I really enjoyed this course. It showcased some really important skills including C.R.A.P. which I am not fond of the acronym but definitely use. I have designed and implemented websites for over 15 years in various forms. I was familiar with the technical elements including places to look to find codes and the basis of HTML coding. It also helped me to appreciate the web 2.0 elements that allow for easy website creation. When I was a teenager I played around with various computer programs to help design new and interesting websites when AOL was still popular. They have always fascinated me, and when I got into education it was one of the first things that I felt I needed. I set up the website with a logo that I designed two years ago. I used pictures and set up a logo that I thought was cool. I had received criticism from another coworker around the same time that it looked unprofessional. I shook off the criticism and worked on trying to just add elements to the website. It did not follow the design elements and there was always something about it that bothered me. It was these design elements that were out of place. Elements were there but were not in the correct place, and I was completely unaware of the elements needed for a proper design.
All of my old knowledge with coding and use of the tool kit was lacking a key aesthetic piece. Jahn (2007) helped to solidify this knowledge with his video on C.R.A.P. The examples I have gone back to several times. I looked at including the website design project where I was unsure what to do from a design perspective. When I look forward at updating my website, I will take these pieces into account. I recently redid several of my pages and have gone back to look at a few colleagues websites to see areas of improvement in both. I feel from this activity that I can actually help give valid advice and feedback to both teachers and students about design elements.
The process of creating the website can be a strenuous one. There are so many aspects that the team has to put in place. This process placed me in the role of a learner trying to sort out the assignment. This is a role reversal from where I am used to. This has really helped put things in perspective. I originally signed up for the parent page, and then we all decided to help on the how to page. I set out not really knowing what to put, and through the collaborative document we started to brainstorm until I had a plan. This first part was extremely taxing because it really relied heavily on me creating a product that I was not sure what the result should be. It reminds me of what the student feels when I give an assignment. Working with others and being able to rely on them helped to alleviate the stress. When I completed my piece I asked for feedback from my group members. It was this feedback that helped me to establish some changes I needed. to make and some slight alterations to help make it better. Also my group members came along and made changes as well helping to refine the website.
This entire project was something that I was familiar with. Through the use of the simple design elements and feedback from group members we were able to create something that I am proud of. Going forward there are a few things that I would like to take with me from this. The first is that I do not loose the feeling of what it is like to start out on a project and feel that panic. This is something that I want to help try and alleviate with rubrics that as much information as I can. The second piece has to do with using this piece of reflection at the end. This reflection piece has been key to helping look at what we have learned and moving forward with it. Pappas (2010) discusses the need for reflection and the system of using that reflection in a way similar to Blooms. This is something that has to be implemented in my classroom, and something that helps me analyze the types of reflection needed in the classroom. Using websites and eportfolios has been a great experience and a good way to showcase my learning and my growth. I want to include these eportfolios in my classroom as a way for students to show their work. This becomes the defining moment for me. How can we take these pieces and create something that is easy for teachers to implement and allows for higher reflection?
We need to utilize reflection and eportfolios in the classroom. The view we get of students should be a video and not a snapshot. Eportfolios also allow us as teachers to gauge one of the more elusive pieces, growth. As a teacher I want to try and get this in my classroom. Gerstein (2011) raises a good point in her article about reflection. She raises the point that it should not be like a TV show but an active process. As a future leader, I want to see this in schools. Using reflection and eportfolios allows for student growth to be looked at. Implementation of these tools is something that needs to be looked at on a larger scale. I have a project that I do that does this by having the student create videos that help to display knowledge of various topics. I think that I will look and add a reflection piece at the end to the project. I want the students to create websites or blogs to help showcase their learning. This is something that could be a digital alternative to a lab notebook in a science classroom.
