Monday, January 18, 2010

Simple Teacher Websites

There are many options available to teachers who want to create a website for the class/classes. Here are a few options my colleagues and I have tried:

My UEN
  • Free
  • Utah teachers automatically have a my.uen account
  • Pre-set template
  • Fast, easy to use
  • Simple design
  • Content entered into boxes on the page
  • Tabs to navigate to multiple pages
  • Links to lessons on uen.org

Blog (I have always used Blogger, but there are many options for blogging.)
  • Free
  • Linked to your Google account
  • Choice of templates, or create your own if you know html
  • Can edit html
  • Simple, one-page design
  • Content entered in as posts or on side-bar
  • Multi-media

Wiki (I have always used Wikispaces.)
  • Free - educators can get a free account without advertisements
  • Create as many wikis as you want with the same account
  • Choice of templates, or create your own if you know html
  • Can edit html
  • Multiple-page design
  • Content entered onto separate pages that can be linked
  • Navigation bar on each page
  • Multi-media
  • Upload documents
  • Formatting of text can be a little challenging at first

iWeb
  • Pay through MobileMe account
  • Limited amount of space
  • Design your own layout
  • Similar interface to other iLife applications
  • Multiple-page design
  • Content entered like a Pages document - your choice of design/layout
  • Multi-media
  • Quickly draws on items in iPhoto and other iLife applications
  • Upload documents

Google Sites
Google Sites is fairly new, so I haven't actually tried it yet. I have seen it, though, and it looks simple and really great. If you have used Google Sites, please comment and let me know what you think.

Dropbox
I have had several colleagues recently tell me that Dropbox can make a nice, simple website too. Comment if you know more about it!

What have I missed? What are the pros and cons of each of these tools? Are there other ways you are creating quick and easy-to-manage teachers websites? Please comment.

I have decided that each of these tools are useful in their own way. If a teacher is looking for something that is quick and easy, I recomment my.uen. I have loved using a blog to have students contribute with their own posts, pictures, links, and movies. But, my favorite for classroom management has been a wiki. I like that I can have several pages, each for a specific purpose (information about me, parents, homework, students work, calendars, content areas, etc.), and I love that I can upload documents (worksheets, permission slips, donation lists, assignment outlines, class rules, etc.).

Here are examples of my teacher websites:
My UEN: http://my.uen.org/myuen/77889
Blog: http://bluntsixth.blogspot.com/
Wiki: http://bluntclassroom.wikispaces.com/

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