Weebly as a Tool

Today I created a website through weebly:

http://compulsorywebsite.weebly.com/

I set up mine to be about mathematics - because I'm planning to be a math/English teacher and wanted to begin looking at exactly how e-learning tools could be used in my classroom.
I've been spending a lot of time today constructing it and I would like to reflect on the some good points and bad points of creating a website for learning and also consider how and when they would be useful in the classroom. I'll do this through a SWOT analysis:

Strengths
Available to everyone
Can include interactive components eg. games, calculators, etc.
Learning Manager can know what the site is about
Learning Manager can create a site to suit their needs
Learning Manager can model good online behaviour through the site eg. acknowledging sou res, abiding by copyright laws, appropriate language
Weebly is user friendly
Students can work on it individually or in pairs or groups
Allows students to be creative

Weaknesses

Restricted by limitations of technology

Personalizing the Weebly can be expensive - the better layouts aren't free

There is limited opportunity for students to interact (online - feedback options are limited) with others or engage in critical thinking

Can be bias and unreliable

Students can get caught up in the athetics as apposed to the content (I certainly did!)

Need access to computers and Internet

Oppertunities & Possible Uses in a Classroom Setting

Blogger could be used as a way to pressent assignment tasks. Students could link to information, critic each others work and embed numerous technologies (Weebly can incoperate other components). Weebly could be used to share information: a class or school Weebly could be set up as a way of comunicating with parents and/or students. A topic Weebly could be created (by the learning manager or school) and the Weebly address given to learners to allow them to construct the meaning of their learning online. Web quests are another oppertunity with Weebly.

Threats
Students may fore go learning other skills in favour of web learning

All content needs to be considered before being posted

Learners need to stay on task, distractions threaten Weebly as a tool

Safe, Legal & Ethical Practises

The safe and legal ethical practises when using a Weebly are simular to other online spaces, such as Blogger and Wiki. Pictures, videos, text, etc need to be refferenced if unoriginal. Sites need to be monitored for appropriote behaviour. Rules need to be established within classes to regulate the usage of Weebly. Learners should remember that once uploaded things can be very hard, if not impossible, to recall entirely. Learning Managers need to educate students on safe practises. Personal information should not be shared on public online spaces.