Instructional Technology

Productivity and Instructional Tools

WIX
Our Shared Vision

We want our students to be lifelong learners,

independent thinkers, and productive,
responsible citizens.

We want to provide a comprehensive and

challenging education.

We want to be creative and innovative visionaries

who respond quickly to evolving and diverse
issues.
Douglas County Board of Education Vision
Instructional Technologies

Using technology based instructional tools can help

students become more productive, more engaged in
their learning, and more responsible for their
education.

Web based tools offers students new ways of

expressing themselves, demonstrating mastery of
content, and offering new ways to communicate.
What is WIX?

WIX is an online website development tool.

WIX can help teachers create flashy websites

even with limited knowledge of website design.

WIX offers students alternative ways to

demonstrate mastery of content using the web.
WIX

WIX helps people create innovative and creative

websites, posters, books, magazines, etc.

Offers a drag and drop editing so users do not

need to understand HTML code.

Video, photos, social media, calendars, and

multiple languages can be incorporated using
WIX.
WIX for Teachers

Post assignments, update test calendar,

classroom rules.

Post helpful tutorials for students.

Link to webquests to help students make

connections.

Communicate with parents though

assignment updates, test dates, video
tutorials, etc.
WIX for Teachers

Teachers can link and use social media on

their websites.

Sites can have multiple contributors in cases

of co-teachers.
WIX for Students
Poster
Under page parts students can create a
background page, a mini page or a page frame.

Student can use WIXs page part to create

posters.
WIX for Students
Example

Example of a poster a student made using

WIX.

Demonstrates knowledge and understanding

of the Populist Movement, silver affecting
the economy, and economic hardships of
farmers.
WIX for Students
Media
WIX media editor allows
students to create and media
presentations
Students can search Flickr and
YouTube for videos and insert
them into presentations.
Students can also use Clipart to
insert pre made images and
animated designs.
WIX for Students
Books and Magazines

Students can create books and magazine

entries to demonstrate mastery of ELA, such
as creative writing, sentence dissection,
character development, and scene
description standards.

Students can link multiple pages together or

focus on a single entry.
WIX for Students
facebook page

Students can create a mock facebook page to

demonstrate knowledge and understanding
of a topic.

Topics may include marketing a business

(economics), historical figures (history), or
musical artists (performing arts).
Wix for Students
Mastery of Standards

Students can use WIX to demonstrate mastery of

standards through:

Research and presentation of a poster citing primary

and secondary sources.

Demonstrating central ideas, making inferences,

drawing conclusions, and other literary techniques
through creative writing.

Create a business plan and advertise a company

Use technology to create and publish research

projects.
Georgia Standards
WIX
Who Can Use It?

Although the examples shown were drawn from High

School standards, WIXs easy to use format allows any
age to use it. Ideally middle and high school students.

WIX is free.

WIX is constantly updating and modernizing their

products.
WIX Features
WIX
User Friendly

Any computer with internet access can use WIX

to develop and create websites and projects.

WIX permits the use of video and audio. A

webcam and headset would be valuable, but not
essential.

WIX offers 24 hour technical support, user

tutorials, and step by step help for getting
started.
WIX
Limitations?

A major limitation is storage space and bandwidth.

WIX offers only 500MB of each while others are
unlimited.

Does not offers polls, tests, quizzes, independent video

upload, facetime or other desirable aspects.

Teachers cannot control what a student posts for their

class via WIX.

WIX is not a controlled site.

WIX
Costs?

WIX is free.

Support devices (headsets, webcams, etc) would

be helpful for students and teachers.

24 hour support and step by step guides limit

the need for professional development.

Students and teachers would need a computer

with internet access.
WIX
Funding

Internet Service Providers offer low monthly

rates for high speed internet for
low income families.

Technology grants, such as Digital Wish, Intel,

and the United States Department of Education
offers grants for educators.

Grant money can buy class netbooks, headsets,

webcams, etc.
Benefits of WIX

Students take on the role of creator and producer when

using WIX to demonstrate mastery.

Students can move from understanding on Blooms

taxonomy, to application and analysis of material.

