Looking over numerous education blogs, websites, etc. I have realized the importance of design and whether something is aesthetically pleasing. If a parents or student is going to be engaged in my blog it needs to look nice. Pictures help connect the person to the school and to the classroom, it engages their attention.
Allison brought up a good point in one of her blogs, about an education blog she looked at but it was cluttered and confusing to navigate through. I noticed on a lot of blogs I wanted to know where to look up specific information, overall, it needs to be user friendly. Whether it is someone very computer savvy looking at my blog, or the most computer illiterate Grandma trying to find poor Nicky's assignment. I want to make things clear. Also, I want it to look nice and modern. Constantly updating and modifying my blog would be very important. This may be my only contact with some of the parents, and lots of people will reference it for their school work, either students or parents. I began realizing, at my school in California there was no way to contact teachers, it was mostly come before or after school if you have questions. Never gave out phone numbers or email. At my school in Southern Washington, all the teachers emailed and would accept assignments via email and would answer questions via email. Now at Northwest, whenever I need to look up an assignment I always go to Discovery, and if I have a question I always email my professor and usually within the day he or she will get back to me with an appropriate response. So basically, my students will be even more technologically reliant for communication. It is easier to email a question rather than ask in person in front of the entire class.
Concluding thoughts to this reflection: My blog needs to look good, be constantly updated, pictures are good, and easy to navigate for all users.
Blogging as a way to utilize technological tools to become an effective teacher. My Journey into Technological advances.
I think that this is a really good point, Ashley. The ways in which we, teachers, communicate has to be easy to navigate and easy to understand, easy to look at would be nice, too.
ReplyDeleteI like adding photos, too. I absolutely like to look at a blog that has photos in it! I think you're right, it's much easier to connect to the material and the speaker when there's a photo to look at. (I think you've done a good job at that--you've inspired me to add some to my own blog!)