Creating
my final vision project has been a very useful culminating activity. My
project, the Kalamalka Staff Collaboration Site, was created to encourage
teachers in my school to collaborate with each other online. The
technology I used to make the site is new to our school district. I was hoping that this website would be a
good introduction to the new system and a way to encourage teachers to give it
a try. I really hope this project encourages my teachers to open their
doors, to share their expertise and to learn from one another.
The
Kalamalka Staff Collaboration Site includes a wiki for each of the following topics: Technology
Troubleshooting, Blended Learning and Student Engagement. It also includes links, pictures, documents,
media and a blog. Making this site has given me good insight as to the
strengths and limitations of Scholantis Sharepoint for Schools, and this is
reflected in the outcome of my project. I discovered that making a website on
this program is simple to a point and then gets complicated quite quickly. For example, it is quite simple to add a link or a document but I couldn't upload videos from a web address. Instead, I needed to first
download the video to my computer and then I could upload it. Another issue I
had was that the system crashed just as I was finished writing the blog for my
site and since the save button was disabled, I had to start again.
I made the wiki page the main focus on the Kalamalka Staff Collaboration
Site. From doing some research on wikis, I have learned that the ones we
can make with Scholantis are very simple and do not give many options for
formatting. As a result, I started to
explore other programs to use and I recently opened a Wikispace account
for the Kalamalka Staff with the idea that it might be more versatile and
inviting to use.
This
course has given me confidence in my ability to use technology; I have learned
how to use Twitter, Google Docs, Delicious, Screenr, Digg reader and how to
make a blog (and attach media). Learning the basics of some of these
technologies has also helped me do some technology troubleshooting on my own
using YouTube. I also feel more confident that I am asking the right questions when I get help
from the district technology teacher.
This
course has also shown me the benefits of becoming a contributor in a personal
learning network. Although I limit social media in my personal life,
the power of networking cannot be ignored in the world of education.
I have started to use a discussion board with my class to discuss issues
in science. Using this method of communicating encourages greater
participation and a more flexible timeline for students so they can all be
contributors. It also gives the opportunity to teach digital literacy
skills so that students can be responsible, respectful members of the online
community.
I typically work behind the scenes, and I enjoy that, but during this course I have learned
that there it benefits the whole school when teachers step up and take a leadership role. I am carrying on in this vein, implementing initiatives
around the library. I am planning a book drive and I have successfully lobbied for a new smartboard.
Libe 477 has been the most useful course I
could have taken at this point in my career. The inquiry and project-based approach of this course, coupled with it's focus on technology and its place in education, has been very inspiring. I intend to continue developing the Kalamalka Staff Collaboration Site.
Thanks for a great course Aaron!
Sources for pictures:
http://teacherleaders.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/file/view/teacher%20catalysts.PNG/450003146/teacher%20catalysts.PNG
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I0UtloxNvI0/Tc8gywFanRI/AAAAAAAAAE0/ygQwXbmx7Fw/s1600/PLN.jpg
http://teacherjcs.wikispaces.com/file/view/Wikispaces_for_Teachers2.jpg/193103482/765x381/Wikispaces_for_Teachers2.jpg
