Class Website

Context: 2020 - Online Learning Website: https://sites.google.com/view/kfpspod1c (click link to access)

During COVID-19 outbreaks, alternatives for learning were put in place due to minimal students attending school at the end of term one and being in lockdown during November. To ensure students were able to continue their development, online learning was set up sufficiently to provide opportunities for students at home. This included daily timetables, effective learning programs, resources and tasks sheets with a step by step proposal. Creating this website provided not only student, but parent access as well around the expectations of learning. It was also clearly directed with the current topics we were learning in each subject area, allowing students to keep up to date and stay on track.

Context: 2021 - Online Classroom Website: https://sites.google.com/view/p1c2021 (click link to access)

This website has specifically been produced to make learning visible in all aspects and have families, students and colleagues see what is explicitly being taught and when, in each subject area in 2021. It is available for access at any time and details term overviews, weekly homework activities, assessment tasks and daily timetables that is specified accordingly. This includes, daily reminders, admin notes that need to be returned or if an upcoming due date is approaching for a project. This classroom website has been effective as it allows communication and feedback between families, students and teachers daily. It allows leadership staff and parents to be engaged and feel included in my classroom community. Additionally, showing a clear, sequenced and transparent curriculum.

Annotation/Action:

The purpose of creating these websites was to make learning easy and accessible at all times, additionally providing students opportunities to prepare themselves for each day/week and having access to their learning if they are away. Reminders are placed onto this website weekly e.g. if an assignment is due, if a form needs to be returned or if there is a school event coming up, e.g. book week dress up day. These websites were designed for not only students, but to engage parents into the classroom community and ensure students and parents are aware of the learning goals and is always up to date with what is happening in the classroom. It allows students to work from home during sickness or COVID-19 lockdowns, following through structured and sequenced units of work, and improving on their ICT skills alongside it. In the circumstances of a lockdown, I uploaded several resources that students and parents can access on this website to help them with home learning. Due to the units of work, resources and timetable available, it provided students with support to continue their learning during these times. The overall aim of this website was to use effective classroom communication, as students, parents and leadership can view what is done in P1C throughout each term, week and day.

Result:

This has been an incredibly effective and beneficial part of P1C. The feedback received has been fantastic and motivating, from my leadership team and the parents in the class. It has allowed students to work from home successfully, regardless if they miss school due to illness or family reason, but also in lockdown circumstances. Students and parents are engaged with our website consistently and I have been able to post assessment tasks so parents are aware of what students will be graded on during the reporting period.

Evaluation:

This is an approach that I will be using as part of teaching practices for many years to come. I have found it an easy way to communicate with parents, update them on classroom business and learning and provide them with resources. As feedback suggests, it is a great way to follow through with daily timetables and units of work. It has been an approach that provides consistent communication between those involved which has made the classroom run smoother in terms of communication and awareness of parents.

Standards

2.6 Information and Communication Technology

3.1 Establish learning Goals

3.2 Plan, structure and sequence learning programs

3.3 Using teaching strategies

3.4 Select and use resources

3.5 Use effective classroom communication

3.7 Engage parents/carers in the educative process

4.1 Support student participation

4.5 Use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically

7.3 Engage with the parents/carers