DFI Week 6 Enabling Access - Sites

Wow, week 6 already - it's crazy how these weeks have flown by - Each week, I am still proudly saying - "I have learned something new again".

We started with our beautiful Karakia:

'WWW' Bubble Group

We set off into our bubble groups and chatted about what had worked for us - what hadn't worked and what do we still need help with.  My bubble group is so friendly and supportive along with our fantastic facilitator, Vicki. I truly feel very lucky to have their support, each week is always so inspirational.

Manaiakalani 

This week we heard from Dorothy about the Manaiakalani pedagogy aspect of this week's learning and it was all about 'Enabling Access and how being connected is an important part of the 'Learn, Create, Share' We learned how all four elements are equally important.

I also discovered today that Manaiakalani is made up of smaller clusters, The West Coast cluster is called Toki Pounamu- twitter page.

Toki Pounamu Site

Explore:  SITES

Our main goal today was looking at sites and how to make them more visually appealing for the learners to want to engage in them.  We had a look at each other's sites and gave some feedback via a form! (positive and constructive critique- this is ok as its a way for us to improve learning sites for our learners)- I found all the sites amazing and take my hat off to each teacher and the work they put into creating such beautiful learning sites for their students.  You guys all totally ROCK!!  We then set ourselves some goals for the day, what we hoped to achieve for our site after receiving the feedback. -As I didn't have a class site to tutu with I decided to have a go at creating a 'Film Techniques' Site ( a good chance to practice creating another Site!!)..this site is still in the early stages, however, here is the  Link. 

My Goal for today:

 

Remember sites should have -

• Visual appeal (using the theme, layout, font, colour options )
• no more than 3 clicks!!
• Functionality and easy access to learning tasks - keeping the learners engaged!! (remember enticing shop window)
• We want our learners to be excited about their learning opportunities
• The aim is to give learners a sense of achievement from self-directed learning - using rewindable resources

Reminder: To create buttons in Google drawings

• Google drawings

• Select your image - insert

• Insert word art (type your text)

• Go to crop image

• Select your shape

• If your shape is distorted -

• Go to format options - tutu with size/rotation

• Use arrow keys to move pic into shape

To add a link to your picture

• Go back to the site and copy link (in Omnibox)

• Go to link button

• Ctrl V = apply image

Thanks, Vicki, and also Jacinda (my niece) for the extra lesson on button creating- this is where a bubble group is so valuable and rewarding- (however, I still need to do my buttons on my home page!!)

Sites

Google Analytics- How to

Questions to ask!!

• Need to check to see if I have my settings set at Visible, is this in Google Drive?
• When do I do this?- is it when I set my site up or is it only when I publish?) - These are the little things that I still get confused with!!

Blogging   

Provides opportunities to engage in interactions and decision making with peers, whānau, and a wider audience. 

Why use  Blog posts ???

• Mainstream source of information. (Learn)

• Allows our learners to connect with an authentic audience (Connection)

• Students can showcase their work by Publishing and promoting - they can then receive comments and feedback

• Up to date by connecting with the wider world

Check with English teachers to see if our learners use their blogs?, do they commit to writing on them regularly?  ( If not - how can we encourage this?)

Spam Elimination

It is very important that the comments on Learners' blogs are monitored for spam.  The easiest way for teachers to do this is through Hapara.  Go to settings - switch on the reader comment - If you see a red post it is more likely to be spam than not! If you do see spam - don't delete it - but make sure you mark as 'spam' -this ensures that future spam comments will be recognised and blogger automatically sends it to spam for you.  

spam

Resources

Hapara hot tips 

Introduction to Sites

60 Minute Site

Create a Google Site

To practice

Google Site Challenge!

Sheets Challenge