oakwood elementary school "excellence in action" website recommendation report presenter:...

Oakwood Elementary SchoolOakwood Elementary School"Excellence In Action""Excellence In Action"

Website Recommendation ReportWebsite Recommendation Report

Presenter: Sean FoxElsterWebsolutionsWebsolutions

School Districts Technology Goals:School Districts Technology Goals:

Oakwood Elementary school is a part of the Portland Public schools system. As such they are a part of the larger vision for the Public Schools. The vision of the Public School system, as it relates to technology, is laid out in the "Technology Plan Summary." An excerpt of the Portland Technology Plan is listed below.

"The Vision of Portland Public Schools, in partnership with the community, is to educate citizens who demonstrate the academic, teamwork and personal management skills needed to function effectively in a global society.”

To accomplish this goal we will:To accomplish this goal we will: Provide learners of all ages access to local and global

information through ongoing availability of current technologies. Support employee development to ensure technological

competency.

District Technology Belief Statements:District Technology Belief Statements: Portland Public Schools believes that access to information resources is essential in preparing students to succeed in a global society.

We believe that investment in technology is an important step towards the accessing of information, achieving learning outcomes, and providing equity to the students in our district. We want to

Improve Information Sharing between Students, Staff, and Community

Improve Technology Skills of Students and Teachers"

The recommendations to be found in this report are in direct The recommendations to be found in this report are in direct line with the stated goals of Portlands technology plans for line with the stated goals of Portlands technology plans for the future. the future.

The purpose of the report is to help users to improve their The purpose of the report is to help users to improve their experiences on-line with school websites. This report experiences on-line with school websites. This report focuses on Oakwood but the recommendations may be used focuses on Oakwood but the recommendations may be used for all of the different school sites within the district. for all of the different school sites within the district.

Oakwood's Users:Oakwood's Users:The most obvious users of the Oakwood website are The most obvious users of the Oakwood website are parents. In most cases the parents are searching for specific parents. In most cases the parents are searching for specific information when visiting the website. The most common information when visiting the website. The most common informational categories sought are the Lunch Menu, informational categories sought are the Lunch Menu, School Closings, and specific information concerning their School Closings, and specific information concerning their students classstudents class. .

Current Problems:Current Problems:

The Oakwood website currently fails to help parents The Oakwood website currently fails to help parents in a number of areas. The most pressing in terms of in a number of areas. The most pressing in terms of use are:use are:

The current lunch menu is unreadable The current lunch menu is unreadable Personal classroom information pages don't exist. Personal classroom information pages don't exist. The only student page is buried in the “Teachers The only student page is buried in the “Teachers

Resource” section of the website.Resource” section of the website. It is a boring page with only a few links representedIt is a boring page with only a few links represented

Recommendations:Recommendations: Short Term Short Term

1. The lunch menu:1. The lunch menu:To improve on the users ability to read the menu it is recommended that Oakwood use a different format. The use of a PDF file or software designed specifically for creating calendars would be beneficial. Adobe Acrobat PDFMaker is good for setting up the calendar as a PDF file and Brown Bears calendar software offers a lot of flexibility.

Example:Example:1. 1. Adobe Acrobat PDFMaker: Adobe Acrobat PDFMaker:

The use of the PDF for a calendar offers some flexibility for The use of the PDF for a calendar offers some flexibility for the viewer such as the ability to zoom in on specific regions of the viewer such as the ability to zoom in on specific regions of the calendar. There are various software choices out there to the calendar. There are various software choices out there to give a webmaster the ability to create PDF files that range in price. give a webmaster the ability to create PDF files that range in price. The Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional may run as high as $500 but The Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional may run as high as $500 but cheaper versions are available. (Free versions of PDF page makers cheaper versions are available. (Free versions of PDF page makers are available. Ex. are available. Ex. http://www.pdf995.com/http://www.pdf995.com/ ) )

A menu in PDF form from Bennett Woods Elementary School:A menu in PDF form from Bennett Woods Elementary School: (http://www.okemosschools.net/education/sctemp/dca9b5482d4f0e20cc4938f177825683/1196295929/Elemmenu.pdf )

2. 2. Web Calendar Software: Brown Bear SoftwareWeb Calendar Software: Brown Bear Software(http://www.brownbearsw.com/ical/ )(http://www.brownbearsw.com/ical/ )

Calendar software offers several options that a PDF Calendar software offers several options that a PDF maker may not. For example: Brown Bear allows the maker may not. For example: Brown Bear allows the webmaster to choose how many calendars he wants. The webmaster to choose how many calendars he wants. The price of the calendar software is then determined by the price of the calendar software is then determined by the number of calendars that are needed. For one calendar the number of calendars that are needed. For one calendar the price is $95 and can go as high as $1,995 for unlimited price is $95 and can go as high as $1,995 for unlimited calendars. The software also has a large variety of upgrades calendars. The software also has a large variety of upgrades available that allow for customization of the calendar to suit available that allow for customization of the calendar to suit individual needs of the designer. (upgrades cost extra)individual needs of the designer. (upgrades cost extra)

An example Brown Bear Software from Bath Elementary SchoolAn example Brown Bear Software from Bath Elementary School(http://ical.bath.k12.mi.us/elfood )(http://ical.bath.k12.mi.us/elfood )

Other Examples:Other Examples:In researching additional school districts I found that all of In researching additional school districts I found that all of the ones I came across used PDF formats for their menus. the ones I came across used PDF formats for their menus.

