Highwired

[link to site]

The Highwired site allows a teacher to post a wealth of information about his/her classroom, for example, a course overview, a calendar (with test dates, field trips, guest speakers, and assignments due), a list of projects (with detailed instructions), survey questions, web links (that you can categorize) and announcements. Highwired offers a way for students to submit homework online as well as a discussion area for students to extend the ideas discussed in class. The site can link all the classrooms in a school along with the school newspaper, guidance office, sport teams, and clubs. Below is the opening screen for my school:

A classroom site looks like this:

This site provides teachers with a form entry system, so you just need to type the information asked for (or cut and paste from a word processor) and click an update button to post information on your site. Here is an example screen to enter a new project:

Highwired offers the ability to keep posted information for an extended period of time -- the status of a project, for example, can be draft or running. When you are designing the project set the status as draft. When you want students to be able to see the project set the status to running.

The discussion forums provide the opportunity for teachers and students to share information and experiences.

To register with Highwired you need to click the teacher registration button. You will receive the e-pack immediately (a free email address and personal time-management tools). When you register your classrooms you will need to wait a few days to start work on them. Highwired will contact your school to verify that you are a teacher there, an attempt to keep information posted honest.

The benefits of this site includes:

	It presents a wonderful focus for teacher collaboration. Teachers who teach the same class or grade level can work together to post information for their students.
	The discussion and e-mail tools provide a means for teachers to easily communicate with other teachers, parents, or students.
	Online presence can be limited to one classroom or include a whole grade level or school.
	Information is accessible from any computer with an internet connection.
	Projects teachers develop can be shared with other teachers on the Highwired site by marking them as 'Network'.
	Teachers can search for projects that others have posted, adapt them for their own classroom and give feedback about how the project and adaptations worked for their class.
	Students can stay 'in-touch' with the class beyond the time and place constraints of the school day.