What is the best way to publish student work?

Hello

FYI: This will be my first year teaching. I am the new 8th and 9th grade computers teacher in a small rural school.

Q: What is the best way to publish student work?

My first thought was that I could post student work on my google site. Unfortunately google only allows 100mb per site and it does not take all file types. Then I thought students could create a google site and have them post their work to their own site. However, after thinking about it I am not so sure that would be best since the student can access and change it at anytime. If inappropriate things were posted then it would be on my hands.

So what are your suggestions? Should I ask the school to give me room on their website? How should I monitor student publishing?

Thank you very much in advance.

Brian

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Permalink Reply by Steve O'Connor on August 20, 2008 at 1:50pm

I would suggest that a student's work be approved by an appropriate adult before publication to the world at large in a context that represents your school. One it has been approved, then the student should no longer be able to edit it.

You should check with your school's web publishing policy before proceeding. If there is no policy, then now is the time to start talking with stakeholders and formulate a policy that is appropriate for your school and community. While we have published student work with the constraints mentioned above, we are in the process of creating a formal policy.

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Permalink Reply by Brian on August 21, 2008 at 6:06am

Once it is approved do you upload it or does the student?

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Permalink Reply by Nancy Bosch on August 20, 2008 at 4:50pm

We have posted a lot of student work--we have used blogs, wikis, Moodle, and webpages. Take a look and see how stuff looks in different venues. Be sure you have signed parent permission to post student work which may include parent permission to publish student likeness (photo), also an AUP for whatever platform you decide to use.

I would keep things pretty close to the vest for middle schools--for instance you could do a ning like this one but the policing could be a nightmare. I agree with Steve, once the work is publishing-worthy it should remain unchanged.

There is a lot to think about, let me know if I can help. N

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Permalink Reply by Brian on August 21, 2008 at 6:13am

Thanks for link. This will take me a while to look through it all.
I am very appealed by doing a ning. But like you said the policing would be a nightmare. We do have Blackboard at this school so that might work as well.

The blogs and wikis do you let them edit and add content?

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Permalink Reply by Brian on August 21, 2008 at 7:22am

Off topic:
At your site I looked at the "Exploring Leonardo DaVinci" and I have a couple questions.

What grade/subject? How long does it take students?

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Permalink Reply by Lori Roberts on August 20, 2008 at 5:10pm

Brian, after looking at a bunch of different options, I decided on a ning for my classes to post their projects. I teach Digital Graphics & Animation and Video Technology to 9th-12th grades. I made the ning private so that only my students would be able to access it. I haven't tried it with the kids yet, but plan on doing so soon after school starts. I think it will be a good way for the students to learn uploading, as some do not know how, as well as to get them to critique each others work. I know you can upload video and audio with the ning and it does give you some control over what the kids can and can't do. Plus if you email ning help and tell them your ning is for 8-9th grade they will remove the google ads. Hope this maybe helps.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Mirtschin on August 21, 2008 at 4:16am

After seeking appropriate parental permission, we, like Nancy, have published their work via blogs, wikis and nings. Some digital videos have been published on teachertube. Our school is also a small rural school from prep to year 12.

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Permalink Reply by Brian on August 21, 2008 at 6:19am

I have talked with an administrator about parental permission regarding publishing student work and he told me student pictures are used in the newsletter and website and it is up to the parents to fill out an "opt out" form and so far no parent has done so. Maybe I should run this by him one more time.

Also why publish work via blogs, wikis, and nings? Why not just one?

Thank you very much.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Mirtschin on August 21, 2008 at 6:23am

Hello Brian, I think I would double check that advise. Just to be really safe, I would get parental permission. 'Opt out' might not work, if it was legally tested. Personally, I would go with blogs initially, as that is the student's own personal website or journal and work from there as the need arises and confidence develops.

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Permalink Reply by Nancy Bosch on August 21, 2008 at 6:33am

The different formats serve different purposes and look different and can have different levels of control. I agree with Ann that blogs are the easiest; wikis serve their purpose, research and collaborative projects but they are ugly! Nings could be a great outlet but not as secure as other platforms for kids.

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Permalink Reply by Brian on August 21, 2008 at 7:17am

Sad to say but I have not used a blog. So what you recomend is start a classroom blog and post students work on my own? or student created blogs? How would a blog be more secure then a ning?

I think I will use google docs for collaborative work.

Thank you!

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Permalink Reply by Anne Mirtschin on August 22, 2008 at 9:20pm

Blogs might be more secure than a wiki as there is usually only one owner or user of a blog (unless the owner allows others to add to it.) and the wiki usually involves more people editing which adds to the potential increased safety risks.However, both have settings which allow for privacy etc.