Develop an Internet Presence to Enhance Student Communication and Collaboration

Do you want to create a web presence in order to enhance communication and collaboration with and between students!? A web presence is a critical element of effectively utilizing netbooks.

Why create a virtual presence on the Internet? Here are two resources to shed some light on why. Check out Tom Fox’s presentation on how dynamic educators at Rangeview Highschool are using the Internet to increase communication and collaboration among students. Or better yet, watch the video below to see student’s opinions on using netbooks in conjunction with a web presence.

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/LgoojRaEP1E" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

There are so many possibilities for getting started… epals, ning, moodle & wordpress to name a few. Contact the technology coach nearest you to get started!

WARNING!: Before inviting students to your site, work with them to develop rules, boundaries, procedures and consequences for appropriate and inappropriate behaviour.

Here are some of the differences between epals, ning, moodle and wordpress.

Internet Solution / functions	blog	chat	email or internal email	safety protocols	student authoring	wiki
epals
ning
moodle
wordpress

To get started with epals, send your tech coach this information:

1. What level of lockdown you want to start with? Can students email within the classroom, school, district or world?
2. Students email will be filtered at level 2. You will only have to approve email that may be inappropriate. Specify if you want more or less restriction.
3. What grade are students in?
4. Send students last name and first name. Can be a text file or spreadsheet.
5. Note: You will be sent a username and password as a teacher and an administrator. As a teacher you will be able to communicate with students. As an administrator, you’ll be able to add/remove students and reset passwords.

To get started with Ning, send your tech coach this information:

1. Students will need an email address. Get started with epals (above).
2. Go to www.ning.com and register for a site and get started customizing it.
3. Send students to your site to register and get started

To get started with moodle, send your tech coach this information:

1. Email your technology coach and ask to be set up as a Course Creator in moodle.
2. As a course creator you will be able to add and remove students from your course as needed.
3. Here’s how to get your class started.
4. EPALS:
   Make sure that epals’ “access level” is set to Internet.

   How do I get students registered for Moodle?

   1. • MOODLE:

      Students go to http://apslearning.net/

      • Create new account with
      • epals username
      • epals password
      • epals email address
      • a registration link is sent to the students’ epals account
      • Students go to epals and click on the Moodle registration link.
      • Students go back to apslearning.net to log in

Here’s how to get your class started.

1. Make sure that epals’ “access level” is set to Internet. (Contact tech coach if students don’t have epals accounts.)
2. Students go to http://apslearning.net/
3. Create new account with…
   • epals username
   • epals password
4. epals email address a registration link is sent to the students’ epals account
5. Students go to epals and click on the Moodle registration link.
6. Students go back to apslearning.net to log in

To get started with wordpress, send your tech coach this information:

1. Register here.

Useful tools to use in conjunction with your website.

• Drop Box (www.getdropbox.com)
• Google Docs (https://docs.google.com)
  • Google forms