Week 3: Reflection (Wikis, Blogs and the wonders of Weebly)

WIKIS:

Below is a the link to a youtube video I found to be very useful in describing what a wikispace is, how a wikispace works and a list of great examples of activities that can be used through the use of a wikispace within the classroom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiGYfBkowe4


BLOGS:











(http://supportblogging.com/educationalblogging/)


WEEBLY:

This week one of our tasks was to create a Weebly page. Weebly allows you to use a website for many purposes. For example, websites such as youtube and flickr can only be used for one type of artefact. Youtube being for videos and Flickr is used for images only. However, websites like Weebly allows for various different webpages to be accessed from one site through the use of linking.
(W. Fasso, 2014) 

An example of linking is to add a youtube video required for your students to your Weebly homepage or powerpoints, word documents and pictures being downloaded directly onto the Weebly page instead of having students making various websites accounts for SlideShare and Flickr. All learning would be controlled by one webpage. Weebly, and many sites like it, would be able to allow students to easily maintain and keep online research on a webpage for a teacher to monitor. This technology can allow access to various links and artefacts including youtube, blogs, forums, surveys, photo galleries, polls and maps.

Through the use of Weebly students would now be able to submit their creative writing assignments, short stories and reflective journals on the webpage for the m to easily edit and access their results or feedback from the teacher. This is a prime example of the SAMR model’s level of Substitution as no functional change has been established, however a convenience has been created for both the students and teacher.

Augmentation is the second level of the SAMR model. Students creating a picture gallery of their own personal artwork from class can create their own portfolio for assessment. This allows students to take a photo of their artwork, directly save onto the computer and then upload onto the picture gallery for their portfolio. By using a picture gallery on Weebly students no longer need to print pictures, cut and paste into scrapbooks and hand in large folders or artwork to teachers for marking. Weebly picture gallery would also encourage students to create artwork through online resources or even basic paint on any windows computer.

The level of Modification from the SAMR model would be achieved in the classroom through activities such as, students uploading an audio or video file of them presenting a summary or reflection of what they have learnt on a certain topic. Another activity of the modification level would be to have the students upload a PowerPoint presentation slideshow with background music, images and information regarding a certain topic or a story as assessment. Both these activities are redesigned from the original task of using paper and pen or speaking in front of a class. There has been a significant transformation in the classroom and student’s learning through the collaboration of technologies.

An example of the SAMR model’s Redefinition would be the use of polls, forums, and surveys on the Weebly page to be answered by other teachers, classmates, school peers from various year levels and parents. This allows students to create their own questions and topics for these activities, and discussion with other peers to create a new level of understanding and learning within the classroom. 

The picture below is a screenshot of my own Weebly page I created this week for the course activity. Here, I was able to add a link to my blogger page. This allows for students to easily maintain all their webpages, such as blogs and wikispaces, on one site for a teacher to access and monitor for assessment. I think this is a great tool in keeping the marking of assessment simple and time smart instead of looking for many different pages for each student.














(http://theclassroomofmissjensen.weebly.com/)

Creativity is also required by students for the design and layout of their Weebly page. Students get to design their own page name, choose a layout and colour scheme for the page, and decide what resource and artefacts they wish to upload to the page. This helps to bring the individualism and personality of a student to life, making the webpage unique to each student. A Weebly page becomes their own personal learning space, which can help in productivity and engagement for the student. They are in full control. This would follow the SAMR model's Augmentation, as this tool has allowed for a significant task redesign through having one page with all their learning instead of a book cluttered with information. 

Another huge plus for the Weebly page is that the access to the pages can be locked through the use of a password. This would be an example of the SAMR models' Redefinition. By creating passwords on each page the general public would not be able to gain access, allowing myself as the teacher to model cyber-safety and emphasis its importance to students. Students would also be able to access the Weebly page away from school to use for assignments, discussions with peers and nightly homework. It also allows myself as the teacher to be able to easily mark these assessment tasks and monitor the webpages away from the classroom with immediate feedback and results.

The downside to this weeks group tool was that I could not find any downside to the Weebly wesbsite. I can't wait to use such a wonderful tool in my very own classroom in the year to come!