Anne's+Reflective+Journal

16 February 2011 Winter ILT Workshop
I'm the technology teacher at Florida Pitt Waller, K-8, Denver Public Schools, Denver, Colorado.
 * 15 December 2010**


 * Matthews wikispace http://websupport.wikispaces.dpsk12.org/**


 * I was looking for the list of items to include in a school web site. Where is that list?**


 * I created a new blog in wordpress floridapittwaller.wordpress.com. The name of the blog is Florida Pitt Waller, K-8**


 * Findings:**


 * Successes**
 * **Changed the header**


 * Problems**
 * **not able to change the background color.**
 * ====**adding "drop down" menus**====

I reviewed the wordpress documentation after trying to create pages, "drop down menus" Now, I need to stop my brain refuses to process any more information.


 * 25 October 2010**

Finally, I began my search for school websites. I googled "K-8 school websites wordpress**".** I had to dig down the list of responses to find this site**,** [] **.** I like the graphics at the top of the home page with the illustration and the photo. The colors compliment the theme of the school. From the drop down menus the site seems well developed. I navigated to the Gallery page. There were no images on the page, but a direction to click on the links in the sidebar. I wonder why it was set up this way? One page has audio files from a parenting show which, I believe, airs on KGNU, the Boulder Public Radio Station. Audio files would be a great addition to a web site with students sharing information about their school, class or projects.

Next, I went to the wordpress site, and I went to the education link. I found Lafayette College web site. What I liked about this site was the interactive calendar. Click on a date and all the events for that date come up. How can I do that for our school calendar? I suppose it could be done in either Outlook or google. The graphics were very slick for the calendar. Check it out, [].

Continuing from the wordpress site, I found this K-8 school website, [] The graphics on all these sites are so crisp. The home page of this site has a slide show of students with quotes about education.


 * 16 September 2010**

wiki resources

http://gettingtrickywithwikis.wikispaces.com/

http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/

http://drmcgregor.wikispaces.com/EDT+3010+Home


 * 14 September 2010**

Our PLC, Web Site Action Group or We're Woolums Webbies, was formed today as part of the Fall ILT Workshop. Our purpose is to design our school's web site using either or both WordPress or Wikispaces, web page content management systems. Our PLC members will design their school's web sites for the purpose of creating functionality for users, ie. teachers, students and parents in the school's community.

For our next meeting, we will be evaluating existing school web sites. Members will each bring his/her top two school web sites.

For future meeting, various ideas were brought up: Matthew conducting a workshop on web page design. Setting goals to support the completion of the web site. Most of us seemed open to conducting some meeting with Skype.