Blogs in Practice

This week I had my SSPP class create group blogs. They divided themselves into groups of 4 to 6, and were required to work as a team deciding on blog names, user names, passwords, templates, themes etc.

Initially there was a deal of confusion and hesitation. However, they eventually settled to the task and I was very pleased with the result. As part of the exercise I set up a class blog where I required them to individually rather than as a team leave comments on my postings. This is going to be an ongoing exercise and I will use it as both a teaching and reflection tool for the students.

The last posting I placed on Wednesday afternoon focused on the Rights of the Child - Child Soldiers. I've asked the students to read the linked article and comment on it. I already have my students send me an electronic journal on a weekly basis. I think these blogs add an extra dimension to this type of communication.

I am looking forward to seeing how this exercise unfolds over the next few weeks. I foresee some difficulties as we have a high student turnover with students coming and going on a regular basis. It can be very frustrating as nothing is really long term.

Well that's it for now.

Web Page Design Dilemma

Talk about a magic carpet ride! I have spent the past couple of hours reading up on building a better website. I found an excellent website called eFUSE which covers all the basics and more. Unfortunately they build their websites with a software program called Net Objects Fusion. It looks great but as I have a reasonably new version of Dreamweaver I am loathe to spend money on another web design package. That aside this website is well worth a visit as it has a very user-friendly interface and great ideas on how to build yourself a website that people will enjoy browsing through.

My dilemma is do I build a website that I want to use in the future or do I just do what most of the other students have done and build one as a learning exercise for this subject... To build a 'real' website will involve an ongoing financial commitment... which gives one pause... but more so the setup time will be huge followed smartly by a continued time commitment for the sites upkeep.

I shall have to give it some serious thought this weekend...

That's More Like It

If at first you don't...

Today has been a plodding exercise. I've been plodding through websites, html codes, Wikis, Blogs etc. I've uploaded images, changed font colours... and wasn't that a challenge on the QUT Wiki site... Anyway I did it and that's very satisfying. I even ploughed through old student Wikis and checked out their recommended sites... compiled them on this semester's Help Content page for other easy reference. If you need some good links re how to put together a pedagogically sound WebQuest; or perhaps you're about to build a WebPage you can access the page I was referring to HERE.

Now comes the daunting parts... a) What will be the focus of my Web Page for the upcoming assignment. b) Now that I have decided on a topic for my WebQuest. How do I make it pedagogically sound and... c) How do I sound like I know what I am talking about.

A Little Progress

I'm happy to say that there has been a little progress since this morning! I unearthed a copy of Dreamweaver MX ... only a year or so behind the latest version... and have been building a webpage with it... nothing too adventurous... a few background images, a couple of linked pages, some text or images linked to external sites, some rollover images (which by the way should be the same size as each other or one of your images will distort!) using tables not frames as frames really annoy me when I am surfing the web, and previewing it in a browser. Can't link you to it which is a shame but I haven't uploaded it as I am still debating on whether or not I'll buy some webspace through Big Pond.

No Time to be a Student

What a frantic week. I've been so busy being a teacher that I haven't had much time or energy to be a student. However I must make the time to learn my craft. I am convinced that as educators we need to be in the forefront of new technology not dragging our heels at the back of the queue. I have been wanting to design a WebQuest for some time and now that I have the opportunity I find myself daunted by the task; especially after looking at that fabulous WebQuest "Learning About Dinosaurs" by Robee Najarro BAJAR. It is very impressive. I would like to design a quest on health and nutrition as I feel it is an area that my students need to look at more closely, and it wouldn't hurt me to focus on it either. If anyone out there has some interesting ideas on this topic I would appreciate your suggestions.


One thing is for sure this is definitely not a good look!

What a Pain

Well haven't I had some fun this evening. First I get stuck in the mother of all traffic jams. When I finally get back home I try to open my blog to add a new posting and whammo... I can't access it. I am that nervous about signing out in case I can't get back in again!

Friday March 9

Well why am I not surprised that my first attempt to login to my newly created blog would be fraught with difficulty. In hindsight it would have been wiser to attempt this last Sunday when all was new and fresh. Point taken and noted for future entries. As today is my first free day after a busy working week I had planned to spend it boning up on Webquests, CALL, CELL, etc etc.

As it turns out I have spent hours playing with my wiki page and attempting to feel comfortable with it. To see what I've been upt to just click the following link: http://teaching.ed.qut.edu.au/cln618/wiki.1-07/index.php/User:N2347229

Day One In Orbit

With a little trepidation I venture into the public transmission of my ponderings.