Google Sites - Week 5

Week 5 sees us exploring Google Sites and the importance of visible learning and teaching. 

Today's session started with a grateful chain. In these uncertain times it was lovely to hear from others what they are grateful for. It really is the little things in life that make all the difference. As we experience life in level four lock-down, for many of us this is our first time experiencing a loss of freedom, free choice and restrictions. Thanks Maria for a great activity to start our learning day. 

Visible learning is not only essential to the success of our tamariki but adds to the growth and professional development of ourselves.

Visiblity A few notes from this session;

- using your site where all links are on this site, easy to access and keeping it simple for tamariki

- Hapara teacher dashboard was designed for the manaiakalani program so that the learning would be visible for the teacher. It is now used around the world.Their is a parent portal part on the teacher dashboard.
Need to learn about this and set it up for our whānau.  

I enjoyed extending my learning within Google Sites. A highlight was working in our small groups with Michelle, Sarah, Julia and Cheryl creating a reading slide and site.

Here is my finished reading slide.

This was inspiring idea and I look forward to adapting and implementing this into my reading program. I will be messaging our team to set up a Google Hangout next week to review our team site. It is in it's early stages of conception so not a lot in it, our main area is around our cyber smart mahi with our Manaiakalani facilitator Amie. The tamariki are really confident in following the steps of each weeks task. Now it's time to extend this in to other learning areas.

Multi Modal

Some key points from Kerry's session about how to use your sites;

- Hook

- Engage

Use the site to create visual interest so the tamariki are enticed to explore more. Using the home page with all the bells and whistles, one- three links to go directly to where you want to them to, keep it simple!

I enjoyed the You tube clip she shared 'looking at a shop window'. Thinking of our site like a shop window helps put it into perspective. I have made a note of slide 20 as it has some good examples that will be handy to use in the future as I fine tune my multi modal skills.

Blogger Tips

Reaction buttons at the bottom of your blog. To edit separate your words out use a comma, click save. On your professional blog you could add your share buttons so people can access your email, Facebook, twitter etc, Do not use share buttons on you students blogs.

Multitext Database -  (sample) or T shaped learning, T shaped literacy explained 

Main text, complementary text, scaffolding and challenging text. This is a great idea... already my brain is thinking of ways to adapt my current program and create something similar to suit my learner needs. Cheryl shared with us today a site called EPIC which looks fantastic. This is what I love about collaboration and visible teaching. Everyone has so many great ideas, tricks or sites that they use. Its so great to leave a sessions feeling inspired to implement new ideas for our learners.

Embedding Google Forms into my site, last week I had a bit of trouble with

this. Amie shared a video with me showing me the steps.

Thanks Amie!