Building class website
- 1. MAINTAINING A WEB PRESENCE Creating and Maintaining a Class Website
- 2. BENEFITS AND RATIONALE Opens a direct and constant line of communication between you and all concerned New students can catch up independently Parents can learn sans Back to School Assists special needs students Saves on paper Instant dynamic updates One place to put everything important.
- 3. ESTABLISHING YOUR SITE Free Wiki – recommended for ease Purchase domain – recommended for flexibility and expansion – comes with 500 email addresses Mine is Gate.com School-provided server webspace
- 4. BASIC SITE ELEMENTS Introductory Page should be designed for return visitors, not new arrivals Put new arrival information on separate page Create an constant navigation bar Insert a face avatar Perhaps have an Update/Reminder Banner
- 5. SITE CONTENT Your contact info Course description / syllabus Classroom rules – behavior, late papers, etc. Grading policies – point/lette system, make-up, extra credit Calendar Resource Portal – host all handouts and presentations as download and embed Internet Portal – links to frequently used websites Student Showcase -- student prototypes of projects, examples of student work Embed at least one Google form Use some form of multimedia at least once – an embedded video, an animation, a sound file, other
Editor's Notes
- #2: Build a Class Website for All Your Classes Put all you can on this site -- contact info, course description, classroom rules, grading policies, make-up work and extra credit, syllabus, calendar, all handouts and presentations as download and embed, resources as files or links or embeds, student prototypes of projects, examples of student work. Insert Google form Require at least one digital submission of an attached file from your students -- collect it, assess it digitally, and return it digitally Benefits and rationale: Opens a direct and constant line of communication between you and students, parents, administrators, community. New students don’t need to be taken aside and updated on all your class rules and syllabus. Parents can learn all about your class without having to come to Back to School or Open House. Assists special needs students by providing printed copy of course necessities; case workers and tutors have access to content. Saves on paper. Gives you one place to put everything important.