Web Publishing TCI 515

I chose to create a website using google sites for the PE Department at my elementary school. Currently, I send home a newsletter at the beginning of the year, send home fitnessgram test scores and summaries for 5th graders, and send home all fitnessgram test scores and jump rope monthly scores at the end of the year. The only communication was by occasional email. So, this being my very first website, I learned so very much. I learned that it is a lot harder than it looks, and pictures are a vital part of a successful website. I initially had trouble getting pictures on my pages. I also had trouble connecting words to links. I wasn't saving the process. I had more success working at home on my mac, as I hadn't downloaded the pictures from iphoto to my Picassa website, so I didn't have pictures of my students. Now, I have a slide show with student pictures, and it makes it much more personal. It is still a work in progress, and I have much more to add, yet I'm excited to share my site with my students and use it as a communication tool between the PE department and the families of our Issaquah community. I'm excited to share my curriculum, expectations, and cool sites to motivate my students and their families to be active outside of class.

My site address is: http://sites.google.com/site.sunsetphysicaleducation/

Ethical Direction

We live in a day and age where doing what is right is not held at the high level it needs to be. Many people using technology choose to misuse and abuse that technology with no thought of the consequences. I believe as teachers it is our responsibility to not only teach our students what is right and wrong when using technology, but we need to be role models and practice what we preach. In the article, "Developing Ethical Direction," by Mike S. Ribble and Gerald D. Bailey, they write about an internal compass that we all possess. This compass when pointed true north directs us to make right choices when using technology. They state that many students have not been taught to use their internal compass enough when using technology. It is often abused and misused. We need to have "Digital Citizenship" and use Acceptable Use Policies (AUP's). The best way we as teachers can help our students is by not only using critical thinking skills and open discussion, but being good communicators of what is right and wrong. We need to talk with our students and have them self reflect on what they are doing and if it's acceptable. Most importantly, we need to model acceptable practices when we use technology. The authors write that it takes maturity to do what's right, and it is a lifelong journey. Though it is our responsiblity as teachers to work with our students to make sure they are making the right choices when using technology, we alone are not responsible. Parents, friends, and basically the entire community is responsible for holding those around them to high ethical standards when using technology.