EDLD 5366 Week 5 Course-Embedded Reflections

          Throughout this course, I have learned and gained much knowledge through the hands-on assignments. Before entering this course, I knew that I would most likely have to design a website and I was excited to do so in week 4, as a group project. From this assignment I learned the real meaning of collaboration! Yes, I have done group assignments before, but this project was different. To be successful in designing this website, everybody in the group had to understand and implement the four basic principles of design, C.R.A.P, for our page (Williams). In the past, I thought that websites and posters should have order in the design. I never knew that this order was called C.R.A.P, the four basic principles of design. Prior knowledge and new information helped me to better understand how to execute this assignment. By having some background knowledge in design, I believe that this experience was great and not overwhelming as I previously thought before entering this course.

            The strategies that I employed in completing this assignment were very simple. I knew that for our website to be a success, as a group we would need to plan ahead and work together as a team. In addition, we also had to design a logo for the website. This task was tricky because the logo had to represent all group members. In week two, we learned about self-branding. The Art of Self Branding stated that you must ask yourself, “Who are you?”(Alcantra 2009).  Our logo became easier to design because we were all educators and our motto was “Teach Because We Care”. I believe that my group worked well together and it showed through our website. I have always thought of myself as a visual and tactile learner, and this assignment has proven this. This course provided many examples of completed websites and logos, through web conferences and wikis, which made this overwhelming assignment easier to complete. The interaction between colleagues was great because everyone was willing to share and collaborate with one another.

          From this group project I learned that to be successful in a group assignment everyone in the group must be willing to collaborate. When I entered this course, I did not have an idea on how to create or design a website. I noticed, in the reading section of week four that there was a YouTube video that gave step-by-step instructions on creating and editing a website. I was thrilled because I am a visual learner. Once I reviewed this video I was ready and excited to create the group website. I am so pleased that we planned ahead for this website since we did have some problems with the first website we created and had to start all over, but it was well worth it! I believe that my colleagues and I will continue to collaborate and grow together throughout this program.  In the future, I would like to research “Is having a class website beneficial for students and parents?” I believe that this is a great action research question because not all schools implement class websites. If the research is proven true, I think that all schools should begin to implement class websites in all grades.

A teacher could implement the use of websites into PK-12 classrooms in various ways. One way that a teacher could implement websites into a classroom is by having it as a learning center. My technology center is set up in this manner. When students rotate to the technology center, they automatically know to go to my blackboard site and click on the correct assignment they will have to complete. This method is catered to all grade-levels and is very simple to implement. Another way to implement websites into classrooms is to let your students complete group projects.  For example, you are working on a unit in social studies that has to do with the different regions; students could work and collaborate on this project together. This approach would cater to the upper grade-levels because it would be more challenging to complete. Implementing websites could be a simple and easy way that teachers can begin to integrate technology into the curriculum. 

References

Alcantara,L.(2012,February). The art of self-branding. Retrieved from

        http://www.lealea.net/blog/comments/the-art-of-self-branding-part-one/

 Williams, R. (2008). The non-designer’s design handbook. (3rd ed.).

 How to Edit and Add Media to your Google Site [http://youtu.be/HW3OElLssgE].

       Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW3OElLssgE&feature=youtu.be