Teaching+w+Blogs

media type="custom" key="4518768" What is a Blog??
 * A blog is a Web-publishing concept that enables anyone -- first graders, political pundits, homeless people, high school principals, presidential candidates -- to publish information on the Internet.
 * a potential medium for sharing stories about themselves.
 * estimates often range from 30 to 100 //million// of them, all over the world. Check out a website like [|Global Voices] and you can get a taste for the global reach of blogging, or the [|blogosphere], as it’s often known.
 * Free Blogs - [|Blogger.com], one of the most popular blogging platforms. It lets you set up a free account and create your own blogs - as many as you want.

media type="custom" key="4518770"

media type="custom" key="4518772" A 13 minute complete description of Blogging in school

** BEST BETS FOR CLASSROOM BLOGGING ** Now that you have set up a classroom Web log, how can students use it? They can
 * reflect on their reading or classroom discussions.
 * investigate topics online and then report on their research.
 * record group progress on a project.
 * talk about shared classroom experiences.
 * copy and paste thought-provoking quotes from other blogs, and then offer their own thoughts on the topic.
 * ask professional writers to edit their blogs, or provide feedback.
 * use a blog to get feedback from students about activities that were done in class. It’s a good forum for what works and what doesn’t. (teacher Blog)

Other things to do with Blogs... **
 * **Communicate with parents**. Some teachers see blogging as an outreach tool for interacting with parents.
 * **Communicate with your peers**. Lots of educators blog so they can have a professional dialogue with their colleagues.
 * **Showcase student work** There’s nothing like seeing a teacher beam with pride because of the success of their students.

BLOGGING DO's ** The risks of blogging are real. Although you cannot review all blog entries before they're published, you can take steps to lessen the risks of inappropriate entries. Do:
 * Get parental permission.
 * Know your school and district acceptable use policies (AUPs) and convey them to your students.
 * Avoid blogging sites that require students to publish their complete names and/or e-mail accounts.
 * Avoid sites that ask students for //any// personal information.
 * Make students aware of what subject matter is appropriate and permissible.
 * Teach students the importance of tone and respect for others' opinions.
 * Have clear expectations, rules, and consequences.
 * Remember that with risk comes growth and learning.

** BLOGGING STEP-BY-STEP ** To gradually introduce students to blogging:
 * 1) Teach them the etiquette of online posting.
 * 2) Invite students to use blogs for a few days just for fun -- until they get used to how the system works. Create your own blog too.
 * 3) Assign one blog entry per week on a class-related topic; keep required lengths short and emphasize reflection.
 * 4) Over time, encourage students to provide feedback on one another's blogs; to evaluate blogs outside of class; and to create group blogs.
 * 5) Grade students on their blog entries. Evaluate such factors as time management, content, and grammar and spelling.

Blogging takes writing assignments into the real world, giving students the chance to receive feedback from each other, as well as other online mentors. While some teachers prefer that blogs only feature their students’ polished work, others see blogging as a platform where students can share early drafts of a writing assignment, using online feedback to improve each version. Blogging becomes an interactive form of peer review.


 * SAMPLES **
 * Middle school Blogs - http://www.middleweb.com/mw/aaDiaries.html
 * School Blog - http://barber.typepad.com/
 * Elementary school - **Did you know, however, that students as young as kindergarten now blog on a daily basis in a variety of exciting ways?read this article to find out...** http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/tech/tech217.shtml
 * A teachers blog for students - http://mrskaymedina.edublogs.org/

Sources: (http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2006/05/what_exactly_is_a_blog_anyway.html) (http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/techtorial/techtorial037print.shtml)