A teacher webpage is a webpage that parents and students can use outside of the classroom. Many good webpages include class rules and policies, photos, homework assignments, and interesting links. Some are set up as blogs, while others are set up like wikis, or partially online/partially in class pages with password protected sites. They can provide helpful ways for students and parents to stay informed and on track, as well as have some fun looking through the links posted by the teacher.
Even before this class, I knew that I would have a classroom website. I enjoy being creative and making things like this, especially when I know it will benefit my student. I hope to stay on top of it so students and parents can review what is being taught in the classroom on a weekly basis, while staying informed of homework and grades. I think its a great way to organize the content of the class.
I think there are many pros to using teacher webpages; as I already stated they are a great tool for parents and students. Many times, students don't write homework down or listen to dates of upcoming assignments, so the website provides all of this information. It's a good way for students to feel connected to their teacher and class. If a student is absent, they can access the class webpage and stay informed about homework and topics they missed. It provides a quick and easy way for parents to contact teachers through email if they have any questions. Aslo, if you can post pictures it's even better!
However, there are some cons. First of all it becomes problematic if the teacher doesn't keep the website up to date. Moreover, some students may not have computer access at home so they may feel left out ( I realize this isn't common, but it could be a possibility). I think the biggest problem is if it starts out strong, and then the teacher forgets about it. I hope to create a fun interactive website for my students that is up to date and not overwhelming.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Using Webquests
A webquest is a way for students to work online to complete a task. The task is given by the teacher, and it could be long or short...meaning students could work on them for a few class periods or weeks at a time. Students are to complete a task as a specific thing/individual in order to produce a final project that is evaluated by the teacher. They can be good ways for students to participate in cooperative learning or can be done individually. I think that webquests would be great in a social studies classroom. Many of the webquests allow students to virtually travel to different places in the world, past or present, where they can see and understand things that are typically complex. For example, students can be a historian or a traveler who is on a mission to accumulate specific artifacts from different cultures. Students can compose written works about their discoveries of other cultures, or actually create their own story. Webquests are limitless with their opportunities, and I will definitely incorporate them into my classroom. I plan to specifically select one for a project each year in my classroom, but I would also like to have some shorter ones on hand in the classroom for students to work on for fun if they have free time.
As with all educational ideas, there are pros and cons to webquests. First of all, they are very time consuming for the teacher. There are many components to webquests and creating them takes a long time. It will become easier the longer you teach because you will have accumulated templates, topics, and websites. They also allow students to work at their own pace which could be a pro and con. Some students may fly through them, without giving their best effort, while others will lag behind because their confused or not motivated. Still, a positive is that students who do well working at their own pace will thrive when given this type of independance in the classroom. I think they are good because they allow students to use a different approach to learning. Just because the teacher isn't up front lecturing, they will learn through experience and interaction with the material, which is exactly what a webquest allows. Personally, I think that the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to using webquests in the classroom.
As with all educational ideas, there are pros and cons to webquests. First of all, they are very time consuming for the teacher. There are many components to webquests and creating them takes a long time. It will become easier the longer you teach because you will have accumulated templates, topics, and websites. They also allow students to work at their own pace which could be a pro and con. Some students may fly through them, without giving their best effort, while others will lag behind because their confused or not motivated. Still, a positive is that students who do well working at their own pace will thrive when given this type of independance in the classroom. I think they are good because they allow students to use a different approach to learning. Just because the teacher isn't up front lecturing, they will learn through experience and interaction with the material, which is exactly what a webquest allows. Personally, I think that the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to using webquests in the classroom.
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