As some of the tasks, we had to do this was of moderate difficulty. I modified the template page to make it more in keeping of my own nerd interests. I suppose you might call Pageflakes “Web Site Construction Light”. You really don’t have to mess with registering domain names and the such like. And the ease of set up was along the same as the Edublogs format. I did have some difficulty in trying to add some RSS feeds I wanted, but as I have household chores I must do, I will defer to solving that technical difficulty for some other time.
This post is to reflect on two questions: How might this informational tool might be used in the classroom setting? What themes or topics would be the focus of the Pageflakes? Responding to the first question, it seems that the use of Pageflakes might just be the same as Ed-line. And I have enough trouble getting my students to use Ed-line as is. However, the Group feature does have the advantage of a more interactive engagement of the student than in Ed-line. Up loading student school email addresses could allow them to add relevant information on a specific topic under consideration. Oh, my Gosh, am I succumbing to this social net-working mind set? I have found that some of the features of Ed-line a bit limiting which may not occur in Pageflakes. I may have to examine this further.
I am not sure that I could find the appropriate theme or topic using Pageflakes that would fit into the nature of my course. If I were asking the student to use the Internet as a research tool, other more direct informational techniques might more useful. My comments on collaboration in Thing 20 are an examples.
Do I wish to share with the world? Maybe, but only after a great deal of reflection. If I am going to show the cyber world what I think is important to me, I want to very sure of what I would put into my Pageflakes. So no stretchy thing for me at this time.
Entries (RSS)