References:
Gerstein, J. (2011, August 16). User Generated Education. User Generated Education. Retrieved February 14, 2014, from http://usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/2011/08/16/where-is-reflection-in-the-learning-process/
Jahn, B. (Performer). (2007, November 29). C.R.A.P.- Basic Layout and Design Principles for Webpages [Web Video]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/mF_mWi6r-9I
Pappas, P. (2010, January 4). A Taxonomy of Reflection: A Model for Critical Thinking. A Taxonomy of Reflection: A Model for Critical Thinking. Retrieved February 15, 2014, from http://www.peterpappas.com/2010/01/taxonomy-reflection-critical-thinking-students-teachers-principals-.html
All of my old knowledge with coding and use of the tool kit was lacking a key aesthetic piece. Jahn (2007) helped to solidify this knowledge with his video on C.R.A.P. The examples I have gone back to several times. I looked at including the website design project where I was unsure what to do from a design perspective. When I look forward at updating my website, I will take these pieces into account. I recently redid several of my pages and have gone back to look at a few colleagues websites to see areas of improvement in both. I feel from this activity that I can actually help give valid advice and feedback to both teachers and students about design elements.
The process of creating the website can be a strenuous one. There are so many aspects that the team has to put in place. This process placed me in the role of a learner trying to sort out the assignment. This is a role reversal from where I am used to. This has really helped put things in perspective. I originally signed up for the parent page, and then we all decided to help on the how to page. I set out not really knowing what to put, and through the collaborative document we started to brainstorm until I had a plan. This first part was extremely taxing because it really relied heavily on me creating a product that I was not sure what the result should be. It reminds me of what the student feels when I give an assignment. Working with others and being able to rely on them helped to alleviate the stress. When I completed my piece I asked for feedback from my group members. It was this feedback that helped me to establish some changes I needed. to make and some slight alterations to help make it better. Also my group members came along and made changes as well helping to refine the website.
This entire project was something that I was familiar with. Through the use of the simple design elements and feedback from group members we were able to create something that I am proud of. Going forward there are a few things that I would like to take with me from this. The first is that I do not loose the feeling of what it is like to start out on a project and feel that panic. This is something that I want to help try and alleviate with rubrics that as much information as I can. The second piece has to do with using this piece of reflection at the end. This reflection piece has been key to helping look at what we have learned and moving forward with it. Pappas (2010) discusses the need for reflection and the system of using that reflection in a way similar to Blooms. This is something that has to be implemented in my classroom, and something that helps me analyze the types of reflection needed in the classroom. Using websites and eportfolios has been a great experience and a good way to showcase my learning and my growth. I want to include these eportfolios in my classroom as a way for students to show their work. This becomes the defining moment for me. How can we take these pieces and create something that is easy for teachers to implement and allows for higher reflection?
We need to utilize reflection and eportfolios in the classroom. The view we get of students should be a video and not a snapshot. Eportfolios also allow us as teachers to gauge one of the more elusive pieces, growth. As a teacher I want to try and get this in my classroom. Gerstein (2011) raises a good point in her article about reflection. She raises the point that it should not be like a TV show but an active process. As a future leader, I want to see this in schools. Using reflection and eportfolios allows for student growth to be looked at. Implementation of these tools is something that needs to be looked at on a larger scale. I have a project that I do that does this by having the student create videos that help to display knowledge of various topics. I think that I will look and add a reflection piece at the end to the project. I want the students to create websites or blogs to help showcase their learning. This is something that could be a digital alternative to a lab notebook in a science classroom.
References:
Gerstein, J. (2011, August 16). User Generated Education. User Generated Education. Retrieved February 14, 2014, from http://usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/2011/08/16/where-is-reflection-in-the-learning-process/
Jahn, B. (Performer). (2007, November 29). C.R.A.P.- Basic Layout and Design Principles for Webpages [Web Video]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/mF_mWi6r-9I
Pappas, P. (2010, January 4). A Taxonomy of Reflection: A Model for Critical Thinking. A Taxonomy of Reflection: A Model for Critical Thinking. Retrieved February 15, 2014, from http://www.peterpappas.com/2010/01/taxonomy-reflection-critical-thinking-students-teachers-principals-.html