Web Authoring

(http://oktaweb.net/blog/world-wide-web)

During this semester we have been required to create a mock classroom website that would serve as a communication link with students and parents if we were already in the classroom.  We used Google Sites to make our websites and I have to say that it has been a really positive experience.  I always looked at web authoring as being really complex and difficult to do, but this has not been the case with Google sites.

Google sites allows the user to create their site with a pre-made layout and design that makes your website come together really nicely.  After creating the site and choosing a them you simply create and edit individual pages.  The editing process works a lot like an on-line word processor and I feel as though just about anyone could do it with little trouble.

Back in August I created my site on Google Sites and have been working on it periodically ever since.   Originally I created all of the pages that I would be making and left them blank to come back and finish later.  Slowly I have finished them as we have completed projects throughout the semester.  Now, my site is nearly finished and has come together quite nicely.  It features a section about the teacher (myself), a supplies section, a resources section with interesting websites for students, pages that display my tech projects, and a page that shows examples of completed Web 2.0 projects.

I think that the experience of using Google Sites and making a classroom website will be very valuable in the near future.  When I finish school and go out into the classroom I think I will already be comfortable with creating my own classroom site and will already have some good resources that I can put onto it.  Who knows, I may even be able to edit this page and actually use it as my classroom site.  Either way I know that I will be equipped to communicate with my students and parents online.  

I am posting a link to my classroom site below so check it out and leave me your thoughts!

https://sites.google.com/site/mrbrownselementaryclassroom/