Projects can be turned into collaborative assignments

using WIXs multiple author feature.

WIXs multiple language feature supports ELL

learners.
Benefits of WIX

WIXs point and click, drag and drop style of web

design helps students with limited mobility because it
restricts typing associated with coding.

The audio and video features of WIX, as well as the

creative aspect, reaches multiple learning styles.

Web published material can circulate locally,

nationally and internationally with ease.

Promotes communication by parents accessing teacher

website for posted announcements and video tutorials,
students can ask questions in real time via the social
media features, grades posted in real time.
Benefits of the Internet
in Education

In 1997 the University of Alberta conducted a

study on the benefits of the internet in education.
Their findings included:

Access to learning opportunities.

Economical delivery of material.

Promotes diverse learning.

Enables new instructional models.

Encourages student centered learning.

Benefits of the Internet
in Education

Guy Posey et al. with Alabama A&M University outlined

similar benefits to the use of the internet in education.
They found:

Flexible access.

Easy communication.

Flexible student assessment.

Students take on leadership roles.

Students save money.

Accelerated learners may advance quicker and not be hindered.

Slower learners have increased resources for assistance.

Benefits of the Internet
in Education

In 2009 SRI International for the Department of

Education outlined their support for the use of the
internet in education. They argued:

Students who used the internet in the classroom scored in

the 59th percentile on standardized tests. Compared to
those scoring in the 50th who did not.

Provides learning tailored to students individual needs.

Creates learning communities among students.

Enables more learning by doing.

Our shared vision

The use of WIX can help teachers realize the shared

vision of Douglas County Board of Education.

As we move forward in education, students will

increasing be required to demonstrate mastery and
proficiency using technology. WIX can help them become
productive citizens.

The student centered approach to utilizing WIX in the

classroom helps us offer a comprehensive education.

The use of WIX to evaluate mastery and offer alternative

assessments helps us create innovative visionaries.
Implementation of WIX

The use of WIX in education doesnt need any

special software, committees to be formed, team
leads to be named, or pilot classes to be analyzed.

In many classrooms, WIX is already being used.

We need to show teachers what WIX can do and
get them excited about it.
Implementation of WIX

Professional development opportunities could be

held to show teachers how to use WIX and how
WIX can help them and their students.

These opportunities should included the students

themselves showing off educational work
completed with WIX.
Implementation of WIX

All the best and cutting edge technology in the world

isnt effective unless teachers buy into the idea.

We would need to show teachers how to use WIX to

communicate with parents, extend learning beyond the
classroom, use social media to update and receive
feedback.

We would also show them finished products of student

work and have the student explain their excitement
about using WIX.
Reflection

When I began this project, I chose WIX because it

was similar to Weebly but I was less familiar
with it. I thought it was a website maker that
teachers could use.

As I began to research WIX I discovered that it is

more than a website creator.

With books, magazines, facebook pages, posters,

websites - it is much more that I expected.
Reflection

As I started sorting out the information I

researched I realized that students who do
assignments with WIX are excited about it.

WIX was not created to be for teachers. However

teachers are using it to offer alternative
assessments and communicate with parents.

WIX is much more than I anticipated. Its limits

are endless.
REFERENCES

MANTICA, C. (2012, 02 12). Guilded age. Retrieved from http://

cristel-mf37.wix.com/us-history

WWDT4H. (2010, 05 30). What should you be using?. Retrieved from

http://www.scribd.com/doc/32213769/Wix-Teacher

DAVIES, J. (1997). The internet in education: Benefits of internet use in

education. UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA, Retrieved from
http://www.ualberta.ca/~jedavies/inteduc/benefits.htm

POSEY, G., BURGESS, T., EASON , M., & JONES, Y. (2002). The advantages
and disadvantages of the virtual classroom and the role of the teacher. Retrieved
from http://www.swdsi.org/swdsi2010/SW2010_Preceedings/paper s/PA126.pdf

SRI International. (2012, 03 20). Sri releases report for u.s. department of
education on costs and benefits of online learning programs . Retrieved from
http://www.sri.com/newsroom/press-releases/sri- international-releases-report-us-
department-education-costs- and- benefits