Category Archives: CS2: Maple Group

In order to truly decide what option may be best for Lenora we would need additional information. What type of content is she wanting to house? Is it primarily text based with links to resources? Is she developing the resources herself? Will she want multimedia representations i.e. video, podcasts? Does she want the users to respond to the site or is it for their consumption? Does she have access to IT support through her school? Have other teachers at her school designed websites?

It sounds like she does want it to be interactive as well as information storage which will require versatility and accessibility. From this perspective a website is likely a strong choice. It provides a flexible platform and many web design programs are now available. Weebly, for example, has excellent web tutorials and even with limited technology skills, it is fairly intuitive. It is free and has live online support. Using a website allows her to start small and easily adapt and change the site as needed. Whether she wants to make it private or public is also a consideration for her decision. The people she wants to connect with, will likely be familiar with websites, providing a high level of ease of use.

I am wondering if she can combine tasks to reduce her development time. Perhaps designing a website with her students would fit into her curriculum goals. That way, the students are learning a valuable technology skill in a meaningful way alongside her, making learning visible to all. She would be developing her skills during the school day and using the faster internet provided by the school. She could design any number of activities or tasks for website design with her students. As a class they could view and evaluate other websites to address her concern that she doesn’t know where things would go on a website. The class could each design a site or contribute to a group site, beginning with simple text content, links or photos of student work. They could advance by adding communication tools, blogs, video etc. Lenora, then could be doing the same with her site. As she and her students learn new ways of working with the technology, she can gain this expertise and add elements to her site, minimizing her technical skills learning commitment.

I also am wondering since she is interested in this project, would other teachers also be interested? She is already connected to the Cradleboard group. Could she collaborate and possible co-create the site with other teachers from her school or the Cradleboard group? Are there other similar websites to what she would like to create, that she could add or adapt with her resources? 

Having a strong plan for platform choice is very wise. Sometimes though, the best thing is simply to jump in and try it. See where it takes you. Be like the students and play. Some of the greatest creativity comes out this way.

The first two ideas that I thought of while reading the case study were that Lenora may be able to create videos to share her professional development ideas with other Aboriginal educators and that Lenora may be more interested in developing a resource like a wiki which would allow other educators to contribute to over time.

I was not immediately dismissing her using a website. I would think a website is a better overall look than creating a series of videos or starting a wiki, but with the dial-up connection, (Do those still exist? Perhaps having lived in two major Asian cities in the past nine years, I had mistakenly believed that the rest of the world was now also connected by broadband.) her website would be visually sparse without the (efficient) ability to upload images and other content quickly. However, even in an image poor online environment, she could hyperlink to content hosted elsewhere. Her lack of experience creating a website does not lead me to shy away from offering it as a solution to her. Multiple websites are available that support new website creators in building what they seek. I looked at Richard Byrne’s blog Free Tech for Teachers to find out if he had compiled a list of such sites. In a 2012 blog post he had given eleven free tools for creating websites (“Free Technology for Teachers,” n.d.). Websites such as Wix, Weebly or Google Sites have a user-friendly interface and are easier than WordPress or Blogger for people creating a website for the first time.

Turning back to the two ideas that I had while reading the case study, a series of videos could be put on Youtube, and the link shared via email. But this seems insufficient for her needs. Not to mention the issue with uploading, though Lenora could take her video on an external hard drive and upload to Youtube from school. Since a wiki would take some time to learn and won’t have the visual appeal that many websites now offer, I am less fond of this suggestion after all.

I hope that Lenora would look into the available, easy website creators that are available for her to create her professional development website and collaborative community.

References

Free Technology for Teachers: 11 Free Tools for Creating Websites and Simple Webpages. (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2016, from http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2012/04/11-free-tools-for-creating-websites-and.html

Is a website the way to go for Lenora – why or why not? Post your estimation. Be sure to explain how you came up with your answer.

