Ms. Gourley - Jonathan Clodman and Natalija Semjonova
Teacher: Ms. Gourley
Subject: English and Social Sciences
Technology Used: Weebly, Google Calendar, PDF Converter
Subject: English and Social Sciences
Technology Used: Weebly, Google Calendar, PDF Converter
Project Description
Ms. Gourley wanted a variety of services completed for her. During our initial meeting, we were able to take note of what Ms. Gourley wanted and worked with her to simplify them. The discussion was directed using a questionare Natalija had made previously. Using this information, we were able to plan a website that addressed all her needs. We left this meeting with many incredible ideas, which we eventually simplified into a Weebly site with Google Calendar capabilities and online resources.
We gave Ms. Gourley a full walk-through of everything Weebly has to offer. After touring the site, she told us her only immediate request was to learn how to upload resources for her students. We showed her how to upload a file to a page, and also discussed different available file formats. She agreed that PDF would be the most efficient so we created instructions to explain the PDF conversion process.
We taught Ms. Gourley how to create a Weebly site, and how to add/organize pages. We helped her sort her site into sections based off the IDC Teacher Mock Site. She looked at the mock site and pointed out a few features that she liked. She also went to her class for a list of things they wanted on her site. This was really helpful, as it helped direct our lessons, even after our plans had lost their relevance. Based on the mocksite and her students' suggestions, we showed her how to apply more complex elements, such as a forum, into the site.
In addition to Weebly, we also gave Ms. Gourley a walkthrough of the Google Calendar service, and helped her embed calendars into her Weebly site. We showed her how to get an HTML code from the calendar she created on Google. With that code, we showed her the 'Custom HTML' button and talked her through the steps of placing the HTML code into the box. Once she did that, she clicked on a spot on the screen and the calendar appeared!
Our main focus during this placement was improving Ms. Gourley's comfort level with Weebly and other digital tools. We emphasized the importance of "playing" with technology, and reminded her not to be afraid to try new things. Our hope is that she is able to continue using her Weebly site even after we're gone.
We gave Ms. Gourley a full walk-through of everything Weebly has to offer. After touring the site, she told us her only immediate request was to learn how to upload resources for her students. We showed her how to upload a file to a page, and also discussed different available file formats. She agreed that PDF would be the most efficient so we created instructions to explain the PDF conversion process.
We taught Ms. Gourley how to create a Weebly site, and how to add/organize pages. We helped her sort her site into sections based off the IDC Teacher Mock Site. She looked at the mock site and pointed out a few features that she liked. She also went to her class for a list of things they wanted on her site. This was really helpful, as it helped direct our lessons, even after our plans had lost their relevance. Based on the mocksite and her students' suggestions, we showed her how to apply more complex elements, such as a forum, into the site.
In addition to Weebly, we also gave Ms. Gourley a walkthrough of the Google Calendar service, and helped her embed calendars into her Weebly site. We showed her how to get an HTML code from the calendar she created on Google. With that code, we showed her the 'Custom HTML' button and talked her through the steps of placing the HTML code into the box. Once she did that, she clicked on a spot on the screen and the calendar appeared!
Our main focus during this placement was improving Ms. Gourley's comfort level with Weebly and other digital tools. We emphasized the importance of "playing" with technology, and reminded her not to be afraid to try new things. Our hope is that she is able to continue using her Weebly site even after we're gone.
Other Technology Uses
Weebly is a great tool for simple websites. Especially in cases where the user is uncomfortable with technology, Weebly is a user friendly way to create professional resources online. Teachers of any class might create classroom sites, and post files such as outlines or policies. Many teachers appreciate the "forum" feature, which allows students and teachers to discuss specific topics on the Weebly platform. Weebly is an excellent way to create clear, professional, and engaging web pages.
Google Calendar keeps students and teachers organized. Its easy to use interface allows teachers to add, modify, or remove events on their own calendars, as the changes are synchronized across all other platforms. Students can access the same events on their phones, on a teacher's website, or using one of many digital scheduling applications. Any teacher with an interest in organization and student/teacher communication would find Google Calendar to be a useful tool.
Google Calendar keeps students and teachers organized. Its easy to use interface allows teachers to add, modify, or remove events on their own calendars, as the changes are synchronized across all other platforms. Students can access the same events on their phones, on a teacher's website, or using one of many digital scheduling applications. Any teacher with an interest in organization and student/teacher communication would find Google Calendar to be a useful tool.
Portfolio Piece