How Do You Learn?
Hopefully, today's stories help give you a better understanding of what this course is about. Each week, we’ll look at technology “in your life” and “in your classroom.” The more you find ways to personally apply what you learn in our class, the more you will reap the benefits of your new knowledge. With that in mind, re-think about the question, "how do you learn?"Creating an Online Presence
Even if you don’t have a website, it's very likely that you already have an online presence through sites like Facebook and MySpace. As a learner in the 21st century – it is important for you to understand how this presence affects how others perceive you. Everything you share, from pictures to links, sends a message.- How do you control this flow of information?
- Do you use security settings to protect what is visible?
- Do you have separate personas for personal and professional endeavors?
- Have you thought about how potential employers will view you based on your online presence?
Today, we’re building the structure of your new website, creating an introduction page, and writing your autobiography page. You’ll use your website throughout the semester to store, display, and reflect upon course projects. The tool for this project is Google Sites. This tool works like a combination website, blog, and wiki all rolled into one, and we’ll use it for all three functions. You dont' need any knowledge about HTML or coding to use this tool, but feel free to show off any skillz you may have. Here are a few samples of websites created using Google Sites:
If you'd like some help with designing your site, check out Complementary Colors and Website Design Tips. Don't forget to visit Content Layouts Over Time for a snapshot of how sites have generally transitioned over the past sixteen years.
Your Assignment
- Create a home page
- Insert an image
- Write a few sentences about what you hope to learn this semester
- Create an “About Me” page
- Insert images
- Include links to relevant websites
- Write a brief bio
- Create a page for your "Learning Story"
- Edit the sidebar navigation
- Make sure there are links to all of your pages from the menu
- Order the pages to start with Index/Home, About Me, Learning Story
For Thursday
- Finish your “About Me” page
- Make sure to have your book for class
