Monday, March 8, 2010

February Meeting Minutes - School Websites

February RASL Meeting Minutes


Speaker - - Lisa Manganello (South Brunswick High School)

  • Official school page
    • Everything filtered through webmaster
    • Consider limits
    • Static presence, not meant to be updated daily.
    • Staff/Procedures
    • Databases (school has tremendous funding, great selection)
  • Make wiki for library (for free!)
    • Lisa’s is on wikispaces
    • Class projects
    • Senior health project
    • Include project hand-outs, supplements, requirements
    • Collaborating teachers can also contribute
    • Databases, video streaming
    • “Book Looks” - book recommendations archived on wiki pages
      • Peer picks gets students writing. There is a contest every marking period - - if students write a review they are added to a drawing for a Barnes and Noble gift card.
    • Resources for new teachers, hand-outs, powerpoints
  • Learn everything about district technology programs and come up with your own resources - - will let others know you have something to contribute.
  • Technology directors/coordinators tend to be very possessive of technology


Speaker-- Kim Zito (Crossroads North Middle School)

  • District site: student resources, databases, educational games
  • pbworks > free wiki > wikiwhileyouwork
    • Mission statement
    • Current things going on (author visit, etc)
    • Voice threads
    • Attention-getting web 2.0 tools
    • Has meebo (helps students after school and from home)
    • Animoto > very easy video production (animoto,com)
    • Include path-finders (paper ones get tossed . . . online can be re-used)
  • Must have a web presence > home/school connection and 24 hour access
    • Communicates energy, excitement, tech saviness
    • Easy to get overwhelmed, just start somewhere
    • Watch grammar and punctuation
    • How much time do you want to commit?
    • How do you want to use it?
    • Look at Resources for School Libraries website (gives website design ideas) - http://www.sldirectory.com/
  • Joyce Valenza - WEBQUEST
  • Pay attention to student privacy issues (especially with videos and online publication of student work)
  • Check school policies
  • Personal learning networks
    • Develop co-hort of like-minded professionals
    • Tweeting - way to learn in 140 characters or less
    • Teacher-library ning started by Joyce Valenza
  • Ross Todd commended that we need to find creative ways around brick walls. We are all subject to procedures, policies, and restrictions.
  • Ask permission to include link to wiki on the district website.
  • Include information about cyber safety on website/wiki.