Greetings to students and parents!
Here are some basic information about using this on-line learning space.
1. Each student will have their own personal learning space called a blog. These blogs will be used just like Leonardo Da Vinci used his Journal or Scrap Book to write down ideas, sketch, and curiously explore the world. Other students and I can read these blogs and even add comments, but only the owner of the blog can add new entries.
2. We have several learning spaces and social spaces that students will also contribute to. The learning spaces known as Dialogues are shared spaces that are specific to topics or classes, and students are expected to contribute to theirs on a regular basis. The Forums are social spaces where students can choose to chat between classes, and use however they please, as long as they respect the basic rules. (Note that in this link, students must contribute an agreement to use the forums and blogs appropriately before contributing to any forums. The rules for using the Dialogues are slightly different than the social forums since these are specifically shared learning spaces - see #3 Learning.)
3. To maintain privacy, and to use the internet safely, students will be asked to always click on the "Access restrictions" drop-down menu and set restrictions to either the forum they are in or to:
"Group: DaVinciProjectParticipants" before they post... this way our comments stay private for members of our classes only. Personal Blog/Journal entries should be saved with "Group: DaVinciProjectParticipants" access only.
To demonstrate how this works, click on these two links:
AM class basic rules and PM class basic rules. The basic rules are posted in both links, but in the AM class I made the rules public so that you could see them here, and in the PM class I restricted them to "Group: DaVinciProjectParticipants" members. You will only be able to see the PM rules if a student is logged in.
5. Students will have a profile page that they can use to tell others a bit about themselves. I have made my profile public so that parents can see it. Students will restrict their profile to "Group: DaVinciProjectParticipants" members only and they will not reveal any information that is personal (such as last name, phone number, address or age) in their profile, or anywhere on this site.
Whenever a student contributes to this learning space a small photo is included next to their entry. My photo can be seen at the top of this blog entry. Students will be provided with a photo that is 'modified' to look similar to mine. I do this because this eduspaces site has a randomly chosen "Featured Profile" on their log-in page. As long as students click on the "Access restrictions" drop-down menu and set restrictions to: "Group: DaVinciProjectParticipants" before they post their profile, only their modified photo will be seen. Students will have the option to change this photo to an image other than their photo, and parents can request this as well.
8. Access to computers at home would be beneficial but is not necessary. I have taught this class a number of times without the use of computers and many options will be provided to create wonderful projects without their use. Students will be required to make entries into their personal learning blogs and in the shared Learning Dialogues, but class time will be provided for this.
13. Two different courses are being offered here.
The Da Vinci Project specifically looks at Leonardo Da Vinci the inventor.
The Phi Not Pi Project examines patterns in Numbers and Nature.
Regardless of which course students choose to take, there is a lot of leeway for students to find a topic that interests them and explore it to their hearts content.
21. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me.
Every page in the Da Vinci Project On-line Learning Space has a...
... link located near the top right of the page. There is no other way that anyone visiting this site can contact the students or me, except by clicking on one of these links. If you are a parent reading a paper copy of this and you would like to contact me another way, please feel free to call or visit the school.
- - - - - - - - - -
Remember to visit the
RENAISSANCE FAIR
Held at the school Wednesday May 31st, 5:30 to 7:00pm
*Students are expected to attend the fair for the entire time
so that they can showcase their projects*
Keywords: DaVinci, ForumRules, PhiNotPi, RenaissanceFair