Google+Sites

toc  =Overview = One of my small goals this year was to create a format in which students could do reflections on their work. I worked with Alice Barr to set up Google Sites for all of my ninth grade students. Google Sites is a wiki type platform, in which students can create content, save files and easily share work.

The assignment was to set up a Google Site, which we called a Personal Learning Space. From there, students were asked to reflect on work and Honors Challenge students were asked to keep track of their HC work on this space.

Student Examples
I don't have a way of showing student examples at this point because users need to log into the Yarmouth Schools page at Google to have access. Below is a PDF version of Julia's starting page. media type="custom" key="3651829"

=Reflection = 1. I need to be more consistent and provide more time for students to use a tool if I want to see them use it effectively. My hope was that students would use this throughout the year and post work there. However, I've found that I have to assign this specifically if I want students to do it.

2. The potential is there for students to be creating content on the web that acts as a portfolio. I was curious to see if students would use this platform for their Student Led Conferences, but none did. I think that is because we did not have an assignment on it close to the time that SLC was assigned and because it is a little troublesome to create and modify content to look the way you want it. Programs like Keynote are a bit easier for that and most students decided to use Keynote for their SLC.

=Next Steps = 1. I am going to ask the HC students to do a final reflection on their PLS on Google Sites before the year ends. I will also ask students to post a reflection on the Astronomy Unit there. I think two more assignments from the end of the year will emphasize their growth over the year.

2. Next year, I do hope to use this throughout the year, and each time we do any reflections, I will ask to see it there. It will be easier to set up because students will all have a Google username and we will have a domain through Google. I am also going to try to see if any of my team of four would like to use this in their classes for student reflections on work, as well. We are thinking we'll work on using the same language for writing next year, especially with using evidence to support claims, and I think it would be nice to have a common platform to use along with this work, as well.