Weebly is an easy to use free website creator in which you can drag and drop different elements onto a page and add content to suit your website needs. You can easily add text, pictures, links, contact forms, Flickr galleries, files, Google maps, feed readers, YouTube videos, and Google videos.
The weebly website creator allows for easy creating and editing of your own personal web page making the tool user friendly for first time website creators and school age students.
The difference between the Wiki and the Weebly is that the weebly is only able to be edited by the creator where as the wiki allows for students to collaborate through anyone being able to edit and add to the pages. Websites are more informative where as wiki's are more collaborative.
Although the website is not as collaborative as the wiki there are many ways the website can still be used for collaborative and social purposes.
A classroom website is one way the weebly can be used in the classroom context. Pages that could be incorporated into the website could be:
- Announcements
- Class calender
- Homework Assignments
- Supply lists
- Pictures
- Post students work
- Parent involvement/volunteer opportunities
- Classroom rules and practices
- Links
Some examples of Weebly's being used in the classroom context are linked below.
- Mrs Shields - 3rd Grade
- Mrs Boggess - Kindergarten
- Mrs Mittons - 5th Grade
- Whitgreave Primary School’s site, with a different page for each class
Please click on the image to view my website created on Weebly.
Hi Tori
ReplyDeleteI am also very impressed with the quality, variety and relevant information that can be used in a Weebly website in the classroom. You have successfully displayed classrooms already using this tool with purposeful and usable information for both the students and parents. Academic, social, and school community outcomes can be exhibited, used and reviewed by students and parents. You noted that Weebly wasn’t as collaborative as using a wiki but I think with planning and incorporating the websites entries into the classrooms weekly schedule, students can work just as collaboratively to make the website a focus for presenting their work, skills and achievements at school. I would do this by working in groups in weekly rotations so students could, with guidance from the teacher be part of this real life connection that would be engaging and motivating for the students to learn. Not only are they learning valuable ICT skills but using higher order thinking skills to create content, ideas and procedures that are indicative of the planning and processes needed to create this type of ICT. Using something as real world as this web site in the classroom I believe can only have positive and productive outcomes for the students, parents and the school community.
Feel free to comment!
Rachel
The information you have found on such an easy to use web-design site is encouraging. With so much information expected to be available on-line it is good to know that there exists a low level entry point that looks easy to navigate and is free!
ReplyDeleteEven the local bowls club has discussed being accessible on-line but, as they are mostly older people, ignorance leads to fear and finally inaction! To be able to show them this free and simple on-line web option I am sure I can convince them to launch into the www. Then any traveller or grey nomad can hop on their computer and look up the local Bowls club when passing through the town.
Good stuff. Thanks for the well written explanation.
Hi Tori
ReplyDeleteI too thought that weebly was a great asset in the classroom. From this e-learning course i have created three weeblys, two for this subject to link with my blog and a third for another subject. I like the fact that they are so easy to use and a variety of tools can be uploaded on to them. I would more likely use a web creation for older students as i feel they would have a greater pool of knowledge to exhibit their work. I thought a web design would fit nicely with the categories of consolidate and refine information and access and gain information.
Great information in your blog thanks for an interesting read.
Thank you for your comments.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you amanda that using a web creation would be more effective with older students. Where they can be give oppertunity to access and gain information.