Over the past few weeks I have been learning about HTML5 and practicing writing code in order to create a website and upload it to the Internet as part of my Networked Learning Project for CEP 810. You can read more about my learning process on my first blog post and second blog post.
I enjoyed my Networked Learning Project (NLP) because it gave me the framework to accomplish something that I had always wanted to do, but had never dedicated time toward learning. I had not used YouTube as a learning resource before and was pleasantly surprised with how simple it was to search for videos to troubleshoot as I ran into problems creating my website. Honestly, I was surprised with the results of my final product since I didn’t know enough about code and wasn’t sure what to expect of my abilities when I originally set my goal.
The resources that I watched for my NLP were the DevTips “HTML5 Basics” playlist, Code School’s “Beginner HTML & CSS Tutorial,” and Traversy Media’s “HTML Crash Course for Absolute Beginners” to learn the basics of HTML5. An additional video I utilized during my process of creating my final product was Drew Ryan’s “Upload Your Website to the Internet-EASY!” to learn how to upload my coding so that my website would be available on the Internet. This was the most complicated part of the process since there were many steps where things could go wrong, but I was able to troubleshoot and complete this step with the help of this video.
I have my own domain name and my website is officially uploaded and live on the Internet. Please check it out at www.romsschaferscience.com.
In this video I demonstrate part of the development process for my final website including a dual screen view of the coding program and browser.
I plan to continue networked learning to become more adept at coding in HTML as well as learning other code languages, such as CSS, using YouTube videos to be able to create even more complex websites in the future. This will provide the opportunity for me to participate in “affinity spaces” to learn a new skill. As Gee (2013) said “It has missed next to no one’s attention that digital tools and affinity spaces organize learning in ways that are often powerful” (p. 8). Utilizing a forum such a YouTube to learn is a valuable tool and important 21st Century skill.
Through this project I have realized what an untapped resource YouTube is for my students. My students have told me that they spend a lot of their free time on YouTube, but I don’t think many of them realize what a valuable tool it could be for their learning process. Wagner (2013) points out that “We teach and test things most students have no interest in and will never need, and facts that they can Google and will forget as soon as the test is over” (as cited in Friedman, 2013). Using technology to answer questions, find information, and problem solve are instrumental skills for 21st Century children, but many educators are not providing opportunities for their students to use these tools. The process of networked learning is a way for students to develop a new skill and understanding that they are much more likely to remember in the long run. I definitely plan on incorporating networked learning into my classroom more in the future and helping my students learn the necessary skills to use this 21st Century tool.
References
Code School. (2016, April 20). Beginner HTML & CSS Tutorial (Level 1). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGJsmeuzl1o&index=8&list=PLuVcDOUVjW2fxf_Gf3bXZ9FJAgGMLDyk9.
DevTips. (2014, June 23). HTML5 Basics. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzzGt7EmXVw&list=PLqGj3iMvMa4KlJn1pMYPVV3eYzxJlWcON.
Friedman, T. (2013, March 20) Need a Job? Invent it. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/31/opinion/sunday/friedman-need-a-job-invent-it.html?smid=pl-share.
Gee, J. P. (2013). Digital Media and Learning: A Prospective Retrospective. Retrieved from http://jamespaulgee.com/pdfs/Digital_Media_and_Learning.pdf.
Ryan, D. (2015, November 11). Upload Your Website to the Internet-EASY!. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DTFH4UPIfU&t.
Traversy Media. (2017, June 17). HTML Crash Course for Absolute Beginners. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB1O30fR-EE.
All images and videos included in this post are property of the blog author
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