For science last year we had to make
a teaching kit for certain topics and we had to submit it via a website. My
group chose weebly. We were pretty proud of how savvy it made us look. I think
maybe because of the modern layout and how it accentuated the photo place on
our home page. I personally thought weebly was really professional and easy to
navigate and work out what the designer was thinking, weebly is quite ‘obvious’
if you will.
Please… take a look at what I’m
talking about, hopefully you’re as impressed as sam, jo and I were (my science
group).
So after I made this weebly for the science
assignment, I didn’t really consider what I had actually achieved.. Now I know
had actually made a website and it couldn’t have been easier! The page is easy
to navigate, edit and to personalize with simple dragging and dropping
functions which placed pictures, videos and other content into place. There is
a tab down the side of the page that was clear and obvious as it’s separated
into sections such as, basic, structure, media, and more. All content is of
high-quality media, which is a bonus and what I think adds to the professional
‘feel’.
Like Blogger and Wikispace, Weebly has drawn
influences from connectivism, behaviorism and constructivism. I feel that
weebly is almost a morph of Blogger and Wikispace as it offers great
organization of content like wiki with tabs etc, however also has functions which
enable a blog to be embedded on the site promoting connectivism and
constructivism as children collaborate and discuss various learning topic.
There are many ways weebly can be used as a
teaching and learning tool, however some way are:
Substitution:
Using weebly as a direct substitute for a printed
version of a class or school newsletter
Augmentation:
Having the newsletter easily accessible anytime
from any Internet devise.
Modification:
Having a blog section enabled within the newsletter
so parents and the community can communicate regarding up coming events etc.
Redefinition:
Embedding
links and videos relevant to newsletter content, as well as suggested reading,
educational games etc for children to extend their learning from home. The blog section of the weebly will allow parents
to question, review and seek teaching tips from the reading and games and
teachers can respond same night so parents don’t have to wait until the next
night to implement.
Some other ways students may be able to express
their creativity with weebly are by asking the to answer a variety of stimulus
questions any way they like via weebly, this encourages authenticity as
students respond in ways which best suit their learning style.
So here’s the verdict:
PLUS:
∆ Simple and easy to personalize, great for getting to know
your learner
∆ Students can receive feedback around the clock
(behaviourism)
∆ Students can work at their own pace (behaviourism).
∆ Promotes online literacy skills, technological skills and
research skills.
∆ Encourage children to explore (constructivism and
connectivism)
∆ Can lead to opportunities for children to build
relationship with peers
∆ Graphic organisers can be added and easily edited
∆ Beautiful opportunity to engage children’s higher order
thinking as they synthesis and critically analyse
∆ Encourages students to explore the internet and embedded
content related to tasks and their own interests – children encouraged to
collaborate and discuss these points (connectivism)
∆ Blog and wiki similarities
∆ Very easy to work out.
∆ Integrates traditional literacy skills with online
literacy skills, encouraging simultaneous development of both, promoting 21st
century problem solving skills
MINUS:
∆ Comments can only occur in the blog section of the
website, this may put children off commenting and discussing as they aren’t
able to do it straight away.
∆ Is only accessible via the internet
∆ Children may take peers words as gospel and information
may not be entirely correct, this may lead to misconceptions. This is why weebly
classrooms need to be closely monitored and web-etiquette this can be time
consuming
∆ Can lead to bullying.
∆ Doesn’t allow for multiple participants at one time.
IN-TE-RESTING….:
∆ Formatting is the same as word – this is great as skills
are relevant and familiar.
∆ New members are able to be added with varied degrees of
accessability
∆ You can embed and play games via website, this means a one
stop shop for all classroom relevant educational games, this means no roaming
and getting in trouble due to misinterpreted searches etc.
∆ Great opportunities for children to present assignments in
authentic way.
∆ Great opportunity for a class learning record which can be
accessed by parents.
∆ Can be used as and effective formative and summative
assessment tools.
∆ Some awesome
examples of weeblys: (so inspiring, I cant wait to be a teacher!)
I can definitely see myself using
weebly in my classroom as a learning and teaching tool!
Blogger, OUWT, xx
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