Hands-On Learning: Students Build Web Sites for Businesses

Many schools agree that hands-on learning helps students better understand lessons in the classroom. At Sprague High School in Salem, Ore., students in technology classes get to show what they're learning outside the classroom by creating Web pages for local businesses, the Statesman Journal reports.
 
Each semester, students work with at least one business, such as Dallas Marine Center and Raging Water Spas of Salem. When the entire class helps build a site, there is no charge to the business partner. However, if Doug Adkins, the class instructor, assigns his top students to the task, there is a fee.

"Our kids get to experience the full range of building a Web site, from the interviewing of a client to building the site and hosting the site ourselves," Adkins said.

Currently, Sprague is hosting seven public Web sites, which cost $50 per year for the clients. Most of the money, Adkins said, is used to pay for the school's reselling account, and anything extra goes to buy software and equipment. Check out the work they did on the updated Sprague Web site, www.spraguehs.com.

The computer program, which was started in 1983, also allows students to demonstrate their tech support skills. When teachers at the high school file help tickets, students respond and fix software or hardware problems. Typically, there are two students "on call" each class period. 

For the complete story, visit www.statesmanjournal.com.