     After reading Lenora’s case study, I don’t believe a website is necessary for her to create an online anti-bullying resource for band teachers. It would take much longer if she were to create this at home since she only has dial-up (I remember back in the day using dial-up and it was painful to hear the dial-up sound only to have a break in internet connection). Yes, if she were to create a website (which isn’t my first choice for her) at school, it would be better than creating it at home since her school at least has broadband; but she doesn’t have the time since she would like to spend it at home with her family. There are other tools available she can use that would better suit her needs. Like others have said, Blogs ( WordPress and Weebly), social media such as Facebook or Twitter would also be viable options in her case.

     If Lenora were to create a blog, she would be creating an online resource for her band members that would be easily accessible, require less bandwidth, establish an open network where she and others can share information, knowledge and ideas on anti-bullying; which in turn would help others. It’s simple to create (I know as we have created one for this course), has an easy to navigate interface and connections will be made between people. I think this is a better option for Lenora than creating a website.

     Another option for Lenora would be to create a Facebook page or a Twitter hashtag. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t know what Facebook is (unless you’re a young child or living under a rock) and I think her Facebook page would spread like wildfire across band members. Most people would already have an account and if not it’s really simple to create. Band members can access it at anytime, share their stories and information on anti-bullying, read what others have said on this issue and can be easily accessed just like a blog if the user has a cellphone, iPad, laptop or desktop computer. Users can also be notified via email or text when someone has posted something on this Facebook account allowing for an instant response.

     I like the idea of Lenora creating a Twitter hashtag too. Now, she could make it specific only to her band members by creating a hashtag like #AntibullyingTsq’escenemcCanimLakeBandReserve, but I think it would be invaluable if she were to create one that might get better recognition across the Twitter community; since this online resource would benefit all Aboriginal, First Nations and Inuit communities. Perhaps to be more politically correct she could use #IndigenousAntiBullying. This would start great conversations, allow a wealth of information and stories to be shared and could make a difference in people’s lives.

     If she were to create a blog, Facebook page or a Twitter hashtag, she wold not need more than a weekend to do it; if not just one afternoon.

Assuming that upgrading her home internet is not an option, Lenora should first be tapping into the Cradleboard network of educators along with anyone in her local area who could support her in her learning about website creation. Obviously, she could also do an internet search and tinker with web tools herself, but from the information presented in the case, it generally sounds like Lenora’s technology skills are not strong. Having a weak internet connection would only exacerbate any frustrations that would already occur in this process.

That being said, a website is still a good idea because it provides a resource not only for their own First Nations education community but also for communities who may be in need of similar resources elsewhere. Looking at how the website is being built, the content that would reside on it, and who would put together that content could be a major strategic move for Lenora in her initiation of this project. If I was advising a specific tool for a beginner, I’d suggest a template-based web platform like Weebly that is free, provides in-app tutorials/videos, customer support, and a simple drag and drop user interface for web design.

In addition to learning a thing or two about website design and creation, the Cradleboard network and local educators could also support her by creating content for the site, as “many had stories to share about the bullying in their band schools.” This would not only bring more culturally relevant lenses to light, but would lighten Lenora’s workload in the project (and offset some of the dial-up internet woes, too). Even if the additional authors didn’t have the technological skills to add it to the site, Lenora could do the uploading at home, a page at a time, and would at least be eased of the task of creating some of the content.

Lenora could also attempt to see if her own district would support her in the development of the website project. I have seen teachers who head worthwhile professional development projects be provided with release time from the classroom in order to fully develop and hone them. Support from administration and district leadership in these scenarios may be present; all she has to do is ask. This would allow her to work more quickly and efficiently with access to the broadband network at her school.

Depending on the amount of time she can save herself through in-district or network-based collaborative resources, I would estimate that this website would take at least 3-4 months to build, but this could vary based on her internet speed. This estimation is made with a consideration that she already knows what she generally wants to include on the website. If she’s still in the process of curating sources, I’d say 4-6 months minimum.