Management of tech projects ---wkik? Google docs? Blackboard/Moodle?

[Diane Falconer]

Does anyone have experience with managing students' online technology projects? I will have 42 classes per week, spread across 3 schools, K-5.  My students have limited home access to computers and our schools' labs are a constant headache, so I'm not looking forward to managing classes up to 33 students as I try to tackle some tech skills in the context of interesting and relevant projects!   So far I think I will do basic keyboarding for several weeks gr. 3-5 so they can get some basic familiarity.  Then there will be less frustration when we get to some projects. (But I have to be sure all the labs are up and running first!  Maybe I can require that students bring their library book to read in case we run into real tech snafus!)
Perhaps my first projects should be partner ones, too.   I plan to institute an "ask your buddy first" rule.   I'll have to keep printing to a minimum.    We do have Google Docs, so I might create a Google site for each grade.  Would have to keep them "private" I think.  Or perhaps a class or grade-level wiki would be a place to "present" their work.  One per school per grade? or One for every class?   Has anyone tried to use Blackboard or Moodle for media/tech content-lessons, links, and products too?  Thanks for any suggestions!

[Kelly Farrow]

I think if you're just wanting to keep track of which sites you send the kids to, a Google Doc for each grade level would work great. (So would an ikeepbookmarks account w/ a folder for each grade level. Here's what ours looks like: http://www.ikeepbookmarks.com/browse.asp?account=374734&clientW...  Feel free to use any sites you see there that you like.) If the kids are going to be "publishing" and sharing, the wiki idea is a better choice.

[Carina Gonzalez]

While I don't have any experience personally managing students' online tech projects (today was my first day of teaching ever), my first career was as a computer techie, so some ideas spring to mind.

 

Google Docs is of course fantastic.  I actually made a video for my husband's high school class on creating a google doc.  Feel free to use it in your class if you think it appropriate: 

 

http://youtu.be/dnphsUGFqhU

 

There are also lots of programs and services that are popping up with the intent of organizing one's life.  Many of these can be connected to one another and have multiple uses and sharing options.  Two that I would suggest are:

 

http://springpadit.com/

http://www.evernote.com/

 

If you're looking for ideas for tech projects, creating a wiki would definitely be fun.  My persona fave is:

 

http://pbworks.com/

 

Creating a blog is also another option.  I like to use blogger, especially since Google owns it and so it works great with Google Docs:

 

http://www.blogger.com/

 

You could also create an e-book together if you like as well using Tikatok.  It's a nice option because even if your tech goes down, kids can work on story line, illustration, etc. with or without their comps. 

 

http://www.tikatok.com/

 

Hope some of these help!