Apr 24 2008
Promoting our services
As usual, the best ideas seem to come to me when I should be doing something else - like relaxing or the housework! So, I was musing on how I could promote all of the services that we have been developing - or playing around with. We have had some for a while, like the LRC website, and some only recently, like the Portal pages, blog and wiki. They all looked a bit different and all serve differing purposes. Some were my way of learning a new skill or thinking about how I might use a new service. Others were something that I might reject as not necessary for my job at this time.
But… I was beginning to see how we might use a more collaborative way of working - difficult for me as I have been called a control-freak in the past!
So… how could we promote all of these disparate things to the school community? We already called our website “LRC Online” as this mirrored the school website. It had its own logo.
Simple thing really - we have now called everything our “LRC Online Services”.
LRC Online Website
LRC Online Catalogue - coming soon
LRC Online Blog - a basic blog made to insert news into the other services
LRC Online Portal Pages - only for the school community
LRC Online Wiki
… and so on, as we add more new things in the future.
We have now started promoting these services to the school with the logo, “LRC Online Services” and the strapline:
“Bringing the LRC to you!”
Cheesy? Maybe - but it emphasises the idea that we are working outside our physical enviroment. Not rocket science, but worth trying.
This is what the top part of our Portal Page looks like:
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This is excellent Anne, a model of Web 2.0 technology, and everything I am aspiring to do on our website. We are just upgrading to Server 3 for our VLE, which should allow me to create something more exciting than our current VLE. I am building up a Web 2.0 wiki for teachers in our school which I aim to launch in September. Good luck - keep leading the way!
Thanks, Caroline. Now I “just” have to make sure that I am getting across in my own school!
Best wishes
Anne
This is fantastic Anne! It is a real model of what I would like to provide at RGS. We are about to begin construction of a new post-16 library that is to be called ‘the e-learning centre’ and will contain 30 laptops but will also have copies of textbooks and face out display of a rotating selection of fiction and non-fiction taken from the main library. The idea is not to replace the existing library but to enhance what it can provide. We are moving to OLIVER from Softlink to create an online catalogue, and supplement our provision on subscription online databases. After seeing your new LRC Online I can see real potential in doing a similar thing as a way of promoting both the new e-learning centre and breathing new life into the existing library as well. Once again you inspire me!