Week Ten Reflection (Website)

Group,

I do apologize for posting so late. I actually forgot about posting after the website. Well, here goes. I have done websites before, but for some reason I couldn't seem to get it together on this one. I have never used Google to create a site, but it was fairly easy. The hard part for me was deciding which information to include and/or exclude. I also feel that if I had taken more time, my site would have been better. I am probably going to make some changes to the site. I forgot a couple links and I wanted to add a few more pages. After all the discussions we've had this semester on planning, I failed to properly plan my website. I drastically underestimated the amount of time needed to complete the assignment. I also didn't take into consideration the fact that I had never used Google. While it was fairly user-friendly, I had to keep reminding myself that most of the changes I needed to make would be achieved by clicking on the 'Edit Sidebar' link and not the 'Edit Page' button. The last thing I couldn't figure out how to do was create and attach a logo. I'm sure the attaching part would have been easy, but I had no idea how to create one. I read the tutorial over and over, but I just couldn't figure it out. I'm sure if someone tells me, I'll feel real bad. It was probably something really easy that I kept missing.

Thoughts and Wonders

Week Eight Project Reflection

The tasks used to complete this assignment are closely related to an actual project my students will be participating in later on this month and next month. Internet safety is extremely serious and I have been trying different methods and lessons to see which ones offer the students the most information. It is also important that the lessons are fun and enjoyable.

I found the tasks associated with this assignment a little daunting. I have never used any of the sites that we had to use to complete them. I was also a little confused when it came to the website evaluations. I kept reading the course schedule, the syllabus, and the email, but I still could not figure out if I was suppose to complete design and content evaluations on one or two websites. In the end, I decided to complete a design evaluation and a content evaluation on one site.

The first task I created was the puzzle. I decided to create a word-find that might be appropriate for second or third grade students. For fourth or fifth grade students, I would create a crossword puzzle. After the puzzle, I decided to tackle the test. While I have never used Easy Test Maker, it was very easy. It reminds me of the Quiz Maker in the Promethean software we use at work. The only problem I had with the Easy Test Maker was that there was no place for me to put my answers to create a key, because all my questions were short-answer.

Creating the rubric was not hard, but trying to make the numbers at the top of each category work with the grades I already used in my Excel sheet was a little interesting. I wanted to use single digits (5, 4, 3, 2, 1), but my grades were based on a 100 point scale. That meant I had to come up with a range. That’s exactly what I did. I used a range and changed the wording on to match the ranges. Well, that’s what I attempted to do. While I am sure it is not the greatest rubric every created, I feel like my fourth and fifth grade students would be able to understand it. For younger students, I prefer to use the three-face rubric. I am sure that is not the formal name for it, but it works really well. One face is smiling, one face has a straight line for a mouth, and one face has a frowning mouth. The students really like it.

Overall, I think the different web tools we used were appealing. They were user-friendly and, most of all, free. That is always a great feature for teachers.

Below are the links for my documents.

TrackStar

Puzzle

Test

Rubric

Web Evaluations

Week Seven Reflection Question

How can a classroom website improve communications with students, parents, and community?

Classroom websites are to present classrooms what the bulletin board was to past classrooms. With all the activities and events happening in classes and at schools, teachers are required to pass on massive amounts of information to students and parents on a regular basis. Sometimes, it is hard to keep up with all of it. Websites, unlike bulletin boards, are far reaching and more convenient.

Having a class site is wonderful for students. In the past, if a student forgot to, did not finish, or incorrectly wrote down information, a teacher would have to be called or the student would have to go without the information until the next day. If the information was homework related, getting it the next day could be too late. Updated and current class sites alleviate this problem. Teachers can post assignments, suggestions, helpful resources, and a host of information for students to use.

Coupled with things like pencasts and podcasts, class sites can be used to show students how to complete assignments or revisit concepts they did not grasp in class. This is also a benefit for parents. Often parents are unable to help children with homework because they do not understand the subject or the student can’t explain what they don’t understand. If a teacher has a video explaining steps or procedures or a pencast/podcast walking through the steps, a parent might be able to watch it and have a better chance of helping the child grasp the concept. Class sites also help parents stay connected to what is happening in the class. While most schools have open-door policies, most parents have jobs that don’t allow them to visit schools on a day-to-day basis. The class website can keep them informed on the day-to-day or week-to-week happenings of the class.

Most schools regularly need volunteers. A lot of times, volunteer opportunities are missed for two reasons. The volunteers didn’t know the need was there and the classroom teacher couldn’t connect with the volunteers. Class sites make it possible for teachers to place requests on the site for volunteers. This, however, can be a tricky situation. In some districts, there are requirements for volunteers. While it is good to use websites to get information out and possible volunteers in, a teacher must make sure to follow the district policy as it relates to volunteer requirements. The class sites also let people in the community know what positive things are happening in the classroom.

What is an acceptable use policy?

While I’m not sure, I would assume most districts have acceptable use policies in place now. An acceptable use policy (AUP) is a set of rules created at the district or school to keep students safe and out of trouble while using the internet. In most cases, the AUP is also in place for employees. The policies tell students, parents, and employees what is and is not acceptable when using school computers and internet related resources. While some districts have extensive, detailed policies, other districts have short, summarized versions. It also states what could possibly happen if the policy is violated. As technology changes and advances, districts and schools should remember to keep their policies updated. A policy from ten years ago might not have any information on the use of social networks, but that would definitely be something to consider today.

What impact does it (AUP) have on the use of the Web in the classroom?

Teachers should be very familiar with their district and/or school’s AUP. Having little or no knowledge of this policy could lead to problems. However, the AUP can be used as a guide to help teachers decide what to include and what to leave out when designing and creating the class sites. It is also good to know what to do when students use the internet to complete assignments.