Having access to instructional technology in the classroom is certainly a convenience, but more importantly, it can change the way we teach. One approach to transforming instruction is to
consider students as co-creators of knowledge, creating opportunities for them to construct knowledge and showcase that which they have learned to an authentic audience. In this week's Tech Tips Blog, guest-blogger,
Keith Newvine, ELA Teacher at West Genesee High School, offers his approach to student-centered learning through the use of a website creation tool called Weebly.
This year my English 9-Enriched students and I are using
Weebly for Education to create websites which catalog our learning. Weebly for Education is a service provided by
Weebly which allows teachers to create student accounts wherein students can safely create a complete website. Weebly for Education allows teachers to password protect student websites so that only individuals with the password can view student-produced information.
This allows teachers to continue to teach students how to be critical consumers and critical producers of information while also
teaching them about Internet safety. As students (and adults) continue to increase just how much we share about ourselves online, it is important to teach students how to protect themselves and their privacy while still having an online presence. Weebly for Education allows for the opportunity. Eventually, after my students and I are confident that we have created something that we can safely share with the world, these sites will go live.
"All students are capable of creating amazing things--they just need to be given the space and time."
So far this year my English 9-Enriched students have produced three different final products: an original short story, a webpage about avoiding the dangers forewarned in
Fahrenheit 451, and their own blog, digital storybook, or videobooks (using Google Slides and Screencastify) after reading
The House on Mango Street. With their permission and their parent’s permission, I am sharing three student's websites so you can see what they created (Obviously, I picked the best ones, just so we are being honest).
You can view any of them here:
It's a Thing by Abby Ray
Thinking Outside the Box by Eva Kloepfer
The Tales of Death by Danesia Patterson (Don't let the title fool you...)
Lastly, I know what you are thinking: Keith is a prima donna and only teaches really, really smart students. My response: You're right, but so do you. All students are capable of creating amazing things--they just need to be given the space and time. I am happy to come to your classroom to help you or your students learn about how to use Weebly, or any other piece of technology, in your learning and teaching.
