Preparing to Create a Classroom Website
5 Important Points to Consider Before Creating Web Pages for School
Jul 29, 2009
In today's technology infused classroom, teachers find themselves looking for new ways to communicate with parents via the Internet. Creating a website for the classroom is one option that can make parent communication easy while also providing a way for students to interact with technology. It can also provide a medium for displaying student work. There are 5 important points to consider before creating the website for the classroom.
How Teachers Could Create an Educational Site
Explore existing websites created for other classrooms. One important way to determine what to do is to surf the web looking for websites already in use. The teachers who create these sites could be a valuable resource when considering what to do and how to do it. If the teacher provides a contact link, send an email and ask questions.
Don't do more than skills and time allow. If this will be the first time creating a website, realize there are many features that are nice to have but require intermediate or advanced skills. Also, the time involved for creating and maintaining the classroom website may be more than expected. Start slowly and keep it small at first; the web pages can become more complex as experience increases.
Use free template, pay for a template, or create a new one? There are many sites on the web that provide free or professionally created pay-for-use templates. Many of these templates are simple to use and can provide more advanced features without the need for the teacher to create them. If using one of these templates, remember to read the information about usage since there are typically requirements as to how to credit the designer from within the pages. Creating a new template is an intermediate to advanced skill that can be learned independently or by taking a class.
How to Decide Where to Host the Classroom Website
School space verses free or paid space. Though many schools have a website, not all will have storage space available for teachers to use for a class site. If space is not available to host the site through the school's server, then free or paid space is necessary. There are places online that offer free space in return for ads, some of which might be inappropriate for a school related site. Other free hosts, such as at EducatorPages, that are provided specifically for educational use. Web hosts that charge a fee can be as inexpensive as a few dollars a month, and, in return, also provide website creation tools and tutorials.
Speak with administration, school technologist, or media specialist. These are people who would be able to answer many of the questions raised here. They might also be able to assist with the creation of the site or provide valuable help with learning new skills.
Before creating a website for use in the classroom investigate not only what content to include but how to both create and host the website. Communicate with other teachers, administrators or technology support persons who can assist with the specifics of website creation and hosting for an educational environment.
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