Assignment #4

you can view my Final Project here

First of all I must say that this assignment has been very beneficial and interesting to do. It tested me what I know, what I learned and what I still need to learn. It seems that I have learned an enormous amount of material since coming to this class, however, doing my own technology project I realized how much I don’t know… and it’s unfortunate that once I am done with this class, I am on my own and will have to learn and keep up to date with all the new technological inventions—I hope that I will be able to keep up!...
Now about my project…
At first, as I mentioned in my earlier entry concerning my technology project, I planned on doing a web quest. Well, that did not work. I thought web quest will be kind of cool to do because no one else was doing it and this way I can learn about other people’s uses of technology and my own. Well, when I started my research and planned out the lesson I was going to post on a Web Quest things did not go well, mainly because it seemed too simple and unattractive to me. Also I thought that since web quest is already sort of a website, I might as well do a website, this would be something I could keep and use in the future. So the night before the project was due I made up my mind to change my original intent and go with www.webs.com. I must say that I loved the experience and my final outcome.
I learned a lot and it was not extremely complicated (although I am still figuring out some things)… I loved the fact that we are able to create a website without knowing HTML code. It seems easy and very doable. I wonder why more teachers do not use this in their classrooms?
Because I wanted to experience with lots of different things, I used most of the options they had available. I created a blog which I thought would be great to write student weekly reflections; forum – a great way for discussing different subjects and getting students to speak up; photo album where I posted some pics of myself and will be posting pictures of our class once I am teaching; I created two subject classes that I want to teach- this would be where I would post my assignments and announcements for these specific classes; another useful thing that I added to my website is calendar with events and assignment descriptions and dues dates; and my last thing that I am still trying to figure out, is a wiki- if I can figure out how to post documents on a wiki, this would be the place where I would post monthly newsletter for parents to read and be informed.
To sum things up: I created something I will definitely use in the future, and I had fun doing it!

I found a lot of NETS that apply to my website mainly because there are multiple ways that a website can be used, blogs, forums, wikis and many other assignments which I will post on the website in the course of my teaching. I will not explain every one of them because I think they are very self explanatory …

NETS for Students
1 b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression
2 b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiply audiences using a variety of media and formats
5 a. advocate and practice safe, legal and responsible uses of information and technology.
5 b. exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.
5 c. demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning
5 d. exhibit leadership for digital citizenship
6 a. understand and use technology systems

NETS for Teachers
1 a. promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
1 c. promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes
2 b. develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress
2 c. customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources
3 a. demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations
3 b. collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation
3 c. communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats
4 a. advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources
4 b. address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies and providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources
4 c. promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information