For my final vision project, I created a
library blog using Edublog that is designed to meet the needs of our school
community, in particular the students. You
can check it out here.
My primary goals were to create a blog that
was simply laid out, interactive, easy to navigate and something I could easily
maintain myself. It would also contain
material that would be used during our weekly 40 minute blocks and one
students could access easily outside the school library.
With the school being solely French
Immersion and students working in a second language, I also wanted to add as
many visual features as possible. I had
wanted to include short instructional videos that I thought would be helpful
but this will need to be something I add in the future.
For those that have children in the French Immersion programme or have an
interest in French Immersion, here are the pages and links I think you might
find helpful. They can also be viewed on the blog.
1) How you can help your child in the French
Immersion program. Click here for info.
2) Helping your child with dictée. Click here for info.
3) Reading at home with your child. Click here for info.
4) L’album de l’année (Surrey picturebook of the year in French). Click here for info.
* I have prepared a few lessons on
translation but want to try them out with the students first. Please check back on the blog.
I feel like I have just scratched the surface with the blog. I know there is so much more to add and explore but I am happy with what I have accomplished so far. I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I did if it wasn’t for the help I received from the Edublog support team. They responded to my emails within twenty-four hours with clear and helpful solutions. I'm glad I went with Edublog. Click here for more info about Edublog.
Am I on the right track?
Looking back at Will Richardson’s book, Why School and the points he makes on “what readers and writers need in the 21st century", I asked myself the question how does the library website I created address these needs?
Looking back at Will Richardson’s book, Why School and the points he makes on “what readers and writers need in the 21st century", I asked myself the question how does the library website I created address these needs?
By creating a site that is interactive and
focused on students, students will have the opportunity to become more proficient
with a variety of technology.
The Twitter library account and blog posts
with a comment feature will provide students with an opportunity to
interact with others and reaching out to a wider audience.
The resources and tools provided on the blog for both
teachers and students will allow them the opportunity to design and share
information for a global community.
Info and lessons on digital citizenship
have been posted on the site and will be incorporated into our library
activities. This type of exposure will hopefully help them make good choices when using technology.
What’s next?
I need student material on the blog. I now realize that I should probably have
student work on the posts and keep information/instructions on the pages. Perhaps student blogs on the site in the
future, too?
I will probably need to categorize the
navigational bar or create a sidebar with division lists and keep
information there instead of in the posts.
I want to avoid the blog looking too cluttered as I continue to add
information and material.
The library blog was designed to address the needs of the 21st learner and I believe, is a first step towards transforming our library into a learning commons.
The library blog was designed to address the needs of the 21st learner and I believe, is a first step towards transforming our library into a learning commons.
Reflections:
I was at a workshop this past Thursday and
one of the activities was to simulate a Twitter interaction. There were different sticky notes for tweets,
replies, favorites and retweets. Before
the course, I would have been as confused as many of the people in the room
seemed to have been. Wow, I knew what to
do!
It was exciting to think I was at a place now where I didn’t have to figure out what to do, I could get on with the task at hand! Developing the skills to socially network with others will definitely serve me well as I continue to learn and grow by connecting with others within and outside my community.
It was exciting to think I was at a place now where I didn’t have to figure out what to do, I could get on with the task at hand! Developing the skills to socially network with others will definitely serve me well as I continue to learn and grow by connecting with others within and outside my community.
Also, this is the first online course that didn’t
feel like an online course. Interacting with others through the blog posts and in the hangouts provided an opportunity to get to know others in the class in a meaningful way. I know I have
made connections that will extend past the class.
Finally, I was definitely taken outside my comfort
zone with this course. I think this was due in large part to my lack of technology skills and very
little experience with inquiry-based learning. I feel much more confident working with 21st century learners and I know the skills I have learned will serve
me well both in my professional and personal life.
Resources:
Wanda. 2003. Just scratching
the surface. [image online] Available at: http://teamworkscom.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Blog_Hub_Graphic-02.png
[Accessed: 6 Apr 2014].
Resources:
Ecole Innisfail Middle School.
2014. Why French Immersion?. [image online] Available at:
http://www.innisfailmiddle.ca/French%20Immersion.php [Accessed: 6 Apr 2014].
Richardson, W. (2012). Why School?: How Education Must
Change When Learning and Information Are Everywhere. TED Conferences
Publishing.
West, L. 2013. Blog. [image
online] Available at:
http://www.influenceexpansion.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/blogs.jpg
[Accessed: 6 Apr 2014].
Wikimedia. 2014. Smiley face.
[image online] Available at:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/Smiley.svg/800px-Smiley.svg.png
[Accessed: 6 Apr 2014].
Your website looks amazing! I had to design a website for another class this semester and wished I had chosen Edublogs based on how you got yours to look! I like that you linked our district resources up in the navigation bar (hopefully it will create some traffic to the great resources the district pays for!). I'm so impressed with how great your website is and how you can use it today!
ReplyDeleteMme Leslie - you are an inspiration! I love your Final Visions Project Blog. I especially like how you've managed to combine complexity and simplicity in its design. Edublogs is a great platform too. Well done mon amie...Cathy D.
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