Activities- Visit online movie rental websites and critique the site both on content and design. Familiarize yourself with the business of online movie rentals and determine what is good and bad about each company and/or service. A few are listed below but feel free to review additional sites not listed.

 

Netflix

Blockbuster

CinemaNow

The Movie Downloading

Net- Movie Downloads

SuperPass

ITunes

Vongo

Amazon Unbox

 

Assignments- Select your top 3 choices for the best online movie rental sites. Explain your criteria for your selection and 3-4 positives about each site. Write a detailed annotated bibliography for each site and be sure to include a working link to the actual site.

 

Assessments- Your list of your top three sites should have detailed descriptions of each site, why you chose the site, and how this site could be useful to you in the future. Be descriptive and consider the design of the website as well as content.

 

Submission- Post your activities as an html file to your FTP folder, create a link to the file on your index page, and send your instructor an email notification containing a working hyperlink to the assignment (not to your index page) and the assignment file's URL.

 

Rubric-

 

Unacceptable

Developing

Accomplished

Site Description

Little to no useful information in the description. Fewer than 3 sites selected. No criteria for selection included.

Insufficient information in the description. Reason for selecting site is not clearly stated

Three useful sites are listed with detailed descriptions, reasons for being selected and selection criteria are clearly stated.

Citation format and completeness

No working link to site. Minimum or incomplete components.

Incomplete link information and contains bare minimum of information.

Working link is provided with description and is useful to the user.

 

ISTE Standards- This course activity addresses the following ISTE Standards:

2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments

Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS•S. Teachers:

a.

Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.

b.

Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.

c.

Customize and personalize learning activities to address students' diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources.

d.

Provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching.

 

3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning

Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. Teachers:

a.

Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations.

b.

Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.

c.

Communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats.

d.

Model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning.

(http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_for_Teachers_2008.htm)