Using game play & development to educate
Carrying Out My GAME Plan
Walden University – Course 6713: Week 3 Application, Part 1
As previously stated in my GAME Plan, my goals are to provide a blog (or possibly wiki) as means to inform parents of upcoming assignments, projects, tests, etc., as well as become better familiar with MLA style formatting.
The resources I will need in order to carry out my plan include:
- Internet access for research and to create and update my blog/wiki,
- Blog or wiki to to post class information to for parents and students,
- MLA style guide(s) and/or online MLA style guide resources to research formatting for commonly used reference materials,
- Microsoft Word to create a quick MLA style reference guide sheet,
- Adobe Acrobat or CutePDF to create a portable document format of the guide sheet that can be opened without the need for Microsoft Word, and can be referenced by students.
Additional information I will need to obtain are parent emails to add the parents as users of the wiki/blog.
Currently, I am look up the pros and cons of wikis and blogs regarding the levels of user access. I want the parents to contribute, but not have access to change information in certain areas, which I know can be done on a wiki. There is a little more research to be done, before I decide, but that is what I am currently looking into.
I think it is a good idea to use blogs as a form of communication with students and their parents. So teachers at my school have set up a Facebook page reserved for themselves their students and parents.
I have also thought about using blogs as a way of communicating with my parents. I have not done this yet due to the lack of students in my class with internet access. I would like to create one for the ones who do have access but then I would be also creating a weekly newsletter to go home for those who do not have access. This would be time consuming, but maybe next year. You have a great start on your necessary resources. I look forward to hearing how this works out for you!
Kim
Shanna,
It is possible to set up a wiki that allows some users access to only certain pages to edit. Which one you could use will depend on why you want parents to be able to edit things on there. A blog is a lot more straight forward and may do everything you need. A wiki is a good choice if you want parents to be able to edit the content.
Andy
Shanna,
One thing you might want to think of doing if you are going to create a blog or wiki is to have a weekly or monthly newsletter for parents to read so that you can include everything they need to know in one place. Parents can post comments if you give them access, or ask questions. It is something I have been thinking about as well. The only difficult art is to keep the newsletter updated.
The idea of parents given the opportunity to edit a wiki while at home is not only a great method of communication with the teacher, but it also demonstrates the typical type of technology that their children are using in your class. Showing parents that blogs and wikis are being used in your class sets the stage for the level of web tools that will be a common activity in the students’ learning experiences.
I think you incorporating the use of blogs and wikis in your class is a great idea. If students were maybe required to make a posting at a minimum of once per week in response to an overall weekly theme/concept then that would give students at an internet disadvantage plenty of time to complete their online task. Also, Pat is correct about the Wiki. As the creator/administrator you would be able to set the controls on who or what can be edited.
RODNEY:
I like your Facebook option! Unfortunately, that’s a site my district will not allow us access to. But, it’s still an idea I would like to explore and see if I could get backing for.
ANDY, PAT and KATHERINE:
Thank you for the wiki information. That is very helpful! I am curious as to an instance where I might use a wiki that my parents have access to edit. Have you done this? Any ideas?
LAURIE:
My degree is actually in graphics design and I love print publications! 🙂 However, I also know how much time these take, and having a teacher’s schedule, I would be afraid there isn’t always time to keep one going consistently. That’s why I chose a blog or wiki. I could provide the same information in one place. Also, by adding all of the parents’ email addresses, I could ensure a timely “mail out” every time I post updated information. Now, if I could have student helpers actually lay the information out for me in newsletter format, that would actually allow for this great method of communication and not be nearly as time-consuming! I would still provide the copy (text) and the students could add the graphics. Then, all I would have to do is review it before sending it out.
KIM:
As I posted with Laurie above, maybe try having your students lay out the text and add the graphics to your newsletter. Do you have student aids in your class? If not, maybe ask a few of your trustworthy/upstanding students if they wouldn’t mind coming in early or staying after school on occasion to help you put it together.
Bottom line: the EPSS fashion designer should review the
warmth elimination capabilities of your engine-mounted fuel
cooler (if it exists), and confirm its suitability
because it relates to the application in front of you.