Red Devil Information

I have been experimenting with using different forms of Web 2.0 with my classroom this year. First of all, I’ve created a “fully functional website” using Google Pages for my classes. It is delightful to update and work on my site anyplace I choose, rather than always coming home and slogging through DreamWeaver. Though my site is not as attractive as the one I built with the more capable DreamWeaver, Google Pages offers everything I really need and allows me to keep current much more easily. I keep the class guidelines here, the current work for the week, and the makeup work for the inumberable students we have coming in late this year. I also have some photos of the classes for the students to enjoy.

I also tried to use WizIQ (similar to Adobe Connect in many ways) to post information and have students interact simultaneously with that information, but that experiment didn’t work very well. The students enjoyed the madcap atmosphere, but it did not help me deliver the curriculum and I have discontinued it.

I have set up a blog for my students to access concerning what’s going on at school or in my head. There are polls posted there they can take, and class or school related thoughts they can comment on. They are also told they can give me feedback on what is going on in class. Few students are interested in checking the blog, and fewer still comment on what is include, but I will try to grow this over time.

Another new thing I am trying is setting up a wiki for the classes to create an online glossary. Each student is given one word to define for the class and give examples. They also need to include an image of the term. This has been interesting and frustrating. As we can not all work on it at once, I have the kids do it on their own time, either at home or during the school day. Many times I have had work deleted as the students add more. I can always go back to earlier versions, but this is presenting the glossary from growing. Still, it’s good experience, and the students are at least learning what a wiki is.

I need to start working on getting some multimedia onto the Net so my students can access some of my presentations online. I’m still working through how to do this, but time is at a premium. We are introducing a new information management system on campus, and the place is chaotic. We are simultaneously adapting to a new assessment system as well, so all common assessments must be redone. Time is at a premium. Still, I plan on getting to work on it soon . . .hopefully.