Ms. Kumarappah-Nervil A., Jess J., Emilie T.
Teacher: Ms. Kumarappah
Subject Area: Social Science Courses
Technology Used: Google Sites, Remind, Google Calendar
Description
For our placement, Ms. Kumarappah wanted us to show her how to setup and manage her own website for her classes. Her requests entailed a way to communicate with all of her classes, a calendar, a separate page for each class and a way to upload documents, handouts and assignments.
She did not want us to create a website for her, but rather create a straightforward set of instructions. We decided the best way to do this was to create a Google Doc to share with her. We created an email account for the sole purpose of creating a model website. As we went through the motions of creating a Google Sites for a classroom, we took screenshots to accompany the step-by-step instructions we created for Ms. Kumarappah. In addition, we showed her how to create a Remind account. This program allows students to subscribe to text messages and teachers can send mass-messages to subscribed individuals regarding upcoming assignments, projects, field trips, deadlines and assessments. It is particularly useful, as it allows teachers to send messages to individual classes.
We asked her to look it over and contact us with any further questions, or to let us know if she wanted us to help her set up her class sites. However, she decided to forgo creating a website until the beginning of the next academic term. Nonetheless, she told us that our instructions were clear and that she was able to understand them.
Here is the Google Doc we created for Ms. Kumarappah:
Teacher: Ms. Kumarappah
Subject Area: Social Science Courses
Technology Used: Google Sites, Remind, Google Calendar
Description
For our placement, Ms. Kumarappah wanted us to show her how to setup and manage her own website for her classes. Her requests entailed a way to communicate with all of her classes, a calendar, a separate page for each class and a way to upload documents, handouts and assignments.
She did not want us to create a website for her, but rather create a straightforward set of instructions. We decided the best way to do this was to create a Google Doc to share with her. We created an email account for the sole purpose of creating a model website. As we went through the motions of creating a Google Sites for a classroom, we took screenshots to accompany the step-by-step instructions we created for Ms. Kumarappah. In addition, we showed her how to create a Remind account. This program allows students to subscribe to text messages and teachers can send mass-messages to subscribed individuals regarding upcoming assignments, projects, field trips, deadlines and assessments. It is particularly useful, as it allows teachers to send messages to individual classes.
We asked her to look it over and contact us with any further questions, or to let us know if she wanted us to help her set up her class sites. However, she decided to forgo creating a website until the beginning of the next academic term. Nonetheless, she told us that our instructions were clear and that she was able to understand them.
Here is the Google Doc we created for Ms. Kumarappah:
Possible Uses for Other Classes
Although we created this manual for a social science teacher, the tools we have explored for this IDC placement are equally applicable different subjects.
Although we created this manual for a social science teacher, the tools we have explored for this IDC placement are equally applicable different subjects.
The Remind Feature can be used by all teachers, regardless of the subject they teach. At the beginning of the year, teachers simply have to ask students to subscribe to Remind by sending a text or email to a specific number or email. Teachers can use it to send students reminders via text or email, along with attachments. Teachers can also send reminds to individual classes. They can also easily add a widget onto their website, to ensure that students without phones/email can still receive updates. Ms. Law does this for her biology classes, and they are particularly useful, as she reminds us of deadlines, last minute test advice or what to do if she is absent.
http://p4cdn4static.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_38325/Image/Shareen%20Smith/Remind_Text.jpg
Google Calendar is a useful widget that can be added to any website to remind users of important events. For instance, Google Calendar can be used to simplify communication between administrators/teachers and students. A Google Calendar on a school website can notify students regarding events such as:
Teachers that use Google Calendar can upload:
- Guest Speakers
- assemblies
- PA Days
- university information sessions
- field trips
- contests
- holidays
- days the library are unavailable for students on spare
Teachers that use Google Calendar can upload:
- test days
- assignment dead lines
- lessons for each day
- days classes are in libraries
- presentation days
- days the teacher will be absent/expectations
- field trips