Day 5. Trainees will complete a survey of the instructional tools of a classroom website.
Activity: Internet Research Activity
OK, so we've reviewed the theory behind online learning, explored the advantages and limitations of multimedia, developed some strategies for online instruction, and done some preliminary planning of our classroom websites. Today we will explore some of the instructional tools used in classroom websites.
There are an indefinite number of instructional uses for a classroom website. Some common uses are:
1. Post class materials
o Class Announcements to post timely reminders or updates for the entire class
o Course Documents, including course outlines, handouts, lectures, course readings, etc.
o Staff Information to deliver biographies of the instructor and others who teach or support the course
o Assignments, including links to activities, projects, quizzes
o Resources with links to other sites, from e-journals to the your school's homepage
2. Enable asynchronous activities and access with built-in communication and students tools:
o E-mail – Any course participant can send e-mail to any individual or class group.
o Threaded Discussion Board – You can assign discussions on designated topics, and sort postings by author or date.
o Class Roster – The e-mail address or homepage of any class member can be accessed on this page.
o Student Homepages – A template can be created for each registered student; class members can share information and a digital photo, which is helpful in creating
student community.
o Virtual Classroom (Chat)– Class members can be assigned to have real-time talks on this page.
o Assignment Tool – Assignments can be dropped off by students and retrieved and returned by instructors.
o Group Pages – Instructors can assign groups within a class to a set of the communication tools for use only by group members.
o Class Statistics – Instructors can access reports on a student’s activity within the course website, from the time spent on the site to the website pages that were accessed.
THE ASSIGNMENT:
Take a look at examples of some instructional uses of classroom websites in action:
Classroom Website as a Communication Tool
