Information Regarding Student Use Of Web
It is essential that today's students be prepared for a successful post K12 education experience in order to be productive members of the 21st Century workplace. This requires that our students move beyond the skills of the 20th Century and master those of the 21st Century. For this reason the characteristics of our 21st Century classrooms are very different from those of the classrooms in the past. It is essential that our focus is on producing students who are highly productive, effective communicators and collaborators, creative and innovative thinkers, competent with content, and masters of technology. With an emphasis on mastering content, becoming competent with process, and producing high quality work; it is important that our students be provided with the tools that will become essential and necessary for their continued learning experience.
Along with a successful 1 to 1 laptop program and a bank of computer software applications that promote and support a powerful learning environment, students must be introduced and be provided unique and effective opportunities for learning using the internet, a skill that will be applicable past their K12 education. As part of their learning experience students should be introduced to Web 2.0 tools, internet resources, and various learning portals. As you are aware, new internet tools arise every day. Some of the more common tools that your children may encounter and use are found in a general description below.
While integrating the web with today’s 21st century learning experience is essential, student safety and security are a number one priority. Any websites and tools used should be, thoroughly examined and vetted by educators. While many sites, along with COPA rules designate the age of 13 as the end of necessitating parental permission, it is important in going a step further and asking both parent awareness and permission for all students. I encourage parents to be aware, read a site’s Terms of Use, and to be a partner with their child(ren) in exploring the web and its many opportunities. We strive to promote proper digital citizenship and internet safety in our classrooms and encourage this to be reinforced at home. Internet sites that require a student account or log in will be made available to parents by the teacher, and also posted on the internet. Parents are given the opportunity and are encouraged to grant permission when registering their child. District approved sites should be listed and updated on the district website.
Along with a successful 1 to 1 laptop program and a bank of computer software applications that promote and support a powerful learning environment, students must be introduced and be provided unique and effective opportunities for learning using the internet, a skill that will be applicable past their K12 education. As part of their learning experience students should be introduced to Web 2.0 tools, internet resources, and various learning portals. As you are aware, new internet tools arise every day. Some of the more common tools that your children may encounter and use are found in a general description below.
While integrating the web with today’s 21st century learning experience is essential, student safety and security are a number one priority. Any websites and tools used should be, thoroughly examined and vetted by educators. While many sites, along with COPA rules designate the age of 13 as the end of necessitating parental permission, it is important in going a step further and asking both parent awareness and permission for all students. I encourage parents to be aware, read a site’s Terms of Use, and to be a partner with their child(ren) in exploring the web and its many opportunities. We strive to promote proper digital citizenship and internet safety in our classrooms and encourage this to be reinforced at home. Internet sites that require a student account or log in will be made available to parents by the teacher, and also posted on the internet. Parents are given the opportunity and are encouraged to grant permission when registering their child. District approved sites should be listed and updated on the district website.
Common Categories of Web Tools and Resources for Education
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Discover the categories of educational tools listed below. Also take a moment and visit the approved website list. Please note that this will be an ever growing list so please be sure to return. Website List
LMS – This is the district Learning Management System tool. It is very similar to systems run in the post K12 world such as Blackboard. It allows students and teachers to “meet” in a virtual space to talk, share content, and provides our students an online opportunities for learning.
·Google Apps - This includes the online suite of productivity and digital resources from Google such as word processing, spreadsheets, presentation tools, and graphic organizers. It also allows students to work collaboratively on a project through shared documents. It even includes an area for storage allowing for seamless work on documents both at home, school, or anywhere.
·Blogs - This is a website that allows students to authentically publish online. It is an awesome tool providing students a voice, similar to what may have been found in school newspapers and magazines.
Wikis and Websites Production Suites – These are tools that allow students to publish content they are learning and exploring. It allows students to add, remove, and edit content online. It is a wonderful way to allow students to publish and create.
Podcasts, Videos, and Presentation Tools - A podcast is a digital audio file that is created and distributed over the Internet for playback on portable media players (such as .mp3 players) and personal computers. Video creation allows students to create multimedia presentations that can demonstrate their learning and help them feel connected to real world situations. Many times these will be stored an accessed on various multimedia hosting sites in the cloud such as You Tube
Formative Learning Portals and Tools – These are sites that allow students to learn and practice certain skills sometimes requiring an account. This may include a curricular hosted site, an interactive game, or a portal that provides lessons and assessment. Any site that requires a student account is vetted and approved by a district.
Collaboration and Communication Tools – These are interactive sites that allow students and teachers to work together in a virtual space online. They allow for increased productivity and real world learning scenarios. Some require a student account and some do not. Those requiring an account should be approved and vetted by a district.
Discover the categories of educational tools listed below. Also take a moment and visit the approved website list. Please note that this will be an ever growing list so please be sure to return. Website List
LMS – This is the district Learning Management System tool. It is very similar to systems run in the post K12 world such as Blackboard. It allows students and teachers to “meet” in a virtual space to talk, share content, and provides our students an online opportunities for learning.
·Google Apps - This includes the online suite of productivity and digital resources from Google such as word processing, spreadsheets, presentation tools, and graphic organizers. It also allows students to work collaboratively on a project through shared documents. It even includes an area for storage allowing for seamless work on documents both at home, school, or anywhere.
·Blogs - This is a website that allows students to authentically publish online. It is an awesome tool providing students a voice, similar to what may have been found in school newspapers and magazines.
Wikis and Websites Production Suites – These are tools that allow students to publish content they are learning and exploring. It allows students to add, remove, and edit content online. It is a wonderful way to allow students to publish and create.
Podcasts, Videos, and Presentation Tools - A podcast is a digital audio file that is created and distributed over the Internet for playback on portable media players (such as .mp3 players) and personal computers. Video creation allows students to create multimedia presentations that can demonstrate their learning and help them feel connected to real world situations. Many times these will be stored an accessed on various multimedia hosting sites in the cloud such as You Tube
Formative Learning Portals and Tools – These are sites that allow students to learn and practice certain skills sometimes requiring an account. This may include a curricular hosted site, an interactive game, or a portal that provides lessons and assessment. Any site that requires a student account is vetted and approved by a district.
Collaboration and Communication Tools – These are interactive sites that allow students and teachers to work together in a virtual space online. They allow for increased productivity and real world learning scenarios. Some require a student account and some do not. Those requiring an account should be approved and vetted by a district.