Tech Project

Sarah Bustamante

EDUC 537

Final Technology Project

Classroom Website

Context/Description of Project:

For my project I created a classroom website that will serve as a resource for parents and families of students.  I created it for the purpose that parents are able to come to one place and find everything they need to be informed about their child’s classroom, plus have access to many additional resources.  All the sections were created in Spanish and English to communicate to all parents.  The pages I created include, home page that includes a welcome statement and a quality article on bilingual education; calendar page that links to the school calendar; curriculum and schedule page that communicates what the students will be studying and learning as well as a detailed daily schedule; volunteer page where parents can learn ways to volunteer and understand the importance of getting involved; homework page where a homework policy is posted as well as homework packets readily available if theirs were lost; contact page with all of the teacher’s contact information.  The sidebar included additional information.  One serves as a place where parents can access helpful tips.  These include how to find “just right books” and why getting involved in their child’s education is beneficial.  The other serves as a sort of a blog where class happenings and updates are posted so parents have a real peek into the classroom.  Throughout this project I put a lot of thought into what I wanted my site to communicate as well as gained the insight from my husband and what he felt would be beneficial to his practice and parents of his students. 

Theoretical Framework:

The TPACK model was reflected in my project in the following ways. 

The technology aspect of the model was reflected in the website itself.  Furthermore, there were many different forms of tech implemented in the website including, links, blogs, Picasa slideshows, etc.  In addition, it takes into account the fact that many parents have access to the web and look to more efficient means than traditional hardcopy notices. 

The pedagogical aspect is reflected in the comprehensive scope of what was included to provide a well-rounded experience for parents to be well informed and benefited from the site.  This also reflects the practice of building partnerships with parents and promoting a strong stream of communication as well.  Overall, the website demonstrates competence in the area of building healthy supportive connections with families. 

Content knowledge is reflected in my project by understanding what information would be most valuable to parents- what parents would expect to see in a class website as well as how they can be educated from the teacher’s perspective. Much of the content is reflected in articles I provided for parents about educational issues as well as informative content about school policies, etc. 

Next Steps:

The website was designed so that it could potentially serve as my husband’s website next school year.  I made my best attempt to implement quality pages and postings- a quality foundation- so that we can further modify, and build on it as the school year approaches.  Yet, I would also say that it is in its simplest form with a lot of room for development.  One page in particular that I would like to add is an About Me page where the teacher can share information about themself.  The idea is that it will be in full swing and available to parents for the ‘12-’13 school year.  I may even use it as my own template one day.