Weebly

= • [|Weebly] is… = a web-based product that allows you to create a website and/or blog easily and for FREE! It has a drag and drop interface that makes web creation easy for anyone. There is also a Weebly for Education version. Both versions offer numerous designs to use when creating your website or you can create your own design. Weebly offers free domain hosting with no limits on storage or number of pages. All of this is available with no adverstising!

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= •Just the Facts … = = · **Equipment needed**-All you need is a computer with an internet connection. =  · **Cost**-FREE- The free account gives you access to most of the features of Weebly, plus unlimited pages, bandwidth, and storage space, with a limit of 5MB per individual file upload. There is a an optional Weebly Pro Service that costs less than $5.00 a month. You would have all the features of the free service, plus a video and audio player, an embed file feature, password protection, and the file size for uploaded files is increased to 100MB per file. · **Where to find more information**-Weebly has a great [|Support Center] which includes FAQs for numerous features of Weebly. Plus, you can submit questions that you may not find. · ** Age/grade level ** - There are no age limitations for Weebly. Younger students may need assistance from the teacher. · ** Limitations ** - You can have 40 accounts in the free version to create individual or small group websites. There is a limit of 5MB per file uploaded.

= •In the Classroom … = · ** How can I apply it for teaching? ** You can use Weebly for your class website and/or a class blog. Within the websites, you can upload video, audio, photos, and text. You can also create forms and surveys. There are a variety of Widgets-calendar, google maps, polls, Twitter feed, search button, and auto-responder forms. · **How can it benefit my students?** You could create individual websites for your students to use for ePortfolios and/or class assignments. They can easily design their websites to include any of the components available to the teacher. Blogging with Weebly is a great platform in a safe and secure environment. · ** Age/Grade Level ** - There are no age limitations for Weebly. Younger students may need assistance from the teacher. Students could also work in groups to create their websites. · ** Effectiveness (is there any research?) ** - There is no research on the effectiveness of a Weebly itself. However, a Weebly, would be similar in effectiveness to a website. It encourages communication and collaboration outside of the classroom. The Weebly website also gives an available portal for sharing projects and student learning.

= • Help, I’m Stuck … = · **How can I access** Weebly for Education Create an account and your website in about 15 minutes. · **Tutorials / support** - Weebly FAQs and Search · ** Ease of use ** **Beginner's Guide to Weebly**

•Check it out … 3rd Grade Weeblys in Progress-starting 3-22-11

 * 3rd Grade Group One
 * 3rd Grade Group Two
 * 3rd Grade Group Three
 * 3rd Grade Group Four
 * 3rd Grade Group Five

Cheryl Usher, March, 2011