Area of Achievement I
What is the area of achievement that is the focus of this section of your portfolio?
Description: I have a class website that I update regularly for my classes. On the website I have all the lessons, handouts, and activities students complete in class. I also update and maintain the school's main website, which is hosted through Educational Networks. I have developed 2 WebQuests for student instruction in high school math. I also regularly email staff to share with them some tech uses they may not be aware of, which they can easily incorporate into their lessons.
What items have you chosen and why? Describe each item individually, answering as appropriate, who, what, why, where, and when.
Evidence:
Strengths and weaknesses in this area of achievement?
I feel that the websites I make are easy to navigate and visually appealing. I have used several different web-hosting sites to create these samples, so I am very familiar with the tools used. If the web-hosting platform does not allow for a particular item to appear or be moved to right where I want it, I am able to edit the HTML code so that I can make everything exactly how I envision. On area that I need to work on is some of the more advanced CSS and HTML5 code, which I am unfamiliar with. I also am not currently skilled in creating a visually attractive website using software like Adobe DreamWeaver. I have used this program to create a website in the past, but my hands-on experience is very limited.
What are the positive and negative lessons you learned from focusing on this particular area?
I've learned that it is best for my students to create the class routines built into the class website. By doing this, each and every student knows exactly what he or she needs to do upon entering the room. This has an added plus in that on the occasions when I am out of the classroom (out for the day, parent meeting, conferences) students still know what must be completed, putting responsibility back on them. The class website has evolved into a digital locker for my students.
One negative thing I have learned is that the constant evolution of technology and website URLs means that if you are not using the site for a month or two, you had better check that all of your links still work. For example, my Mobile Phones WebQuest was created in the month of June and not used in class until October. At the time, I didn't check that some of the pages were still active links and this derailed my lesson for about 10 minutes. In addition, that same WebQuest now needs a complete update because the iPhone 3 and the Palm Pre are now considered outdated technology.
How will you use what you have learned?
Continuing to update my class website is a priority, and students have given my very positive feedback on the format and routine of the class. I will continue to use what I have learned to help teachers develop their own class websites, and use them regularly to communicate with parents and students. After all, 4 teachers have launched their own class websites at the start of this year. My ultimate goal is to chuck the Education Networks platform for the school's main site, and have a portal so that students and parents can access teachers' webpages, submit homework, and participate in discussion forums.
How do you plan to continue working on this area of achievement?
I will continue to keep my teacher webpage updated and eventually develop a database of resources for students. I will also add a section or a completely new website for aiding teachers in technology professional development. This way, when teachers have questions I can direct them to a link instead of describing everything in an email, or they can go there themselves. The NHCS website will undertake a complete overhaul. We were supposed to do it this year, but the budget slump got in the way. By Spring 2014, I hope to launch a fully-revamped NHCS Website complete with a parent and student portal (and no more hideous colors). I also would like to continue my education and take a class or two about using some of the Adobe Suite programs.
Identify the primary professional licensure standards addressed by this area of achievement, and describe how they are met by your items.
MASSACHUSETTS LICENSURE STANDARDS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY
(2) Communications and research tools such as email, world wide web, web browsers, and other online applications that link to the state standards and requirements, for professional and instructional use.
Description: I have a class website that I update regularly for my classes. On the website I have all the lessons, handouts, and activities students complete in class. I also update and maintain the school's main website, which is hosted through Educational Networks. I have developed 2 WebQuests for student instruction in high school math. I also regularly email staff to share with them some tech uses they may not be aware of, which they can easily incorporate into their lessons.
What items have you chosen and why? Describe each item individually, answering as appropriate, who, what, why, where, and when.
Evidence:
- NHCS Classroom Website - Provides an example of the tech instruction within the classroom, and uses of multiple mediums on a website (text, images, video, embedded codes, etc.)
- Mobile Phones WebQuest and Wedding Cake WebQuest - Shows 2 examples of project-based learning using website-creation and internet resources
- Neighborhood House Charter School Website - The NHCS main website. Although editing through Educational Networks's platform is sometimes very limiting, this site shows an example of a larger website and the assigning of the appropriate staff rights/privileges to editing the class website.
- Training Tutorials for the editing of the school's website were created for the administration's professional development, so that they will be able to edit the most basic information on the site via the web platform. Tutorials include: Lunch Menus, News Items, Calendar Events, Other Pages, Converting .DOC to .PDF
Strengths and weaknesses in this area of achievement?
I feel that the websites I make are easy to navigate and visually appealing. I have used several different web-hosting sites to create these samples, so I am very familiar with the tools used. If the web-hosting platform does not allow for a particular item to appear or be moved to right where I want it, I am able to edit the HTML code so that I can make everything exactly how I envision. On area that I need to work on is some of the more advanced CSS and HTML5 code, which I am unfamiliar with. I also am not currently skilled in creating a visually attractive website using software like Adobe DreamWeaver. I have used this program to create a website in the past, but my hands-on experience is very limited.
What are the positive and negative lessons you learned from focusing on this particular area?
I've learned that it is best for my students to create the class routines built into the class website. By doing this, each and every student knows exactly what he or she needs to do upon entering the room. This has an added plus in that on the occasions when I am out of the classroom (out for the day, parent meeting, conferences) students still know what must be completed, putting responsibility back on them. The class website has evolved into a digital locker for my students.
One negative thing I have learned is that the constant evolution of technology and website URLs means that if you are not using the site for a month or two, you had better check that all of your links still work. For example, my Mobile Phones WebQuest was created in the month of June and not used in class until October. At the time, I didn't check that some of the pages were still active links and this derailed my lesson for about 10 minutes. In addition, that same WebQuest now needs a complete update because the iPhone 3 and the Palm Pre are now considered outdated technology.
How will you use what you have learned?
Continuing to update my class website is a priority, and students have given my very positive feedback on the format and routine of the class. I will continue to use what I have learned to help teachers develop their own class websites, and use them regularly to communicate with parents and students. After all, 4 teachers have launched their own class websites at the start of this year. My ultimate goal is to chuck the Education Networks platform for the school's main site, and have a portal so that students and parents can access teachers' webpages, submit homework, and participate in discussion forums.
How do you plan to continue working on this area of achievement?
I will continue to keep my teacher webpage updated and eventually develop a database of resources for students. I will also add a section or a completely new website for aiding teachers in technology professional development. This way, when teachers have questions I can direct them to a link instead of describing everything in an email, or they can go there themselves. The NHCS website will undertake a complete overhaul. We were supposed to do it this year, but the budget slump got in the way. By Spring 2014, I hope to launch a fully-revamped NHCS Website complete with a parent and student portal (and no more hideous colors). I also would like to continue my education and take a class or two about using some of the Adobe Suite programs.
Identify the primary professional licensure standards addressed by this area of achievement, and describe how they are met by your items.
MASSACHUSETTS LICENSURE STANDARDS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY
(2) Communications and research tools such as email, world wide web, web browsers, and other online applications that link to the state standards and requirements, for professional and instructional use.