Web Authoring Tools
I have used Dreamweaver, WordPress, Wix, Wikispaces, Google Sites and Weebly. For educational purposes, I prefer to use Weebly as it is so user friendly, I plan on having students create their own websites for digital portfolio’s in my future classes, using Weebly Education! If there are any web authoring tools that you prefer, please share as I am always interested in trying out different tools! Having the skill to set up a website, like in Weebly, could come as an asset for future employers. I plan to provide my students with the opportunity to become familiar with web authoring, at a basic level, so that they are familiar with the process and can build on it in future classes or jobs.
WebQuests
I have used the internet in my classes and I have also used WebQuests in my classes. There is definitely a difference between the two. With the WebQuests, students were required to provide feedback via an online form they filled out during/at the completion of the WebQuest. The idea was to guide them through a variety of web resources so that they can learn at their own pace as well as give them a break from listening to me talk at the front of the class! I use WebQuests when I am referencing information that I have found on the internet to begin with and instead of printing the steps out or giving a lecture based lesson, WebQuests provide another form of sharing information. I was surprised to find, that in one of my classes, after receiving feedback in the form of a questionnaire, over half of the students would have preferred a lecture style lesson! This goes to show that while the internet can provide a great deal of resources and platforms to bring into the classroom, student input and preferences should be accepted and responded to. With that particular class, I did not include another WebQuest but I think, had I more time with them, would have provided it as an alternative to lecture for those students who had a preference for WebQuests. Do you have any stories about WebQuests in your classrooms? Please share in the comments below!
I have used Dreamweaver, WordPress, Wix, Wikispaces, Google Sites and Weebly. For educational purposes, I prefer to use Weebly as it is so user friendly, I plan on having students create their own websites for digital portfolio’s in my future classes, using Weebly Education! If there are any web authoring tools that you prefer, please share as I am always interested in trying out different tools! Having the skill to set up a website, like in Weebly, could come as an asset for future employers. I plan to provide my students with the opportunity to become familiar with web authoring, at a basic level, so that they are familiar with the process and can build on it in future classes or jobs.
WebQuests
I have used the internet in my classes and I have also used WebQuests in my classes. There is definitely a difference between the two. With the WebQuests, students were required to provide feedback via an online form they filled out during/at the completion of the WebQuest. The idea was to guide them through a variety of web resources so that they can learn at their own pace as well as give them a break from listening to me talk at the front of the class! I use WebQuests when I am referencing information that I have found on the internet to begin with and instead of printing the steps out or giving a lecture based lesson, WebQuests provide another form of sharing information. I was surprised to find, that in one of my classes, after receiving feedback in the form of a questionnaire, over half of the students would have preferred a lecture style lesson! This goes to show that while the internet can provide a great deal of resources and platforms to bring into the classroom, student input and preferences should be accepted and responded to. With that particular class, I did not include another WebQuest but I think, had I more time with them, would have provided it as an alternative to lecture for those students who had a preference for WebQuests. Do you have any stories about WebQuests in your classrooms? Please share in the comments below!
