I recently used webs.com to create a personal website. The process for creating it was far easier than I expected. Prior to creating this website I perceived the process to be full of technical operations and know-how. Because of this, I had never considered making a website of my own. I thought it was out of my league, skill-wise. What a nice experience to have when you are able to do something you previously thought you could not do.
Once I created an account I was able to play around with various means of designing for the webpage. I picked a template that appealed to me and filled in some of the pages with information (such as the “about me” page). Although I didn’t finish the site in one sitting, it felt very gratifying to have created the beginnings of such a personally expressive medium and creation. Plus there was the feeling of accomplishment for having figured something out that felt difficult and removed from my realm of possibilities.
If you have had similar thoughts and assumptions about the possibility of creating your own website, I would suggest that you go to webs.com and give it a try. If you get stuck, I’ve found it helps to use the “help” link on the site to troubleshoot any difficulties you have.
What about using personal websites in elementary school classrooms? How could websites help to create authentic learning experiences? I think that at a minimum personal websites can serve as a strong outlet for personal expression for elementary students. It is a means of artistic expression as well as linguistic. It is also motivation to reflect on school activities and to publish your thoughts with the intention to communicate them to others. It also encourages students to interact with each other by viewing each other’s websites and leaving comments for others to read.
One question I am left pondering is: How can a personal website help elementary students become more connected with their local communities?
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