Post 4: website creation

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/02/10-ways-for-teachers-and-students-to.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FreeTechnologyForTeachers+%28Free+Technology+for+Teachers%29

Above is a link to a blog posting about teachers, students, and website creation. It's something that I've, as of recent, been thinking about. I want to do a project where students, either working in a group or pairs, create their own website. I think it is a great tool to learn, and it would be a skill that would be of use in their upcoming years (no matter what the age). For instance, imagine a 7th grade student that has to make a presentation on the American Revolution. How wowed would you be by a powerpoint presentation? Not very, I'm sure. But a student that can create their own mini-website on the war and include video/pictures? I would be pretty impressed.

When I first started thinking about website creation and all that it entails, I got overwhelmed. I thought I would never be able to teach something like this at the elementary grade level. I have to say, I am becoming more comfortable with the idea as the year progresses. I have found this site, weebly.com, and it could not be easier to create a website (I even used the site for my e-portfolio!) I added videos, pictures, documents and so much more! As I was making the website, I knew I wanted to incorporate weebly into a project in the future.

The PBL assignment we have due in this class is definitely going to be centered around my fictional students making websites. I'm still thinking about topics (possibly colonial times), but I know I will definitely have the students (working in a group of 5) create a website. Each week they will add a new page (which will be about a different topic that they learned about during that week.) The students will create hands-on projects in class and then put their information up on their website. The parents will be able to check out the progress daily and the teacher will have several websites to show their students the following year. I'm still working out all the kinks, but I think this is my idea thus far.

As for the actual blog post, the author offered great suggestions to website creation as well as different sites that can be used. Google sites was one of the authors favorites, next they mentioned weebly (my personal favorite) and there were many other great sites mentioned as well. Website creation is slowly but surely making it's way into the curriculum, and is a 21st century skill that will serve our students greatly in the future.

Hope everyone is enjoying their time off- if you have this week off!

Sarah