Incorporating Teacher Web Pages into Instruction and Assessment

Why are we here? Examine the characteristics of a good teaching website Discuss “fair use” and copyright issues dealing with web sites Discuss reasons for using a website in class

Why use a website in the classroom? Convenient access to lecture notes & activities by teacher and students Saves time for more instruction/demos Saves photocopying credits for teacher

Why use a website in the classroom? Makes students responsible for acquiring notes (i.e. lost notes, study guide) Useful for Resource/IPP students Good communication for parents Can be linked to your school’s website

Characteristics of a Good Teaching Website Overview of course Course outline and marking scheme Hyperlink to Dept. of Ed. Online Curriculum documents Lecture Notes (on web pages & Word/PDF format) Assignments/Projects

Characteristics of a Good Teaching Website Study questions Practice tests Instructor resume Guest book Date of latest site update address Links to other course-related websites

Tips for Designing a Good Teaching Website Keep it simple & easy Make it fast Offer proper print documents for notes/assignments Make navigation simple Use descriptive titles & links

Tips for Designing a Good Teaching Website Limit use of unnecessary graphics Avoid wide widths on web pages Follow copyright & “fair use” guidelines

Implementing The Website in Your Teaching A few things you’ll need to consider when implement your website: Most students should have access to the Internet and a printer (either at home or school). You’ll will need to have good access to an LCD projector and computer to go on-line with your site and display pages Always have overhead transparencies of the notes and a working projector just in case the “Internet is down” (a.k.a. school server)

Implementing The Website in Your Teaching A few things you’ll need to consider when implement your website: Have your school’s IT coordinator or webmaster add a hyperlink from the school site to your site for greater convenience Be prepared to spend time on your website in its creation and maintenance. Learn only what you have to learn and use only what you have to use about web design software (i.e. FrontPage). Make life easy! Make parents aware of your site at parent-teacher interviews and encourage them to visit it often (i.e. Post important assignment submission and test dates)

“Fair Use” & Copyright Issues for Teaching Websites A few issues you must consider…  Is your site for education or some possible commercial gain?  Give credit and citations where necessary. Are you “cutting & pasting” directly from a site or is your work an original composition?  If you use approx. 3% of another person’s material, it can be considered “fair use”. If you use more than 10%, you are in a “gray” area.  Visit for more in-depth details