Which Fish Are You Trying to Catch?

The first step in making a decision on what kind of site to create is to look at the population that you intend reaching with it.  Generally, a class site will have one or more of several specific viewer groups. Those are students, parents, community persons such as local businesses or organizations and other teachers. Each of these groups may have completely different motivations. Let’s take a look at what some of those might be.

Students
A class site may attract a student because the content is interesting to the student or because he/she is directed to it for assignments. There may be tutorials on the site that help a student who is doing poorly to catch up or that help a student who is out of the classroom to keep up with the class. A teacher may post not only assignments, but due dates and grades on the site. A teacher may create a site simply to include experiences that, by their “computer tech” nature are motivating to a student.

Parents
Parents like to know what their children are doing. A class site can post the current events of the class in a frequently updated newsletter or gallery of student work. An outline of the course with syllabus and listed homework assignments keep a parent posted on what is actually occurring while his/her child is at school. Programs that allow a parent to access a student’s grades are attractive to parents for the same reasons. Parents also sometimes like to know what the qualifications are of their child’s teachers. 

Community
Businesses and other organizations in the community often partner with a school. Sites that contain tutorials and homework assignments can interest community centers and churches that operate after-school tutoring programs. Sites that offer calendars of extracurricular events are of interest to friends and family of the children who participate in them.

Other Teachers
Some class sites have lesson plans, project examples, newsletters of class activities, etc. that are appreciated by other teachers. Teachers are often looking for better ways of teaching subjects or site to make use of with their own students.