Website Evaluation: Virtual Field Trips

Virtual Field Trips Link

The website evaluation assignment was very educational. I learned that a lot of factors go into deciding if a website is appropriate for your students' use in the classroom. I also learned that a lot of factors go into deciding whether or not a website will enhance your students' educational experience and provide a learning experience. There are so many aspects to evaluate when looking at a website that I never considered before. Through this assignment I learned how to properly evaluate a website and will be able to use this skill in the future when providing my students with websites for classroom use.

Some of the factors I did not realize one had to consider when evaluating a website are: checking to see when the website was last revised to insure that the information provided is current and accurate, making sure that the website provides alternative tags to assist special learners so that everyone in the classroom is able to benefit from use of the website, making sure you can contact the author/publisher of the site, and making sure that the author or team of authors have authority on the subject matter at hand.

A lot more goes into evaluating a website than I at first thought. Many of us overlook these finite details when visiting a website and often might not realize the information we are reading is out of date or inaccurate. This assignment has helped me to see how easy it is to overlook these factors and has changed the way I view websites as a whole. This skill will definitely benefit me in the future and will help to enhance my skills as a teacher by being able to decipher which websites will benefit my students' the most.

Welcome/Expectations

Welcome to my blog! I hope you enjoy my reflections on technology throughout the TPTE 486 course! I will use this blog to write my reflections on concepts and techniques I have learned through the TPTE 486 course. 

My expectations for this course are: to facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity, design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments, model digital-age work and learning, promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility, and engage in professional growth and leadership. 

My current abilities with technology, I would like to say, are advanced. I am an avid social networking user through Facebook,Twitter, and Email. I am also advanced in editing my pictures through the program Picasa. In addition, I love music and am very advanced in using Itunes and other music programs. My technological abilities, I feel, come naturally and I am always intrigued to learn a new technique using technology.