Teacher-Web Reflection

Creating my own “teacher web” site has given me a better understanding of the practical ways technology can be used in a classroom to make it run more smoothly. Before this project, I was aware of the ways in which technology could benefit my students and provide a method for developing more interactive, deep assignments, but I had little knowledge about how I could benefit from it as a teacher. The biggest strengths of a program like “teacher web” I discovered is this direct and permanent access it provides to class assignments, directions, and schedules. Since all assignments and corresponding materials can be posted online, students cannot blame a lost hand-out or a class absence for their missing work. Moreover, the way this site allows teachers to categorize, group, and update pages provides an excellent way to stay organized and keep all important resources handy. Another feature I appreciate is the ability to customize the site to my personality, preferences, and needs.

Despite its overwhelming benefits, a program like “teacher web” also has its downfalls. For example, it is useful only if all of your students have access to the internet, which may not be the case. Furthermore, allowing students to get online at school always creates the opportunity for getting off task, visiting inappropriate sites, and zoning out. I also think it is important to realize that not every student will be able to keep up with assignments and understand what is expected of them in an online environment. Many people need an actual print-out they can look at, write on, and refer back to whenever and wherever they want. Another aspect to be cautious about are pages that allow students to make posts and/or chat with one another. It is very easy for students to abuse these spaces and post inappropriate, offensive, and hurtful messages. These environments require constant monitoring and censorship, which can take a great deal of time.

Even with these negatives in mind, the potential usefulness in a class website far outweigh the challenges. A great example of this is the connection with parents this type of site allows that may not otherwise exist. With all assignments and student grades posted online, parents can get on and check out their child’s progress, read directions so they can help their student with homework, and correspond with the teacher through e-mail. You could even create a page especially for parents that contains announcements, concerns, upcoming events, and assignment rationales. Having a page that explains your reasoning behind the books students are reading and the projects they are doing can really help diffuse a lot of confrontation that arises when parents don’t understand why their child has been given a particular task/book. Another idea I have for a parent-teacher interaction is to create a password-protected page where parents can electronically sign permission slips and monthly progress reports. This would greatly reduce the amount of forgery that occurs with these type of forms and will keep the parents abreast of how their child is doing in the class.

For students, I think the most engaging component of a “teacher web” site is the web-quest assignment portion. This section makes students active participants in the construction of their knowledge and gives them some hands-on activities to enhance their absorption rates. Another great way students can participate is through blog/whiteboard pages. These spaces allow students to express their opinions in a public forum and respond to one another. Such collaboration increases the flow of ideas and makes learning more fun. I’m not sure if this is possible, but I had another idea of how my teacher web site could engage students in community building efforts. It would be really useful if each student could create their own profile page (or maybe I could make a links page of their myspace/facebook pages) so the class could get to know one another as people, not just as the kid who sits behind to them in English. Giving students a personal space to represent themselves and learn about their classmates will strengthen the bonds between them and make the classroom a safer, more open environment.