Digital Storytelling
Having taught Graphic Arts 8 in my last practicum, I had the awesome opportunity to teach an Advertising Unit and work with a community figure who was looking for a commercial to be filmed for his business. He offered to hold a contest for the Graphic Arts students to film commercials, then he would post them on YouTube and the commercial with the most Likes would be the winner and receive a prize. I was excited to take this opportunity and run with it and wow did I learn a lot! The students put in a great deal of effort and did a fantastic job. Each group started out with a Storyboard template which they filled in with illustrations, camera angles and dialogue. Once that was complete, they started filming and then went into the editing portion. I did notice that while some groups stayed quite similar to their Storyboard, some groups totally changed their original plan and ended up filming something entirely different. There are many considerations when using Digital Storytelling in the classroom, and I definitely think that it is important, as the article shared, to not get carried away with the technology and forget about the story being told. Like I said, the groups did a fantastic job and worked diligently on their commercials, however it was apparent that in some circumstances, the original storyline was bypassed for a new one. Whether or not this was the technology that dictated the change or just a better idea or storyline came about, having and following a storyboard is key in ensuring that timing, sequence and the storyline all come together in the final product, leaving little editing required at completion of filming. Here is a link to the website I created in Google Sites for that Graphic Arts 8 class: https://sites.google.com/site/ga8advertising/home
Flipped Classroom
I think that the idea of a flipped classroom is great, however, student preferences and skills should be taken into consideration when employing instructional strategies. The flipped classroom does provide many benefits. Students should be at the centre of flipped classrooms, not the content. I think that providing tutorials or videos online is a great way for teaching specific skills or techniques. This way students that are quicker at picking up a process can move on to a project, while others can review resources as well as work with peers and the teacher to gain a better understanding. I think it is also a benefit for those students with attendance issues, as they can access class information online either when they return to class or from home if they have internet access. I would prefer assigning in-class time for students to go through the online resources, that way there are peers and the instructor to assist if there are questions. I realize that in some classes that is not realistic as time and resources can be a factor, but if they are not then I think it would be a great way to encourage self-initiated learning and to capitalize on those students that grasp a concept quickly as they can then be go-to-people in that concept for their peers. If you have a flipped classroom experience, please share!
Having taught Graphic Arts 8 in my last practicum, I had the awesome opportunity to teach an Advertising Unit and work with a community figure who was looking for a commercial to be filmed for his business. He offered to hold a contest for the Graphic Arts students to film commercials, then he would post them on YouTube and the commercial with the most Likes would be the winner and receive a prize. I was excited to take this opportunity and run with it and wow did I learn a lot! The students put in a great deal of effort and did a fantastic job. Each group started out with a Storyboard template which they filled in with illustrations, camera angles and dialogue. Once that was complete, they started filming and then went into the editing portion. I did notice that while some groups stayed quite similar to their Storyboard, some groups totally changed their original plan and ended up filming something entirely different. There are many considerations when using Digital Storytelling in the classroom, and I definitely think that it is important, as the article shared, to not get carried away with the technology and forget about the story being told. Like I said, the groups did a fantastic job and worked diligently on their commercials, however it was apparent that in some circumstances, the original storyline was bypassed for a new one. Whether or not this was the technology that dictated the change or just a better idea or storyline came about, having and following a storyboard is key in ensuring that timing, sequence and the storyline all come together in the final product, leaving little editing required at completion of filming. Here is a link to the website I created in Google Sites for that Graphic Arts 8 class: https://sites.google.com/site/ga8advertising/home
Flipped Classroom
I think that the idea of a flipped classroom is great, however, student preferences and skills should be taken into consideration when employing instructional strategies. The flipped classroom does provide many benefits. Students should be at the centre of flipped classrooms, not the content. I think that providing tutorials or videos online is a great way for teaching specific skills or techniques. This way students that are quicker at picking up a process can move on to a project, while others can review resources as well as work with peers and the teacher to gain a better understanding. I think it is also a benefit for those students with attendance issues, as they can access class information online either when they return to class or from home if they have internet access. I would prefer assigning in-class time for students to go through the online resources, that way there are peers and the instructor to assist if there are questions. I realize that in some classes that is not realistic as time and resources can be a factor, but if they are not then I think it would be a great way to encourage self-initiated learning and to capitalize on those students that grasp a concept quickly as they can then be go-to-people in that concept for their peers. If you have a flipped classroom experience, please share!
My Comments
Josh Morales Journal: http://joshmoralesjournal.weebly.com/online-journal.html
Meagan's Journal: http://meagansjournal.weebly.com/1/post/2013/07/topic-6-publishing.html?
Josh Morales Journal: http://joshmoralesjournal.weebly.com/online-journal.html
Meagan's Journal: http://meagansjournal.weebly.com/1/post/2013/07/topic-6-publishing.html?