PDLM Activity Wikis for Parent and Student communication

Presenter Bhavi Patel

Workshop Description

In this day and age it is hard to find time to call parents or provide one on one help to students. This workshop will help teachers communicate with parents through a blog/ wiki by providing parents and students with a tool to access daily classroom information.

NETS-T Addressed

NETS-A5d. and NETS-T4d.

Focus Question How can wikis help me to use my time more effectively and efficiently, but still communicate classroom information to parents or students?

Related Questions

1. What is the difference in a blog and a wiki?2. How can a wiki be beneficial to my classroom?

Workshop Objectives

1. Participants will be able to identify the difference in a blog and a wiki.2. Participants will be able to create their own wiki.3. Participants will use the wiki to share what is happening in their classroom.4. Participants will create a wiki for parent and student use.

Extended Objectives

Participants will build on their wiki by adding additional resources such as links, videos, music, documents, additional pages, ect.

Resources Needed

ComputersHigh- speed internetAccess to Power PointAccess to AdobeAccess to Wimba Live Classroom

Activity Description

Participants will begin with a short PowerPoint on Digital Literacy and the benefits and difference between wikis. After viewing the PowerPoint the instructor will handout a step by step guide of how to set up a wiki, and at this point participants will be able to choose whether they would like to set up a wiki. The instructor will guide teachers in creating their account and uploading a study guide for their class. The instructor will also show teachers how to add a link, embed videos, update or make changes to their site, and invite parents or

students to view their site.

Participants of this workshop will be provided with a syllabus before attending. They will also be

asked to conduct an online survey to gauge their current methods of parent and student

communication, as well as, their methods of documenting these contacts. Teachers will also be

asked to bring a study guide for an upcoming test/ quiz or a concept map for a current unit they

are teaching.

Extension Idea Participants will use knowledge from this course and resources provided to add additional links, videos, music, documents, ect. to their wiki.

Teaching Tips Be sure to allow plenty of time for questions and/or additional help. Some

teachers are very comfortable with technology while others are not.

Assessment of Participant Learning & Workshop Effectiveness

Teachers will be asked to email the instructor a link to their wiki for additional/ personal feedback. This will allow the instructor to assess each teacher’s understanding of the workshop. This workshop is designed strictly for teacher’s benefit and interest, there is no opportunity to earn PLU credits through this workshop. Upon completion of the workshop, teachers will be asked to conduct on online survey and provide feedback about the course.

References http://blog.wikispaces.com/2008/06/wikispaces-connecting-teachers-students-and-parents.htmlhttp://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/6639Ribble, Mike. (2011). Professional development activities in digital citizenship. In Digital citizenship in schools (2nd ed., pp. 67-68). Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.