Automotive ToolBox and Student Sites

This year I have been trialling achievement standards with my Level 1 Automotive class.  One of the Technology Department Goals for 2017 with junior classes, is outlined as follows:

Goal 1

Implement the use of 2017 ePortfolios - Technology for students in Year 7, Year 8, Year 9 and Year 10 for the following:

• To enable students to visually showcase their work
• To enable Technology staff to see examples and evidence of each individual student’s level of achievement for various achievement objectives, as the student rotates from one technological area to the next, one semester to the next, one year to the next

When I saw the way that the Google site was set up, I could see that this could work for my Level 1 class and the achievement standard that the students are learning for the first time this year.  The site is user friendly because students could insert their work into the site pages that have been set up.  The students enjoyed the unit, including the write-up about how they developed the toolboxes and the tools that they used.  The students enjoyed bringing the practical examples of their work into their sites and displaying their work in this way.

I wasn't sure about using the Student Sites to begin with, because I wasn't sure if it would work for the students.  When I could see that the students enjoyed using the sites, then I felt comfortable, and I knew I was on the right path.  Areas to focus on next year, is getting students to make sure that their sites are public, as well as the work that they include in their sites.