Weblogs in Education

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Weblogs in Education

• New Jersey Association of School Administrators
• TECHSPO 2004 ConferenceJanuary 29, 2004

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Agenda

• Welcome Intros
• Objectives
• Blogging Basics Confessions of a Newbie
• Best-Practice Blogs an Interactive Tour
• QA

- Simulated via screen shots
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Objectives

• Knowledge
• Describe Blogs
• List main parts
• Blog Models

Application Live Blogs Key Trends Resources
Comprehension Explain Use Discuss Issues Building
Blogs
- Simulated via screen shots
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Kevin Jarrett Technology Facilitator,
K-8Northfield Community School
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Blogging Basics Confessions of a Newbie

• Blogs a working definition
• How I got started
• Fascinations frustrations
• Where I am now

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Blogs a Working Definition

• Blogs are websites, in a journal format, that
  present content in a way that promotes group
  collaboration
• Blogs use simple forms to make adding content
  (publishing) very easy
• Knowledge of HTML helpful (not required)

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Blogs a Working Definition

• Components
• Blogging software (web or local server)
• Template (formatting, layout)
• Posts (content)
• Hosting (yours or theirs)

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How I Got Started

• Wanted an easy way to update my site
• Researched, chose Blogger.com
• Taught myself how to modify templates using
  Dreamweaver
• Soon began envisioning classroom applications

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Web Log Characteristics

• Posts are in reverse chronological ordermost
  recent first.
• Updated on a regular basis, sometimes daily
• Most Web logs are written in an informal, first
  person style and are filled with opinion.
• Most hyperlink to or reference news and
  information from other sites many connections.

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Web Log Characteristics

• Primarily text, but Web logs can include all
  sorts of multimedia files
• Invite comment and interaction from readers
• Searchable archives

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Masthead
Dateline
Blogroll
Links
Comments
Posts
Hypertext
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Fascinations Frustrations
The Bad The Ugly
The Good

• EASY to create, use maintain
• Professional look
• Innovative technology
• Many Blog services

• Template editing
• Server downtime?
• Many Blog services
• Acceptable Use issues?

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Where I Am Now

• Currently maintain four Blogs
• Primary educational application is a technology
  resource portal for fellow teachers in my K-8
  district
• 4th grade class collaborative blogging project
  completed last November
• Considering using Blogs for teacher pages,
  special projects, school website

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Will Richardson Supervisor of Instructional
TechnologyHunterdon Central Regional High School
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Why Weblogs?

• Weblogs have a number of characteristics that
  make them interesting as classroom tools.
• Easy to createmost blogging software packages
  come with ready made professional looking designs
  that you can personalize if you like. And most
  have you up and creating content in a matter of
  minutes.
• Access from anywhere with an Internet
  connectionStarbucks, the in-laws, soon on
  planes. You dont need special to read and update
  Weblogs.

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Why Weblogs?

• Audience and communicationWeblogs allow you to
  publish to a large audience or a targeted one
  depending on your needs. And it allows that
  audience to interact by leaving comments.
• 4. CollaborativeThe ability to share space means
  you can invite almost anyone into the
  conversation.
• 5. Knowledge Management and ArchivingBy keeping
  thoughts or projects or ideas in a Weblog, it
  becomes an online filing cabinet with different
  folders, and its searchable as well.

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Why Weblogs? (Cont)

• 6. MultimediaWeblogs can make use of audio and
  video, and some can store files of other types
  for easy retrieval.
• 7. HypertextWeblogs allow for easy linking to
  research and sources of information.
• 8. Low costMost Weblog software is either free
  or relatively inexpensive, depending on your
  needs.

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Weblogs in Schools

• There have been some really interesting examples
  of use in schools as teaching tools and as
  communication tools.

Online Filing Cabinet Collaborative Learning
Space Online Discussion Professional
Development School Website Library
Portal Information/Communication
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Weblogs in the ClassroomOnline Filing Cabinet

• Students and teachers can use the Web log as a
  place to store assignments, plans, handouts, etc.

Susan L.
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Weblogs in the ClassroomCollaborative Learning
Space

• Students can extend conversations outside of the
  classroom, and collaborate with invited guests
  from around the world.

The Secret Life of Bees /Author
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Weblogs in the ClassroomOnline Discussion

• Weblogs can work as a discussion group for
  students and staff.

Honors Sociology / Discussion
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Weblogs in the ClassroomProfessional
Development

• New (or veteran) teachers can use Weblogs as
  portfolios or as an archived discussion of their
  practice with mentors .

Entry Year Teacher
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Weblogs in SchoolsWeblog as Website

• Schools can use a distributed content creation
  model when using Weblogs as Websites.

Lewis Elementary
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Weblogs in SchoolsLibrary Portal

• Galileo High School Library in San Francisco uses
  a Weblog as its gateway to students and staff

Li-blog-ary
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Weblogs in SchoolsInformation/Communication

• Weblogs can provide a great way to manage
  knowledge, from committee work to historical
  artifacts.

Technology Committee
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Weblogs in Schools

• Reams and reams of digital paper for students,
  teachers and administrators to create with.

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Weblogs in the ClassroomWriting Instruction

• Blogging as Genre--Critical thinking, information
  literacy, research, collaboration and composition
  skills.
• 1. Find and read material that is relevant to
  your life.
• 2. Capture the essence of this relevant reading,
  give credit to its source, and synthesize those
  ideas into a piece of writing that advances a
  personal, perhaps greater understanding of that
  topic
• 3. Publish that writing for response and for
  perhaps pushing someone elses thinking on the
  subject.
• 4. Read some more.

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Weblogs in the ClassroomWriting Instruction
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Web Log Options

• Free Web log software on the Internet
• Blogger
• moTime
• Many others
• Software for local installation
• Manila--295 a year for up to 3,000 sites
• Moveable TypeFree to schools
• Pay Web logs with hosting
• Type Pad--_at_30 a year with a limit on space

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Web Log Considerations

• Software -- all Web log software is not the same.
  Teachers need to find the best tool for intended
  use, and should think about ease of use, depth of
  content, collaboration, etc.
• Access -- not all students have the same amount
  of access
• Privacy -- posts can be accessible by anyone, or
  can be only viewed locally (intranet) depending
  on software. Collaboration and feedback can be
  limited and moderated depending on software.

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Web Log Considerations

• Time and Support -- planning and set-up take
  time, and tech support is required.
• Assessment -- what and how.
• Server issues -- local server use is best since
  files are more secure. Remote storage may result
  in loss of content.
• Paradigm Shift -- distributed content model
  requires a change of thinking on the part of
  teachers and administrators.

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Thank You! Questions?

• Kevin Jarrett, kjarrett_at_atlanticava.org
  Technology Facilitator, K-8Northfield Community
  SchoolNorthfield, NJ

• Will Richardson, wrichard_at_hcrhs.k12.nj.us
• Supervisor of Instructional TechnologyHunterdon
  Central Regional High SchoolFlemington, NJ