Manuel Gómez’ Classroom Web Page
Manuel Gómez
Manuelgomez3@mac.com
10/10/09
EDTEC 541, Thursday 7 pm on campus class

Problem, Need, or Opportunity?

Many students at SDSU ride their bikes without paying attention to traffic signs or use no logic in their decisions while riding their bikes.  For example, many ride on the wrong side of the road or on the sidewalk.   This behavior is very dangerous, but it is considered “smart cycling” by many riders.  However, following and respecting traffic signs, bicycling in the same direction as motorized vehicles, bicycling on the street not on sidewalks, making yourself visible to drivers, and predictable by using hand signals to let them know your intentions.  These are some of the behaviors of effective cyclists.

Audience

I believe that there is a need within the student community at SDSU to create an educated cyclist community.  My website will give bicycling students the opportunity to take courses available to become effective riders.  It will also give them names of organizations, clubs, and events around the county.   I believe my website will increase the use of bicycles as safe medium for transportation.  I hope that this knowledge and experience will last not only during their years at college, but it will follow them for the rest of their lives.  I am 53 years old and bicycling is my main medium of transportation.  I envision many people becoming bicycle riders for life as I have done.

User’s need

I asked for input from a bicycle association, a bicyclist from SDSU, and a non-bicyclist
for my web site.  I am still waiting for a response from the association.  The bicyclist was, indeed, interested in tips of how to avoid accidents and courses available at the university, if any, and also if credits would be granted for these courses.
The non-bicyclist was more interested in buying a bike.  He saw this web site as a place to buy bikes.   That is not my intention, but I may have links to bike stores.

Environment

The user will be a student that will access the website either from their home or school.  I am looking forward to this website eventually being part of SDSU’s website because of the many benefits that it can bring to students.  The navigation system will have a page for courses with the description of the course and their benefits.  Another page will contain links to bicycling organizations, SDSU community organizations, and bicycling events around the county.  I will update this website every month with new rides around the county, schedules of classes available, and the legal battles our association has at federal and state levels for bicyclists’ rights.

Resources and limitations

Because I am a member of many bicycling organizations I do have access to many of the materials required to make this a successful website.  The amount of time I have available is of great concern to me because I work full time as a teacher, I am the Union representative at my school site, as well as a Union board member, so most of my time is spent working with my students in class or attending meetings before and after school.  Weekends are dedicated to working on my website and most of the materials are already created so I think I can manage it.

General solution

I assume a web page that helps a large percentage of the student population at SDSU, bicyclists, will be highly visited as soon as some promotion on it is done using the students organizations at this campus.  My goal is teach cyclists at SDSU how to become safe and effective riders.