Comments on: The Declining Influence of Homepages http://weblogg-ed.com/2004/the-declining-influence-of-homepages/ The Read/Write Web in the Classroom Tue, 07 Oct 2008 04:12:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Alan Levine http://weblogg-ed.com/2004/the-declining-influence-of-homepages/#comment-1055 Alan Levine Sat, 27 Nov 2004 01:55:14 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/?p=1311#comment-1055 <a></a>Another signpost- Digital Immigrant blogs bear default templates ;-) Another signpost- Digital Immigrant blogs bear default templates ;-)

]]> By: Craig Nansen http://weblogg-ed.com/2004/the-declining-influence-of-homepages/#comment-1054 Craig Nansen Sat, 27 Nov 2004 01:04:58 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/?p=1311#comment-1054 <a></a>There is a compromise between html/FTP based classroom web sites and blogs that provide benefits of both. Solutions such as those offered by <a href="http://www.schoolcenter.com" rel="nofollow">School Center</a> allow educators to create an entire site using templates (for design) and entry screens (for adding and editing content) without knowing any html or needing to use software such as Dreamweaver. There are several advantages to using a solution like this. Teacher's classroom web sites will be similar, allowing parents to navigate various teacher's sites without getting "lost." Templates for calendars, assignments, forms (in PDF format), discussions, online quizes, photo albums, etc. make it easy for the teachers to provide information without a lot of work. In <a href="http://www4.minot.k12.nd.us" rel="nofollow">our district</a> teachers even post grades to their web site using <a href="http://www.easygradepro.com" rel="nofollow">Easy Grade Pro</a>. School Center even provides an option (quite simplistic) for blogs. We use this option to try and get teachers "blogging" and then provide better options (we host Word Press on our district server) for them as they outgrow it. There is a compromise between html/FTP based classroom web sites and blogs that provide benefits of both. Solutions such as those offered by School Center allow educators to create an entire site using templates (for design) and entry screens (for adding and editing content) without knowing any html or needing to use software such as Dreamweaver.

There are several advantages to using a solution like this. Teacher’s classroom web sites will be similar, allowing parents to navigate various teacher’s sites without getting “lost.” Templates for calendars, assignments, forms (in PDF format), discussions, online quizes, photo albums, etc. make it easy for the teachers to provide information without a lot of work. In our district teachers even post grades to their web site using Easy Grade Pro.

School Center even provides an option (quite simplistic) for blogs. We use this option to try and get teachers “blogging” and then provide better options (we host Word Press on our district server) for them as they outgrow it.

]]> By: Tom Kennedy http://weblogg-ed.com/2004/the-declining-influence-of-homepages/#comment-1053 Tom Kennedy Sat, 27 Nov 2004 00:08:21 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/?p=1311#comment-1053 <a></a>I started teaching educators to create web pages in 1995. Since then my experience has been that for any 10 teachers that I have introduced to HTML, Dreamweaver (or other editor), CSS, Telnet, FTP, image formats, compression, file management, etc. two years after the fact only 2-3 are still actively posting content. For a while now I have been advocating the use of some manner of content management system (CMS), be it blog or otherwise, as a far more efficient method for the average teacher to regularly update information. A blog may not meet the needs in all situations, such as a complete online course, but being able to comment and carry on a conversation is an attractive option. While I do think that RSS and aggregators are great tools, the average teacher (if there exists such an individual) is not taking full advantge of them, at least not in my neck of the woods. It is clear that RSS is having a profound effect on the manner in which more savvy users are accessing content. How relevent it will end up being for educators remains to be seen. I started teaching educators to create web pages in 1995. Since then my
experience has been that for any 10 teachers that I have introduced to
HTML, Dreamweaver (or other editor), CSS, Telnet, FTP, image formats,
compression, file management, etc. two years after the fact only 2-3 are still actively
posting content.

For a while now I have been advocating the use of some manner of
content management system (CMS), be it blog or otherwise, as a far more
efficient method for the average teacher to regularly update
information.

A blog may not meet the needs in all situations, such as a complete
online course, but being able to comment and carry on a conversation is
an attractive option.

While I do think that RSS and aggregators are great tools, the average
teacher (if there exists such an individual) is not taking full
advantge of them, at least not in my neck of the woods.

It is clear that RSS is having a profound effect on the manner in which
more savvy users are accessing content. How relevent it will end up
being for educators remains to be seen.

]]> By: Will R. http://weblogg-ed.com/2004/the-declining-influence-of-homepages/#comment-1052 Will R. Fri, 26 Nov 2004 18:35:40 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/?p=1311#comment-1052 <a></a>I don't think this has been an issue in public schools, in fact, I've been pretty impressed by the willingness of teachers to share their ideas and plans and handouts. It's too bad that private schools wouldn't be willing to take advantage of the collective efforts and ideas of other teachers. Also, Manila, the weblog software we use, has password protected sites and RSS feeds, so you can limit the number of people who can access them anyway. With private school parents even more interested in what their schools are doing, it seems like it would be a great opportunity to improve communications. I don’t think this has been an issue in public schools, in fact, I’ve been
pretty impressed by the willingness of teachers to share their ideas
and plans and handouts. It’s too bad that private schools wouldn’t be
willing to take advantage of the collective efforts and ideas of other
teachers. Also, Manila, the weblog software we use, has password
protected sites and RSS feeds, so you can limit the number of people
who can access them anyway. With private school parents even more
interested in what their schools are doing, it seems like it would be a
great opportunity to improve communications.

]]> By: Laura Pearle http://weblogg-ed.com/2004/the-declining-influence-of-homepages/#comment-1051 Laura Pearle Fri, 26 Nov 2004 18:07:13 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/?p=1311#comment-1051 <a></a>I think that one reason schools might object is that the content (assignments, etc.) is proprietary information.  Might seem quaint in today's world, but a private school for which students pay $20,000+ is not likely to want a blog/RSS feed that anyone can access to become the primary way for teachers to contact studdents. I think that one reason schools might object is that the content
(assignments, etc.) is proprietary information.  Might seem quaint
in today’s world, but a private school for which students pay $20,000+
is not likely to want a blog/RSS feed that anyone can access to become
the primary way for teachers to contact studdents.

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