Here is a short list of sites viewed:Here is a short list of sites viewed:

1. Dewitt Elementary Schools:1. Dewitt Elementary Schools: (http://dewitt.edzone.net/%7Edps/files/Elementary.pdf )(http://dewitt.edzone.net/%7Edps/files/Elementary.pdf )

2. Ionia Elementary Schools:2. Ionia Elementary Schools:

(http://www.ionia.k12.mi.us/uploaded/documents/(http://www.ionia.k12.mi.us/uploaded/documents/Lunch_Menus/Elementary_Menu.pdf )Lunch_Menus/Elementary_Menu.pdf )

3. East Lansings Donley Elementary:3. East Lansings Donley Elementary:(http://school.elps.k12.mi.us/lunch_menus/k4_0711.pdf ) (http://school.elps.k12.mi.us/lunch_menus/k4_0711.pdf )

Recommendations:Recommendations: Short Term Short Term

2. Specific information about individual classrooms:2. Specific information about individual classrooms:

To facilitate a better dialogue between parents, students, and teachers, it would be helpful to have individual links for each classroom. The teacher could post their newsletter, curriculum, and fundraising updates on the site.

This would satisfy the districts technology goal to “to improve information sharing between Students, Staff, and Community”

Examples of classroom homepages:Examples of classroom homepages:Holt Public Schools-Miss Christine'sHolt Public Schools-Miss Christine's

((http://www.okemosschools.net/education/staff/staff.php?sectionid=182 )http://www.okemosschools.net/education/staff/staff.php?sectionid=182 )

Examples of classroom homepages:Examples of classroom homepages:Haslett Public Schools-Mrs. Hamilton’sHaslett Public Schools-Mrs. Hamilton’s

(http://www.haslett.k12.mi.us/education.staff.staff.php?sectionid=232 )(http://www.haslett.k12.mi.us/education.staff.staff.php?sectionid=232 )

Recommendations:Recommendations: Long Term Long Term

1. Creation of a kid's site with appropriate links:1. Creation of a kid's site with appropriate links:

It is becoming increasingly common for elementary aged kids to be web savvy. In order to keep up with this growing use it would be beneficial for the elementary schools to provide safe links for students. A “kid’s page” would capture the attention of parents who were looking for ways to educate their kids using on-line resources.

Bath Elementary School: Link PageBath Elementary School: Link Page(http://bath.k12.mi.us/eslinks.htm )(http://bath.k12.mi.us/eslinks.htm )

2. Updated Look and style2. Updated Look and style

In the future Oakwood should update the look and style of it’s website to attract more of an audience. This shift in style will help to draw more parents and student’s to the site as they increasingly look on-line for learning resources.

The increase in student involvement with the web site will benefit the teachers and students in the long run. Teacher’s will be able to tailor the site in support of their curriculum. Parents will also benefit through increased communication as well as having more opportunity to work with their children on relevant learning material.

In order to develop an idea of a possible future for Oakwood’s website I searched the internet for existing sites that may hold elements of interest for Oakwood’s development. I found one site that seemed to incorporate all of the improvements listed above.

Longacre elementary school: FarmingtonLongacre elementary school: Farmington(http://www.farmington.k12.mi.us/lon/ )(http://www.farmington.k12.mi.us/lon/ )

Site Start PageSite Start Page


Home PageHome Page


Classrooms PageClassrooms Page

WebsolutionsWebsolutions

Conclusions: Oakwood Elementary SchoolConclusions: Oakwood Elementary School

Oakwood’s web site needs some work in order to satisfy the future technological goals of the school district.

The school district wants to prepare students to “succeed in a global society” and to “improve information sharing between students, staff, and community.” In order to do this Oakwood needs to incorporate some short and long term improvements to accomplish their goal.

Conclusions: Oakwood Elementary SchoolConclusions: Oakwood Elementary School

Recommendations: Short TermRecommendations: Short Term Update Lunch menu to incorporate PDF or Calendar Update Lunch menu to incorporate PDF or Calendar

software.software. Create Class room links for each individual class and Create Class room links for each individual class and

grade. grade. Increase teacher participation to 100%Increase teacher participation to 100%

Recommendations: Long TermRecommendations: Long Term Create a kids site with safe links.Create a kids site with safe links. Update the look and style of the web page.Update the look and style of the web page.

oakwood elementary school "excellence in action" website recommendation report presenter:...

Documents

specific information

global information

technology skills of

oakwood website

portland technology

accessing of information

information resources

information sharing