Publishing and Sharing on the Internet

Made by Katie and remixed for Maker Party by Bobby.

Learners will understand how to set up their mobile phone, connect to the web and download, install and use apps.

2 hours


  • Preparation

    On the Web, there are so many different websites with so much information. Have you ever thought of how you get the information on to the Web for yourself? This session will explain how you can take your thoughts and ideas, and put them on the web by making a project with Webmaker. Creating a project with Webmaker will enable you to share information with friends, family, and the whole world on the Web.

    The internet is an information superhighway, where you can find out anything you want. However, even though around 5% of the world’s population speak English as their first language, more than 50% of the world’s online content in English. It is important that the intenet and the wealth of information on it, is accessible to everyone. It’s important that everyone has a voice, and a platform where that voice can be heard.

    During the parts of the session that involve working with a mobile phone, make sure you sit next to people rather than in front of them – this will help create a supported learning environment.

  • 10
    min

    Icebreaker: Desert Island

    Have the group stand round in a circle, and tell them that they are stranded on a desert island for a year. In addition to essentials, they can bring a supply of their favorite food, one book, and one luxury item they can carry with them (i.e. not a boat to leave the island). Go around the circle and ask each person what they would take and why.

  • 20
    min

    Discussion

    With the group of learners, discuss the following questions with your group:

    • If you could create any website, what would it be?
    • How do you usually hear about new websites?
    • Do you share interesting websites that you come across with your friends or family?
    • What do you do if you can’t find the information/ websites you are looking for?
  • 40
    min

    Webmaker — all about me!

    Individually, build a project about yourself, which explains a little about who you are and what you like. For this project, include some photos (use a mobile phone camera), a website or two that you like, and some words describing youself. At first, it might be useful to sketch out your project on paper, using the paper prototyping form provided. This will will help you decide how you want to your project pages to look, and connect to each other.

    When you are comfortable that you have a project plan, take your paper plans digital!

    Plan to have three (or more!) different pages for your project. When you have completed your project, share it with other participants in the room, and ask them to review it, and make suggestions for you.

    Step 1: Create rough paper prototypes (with the prototype handouts) of how you want your "about me" pages to look, and connect to each other. Keep it clear and simple.

    Step 2: Take your paper handouts, and translate them on to the Webmaker app – make your paper plans digital!

    Step 3: Share your project with another learner in the room Do they like it? Ask for their feedback.

    • Include 1-2 photos with description
    • A button with a link wot a page you like, with an brief explaination on why you like it
    • A page with some information about you, and your hobbies

    Post activity discussion: Sharing

    → As a group, brainstorm the different ways you can share information online, and write on a piece of paper.
    Facilitator prompts: do you publish photos? Comment on articles? Update a facebook status, tweet?

    → Why is sharing important?
    Facilitator prompts: it lets people know about content, it is a way to get feedback, a way to collaborate with people interested in similar things, a way to easily communicate information to wider audiences, it provides greater access to information, sharing information can empower people.

  • 40
    min

    Webmaker — community information!

    Open up Webmaker and start looking at it. Remember in the second class we talked about remixing? Take a look at some existing projects – are there parts of these projects you would like to reuse?

    Remix: Have you ever heard the word remix before? It means to take something existing – music, documents or projects – and to use parts of it to create something new. In the case of webmaker, this would be to take elements of projects that other people have already created, and to use them in your own webmaker projects.

    Organize the participants into small groups of around 2-3 people, and hand each group one of the following scenarios. Each group should plan and build a small project for their scenario. Plan out your web pages on the worksheets handed out. Plan to have three different pages for your website, and two photos.

    Scenario 1: A local sports team, the Tongi Tigers, wants a way to communicate reminders and updates to team members and supporters, as well as sharing photos and alerting people of the locations of weekly football games.

    Scenario 2: A great local cook wants to create a log of their home cooking, so that people know what meal (it changes daily) they will be selling from their home each day, so they can come to their house. They want to take a photo of the food each morning, so that people can see the meal of the day and the price.

    Scenario 3: Salim is very interested in fashion, and wants to start a blog called ‘Dhaka Designs’ where he can write a blog about the latest trends, upload photos he takes of what people are wearing on the streets.

    Scenario 4: Mithee is organizing a religious music festival in Dhaka called ‘Sacred Sounds’. She wants to create a webpage where people can find out where to buy tickets and how to register to be a performer. She would like to add a list of confirmed performers, along with their photos.

  • Checking progress

    Use a clock to time participants building their own app, starting when Activity 2 begins. This activity should take around 60 minutes, but it will take some participants longer. Observe the progress of each participant, and check what stage the participants are at on the handout provided after the 30 min mark. Take note of those moving more slowly, and help guide them along.