Mark Sobkowicz

I've been creating teaching websites for a long time. My first home page was made in 1996, and I've been experimenting with using the web to communicate with students since then. Some things I've learned...

Go ahead and make a website. If you want to make pdf documents and distribute them on your website, do it. If you want to put assignments up for your students every day, do that. Want to make a wiki for your class? Or a Moodle site? Give it a try.

When you are looking back at how you used technology with your classes, be honest with yourself. What worked, and what didn't? If you didn't update your website as often as you thought you might, why not? Could a different technology help you achieve your goals? Or do you need to change your web ambitions?

But don't be too negative! Different technologies really can help you deliver content with less work. (But not with no work).

Who is doing what you want to do? Ask them for help. If you're willing to experiment, a little bit of help can go a long way. At Lincoln Sudbury, students do most of the work on the school website, and often help teachers make websites as part of the Web Publishing class. Once you get help, though, don't look away. Getting help is an opportunity to learn, not an opportunity for someone else to do the work for you.