Blogging Basics

1
Blogging Basics

• A presentation by Vicki Martinez

2
Step 1

• The first step in blogging is to decide on a blog
  host.
  
• The blog host is the site where your blog will be
  located.
  
• Once youve chosen a host, create an account.
  Think of a name for your blog, and choose a
  template to start setting up.

3
Some common blogging hosts

• Educators must choose secure sites that require
  information to be processed through the teacher.
  
• www.epals.com
• http//edublogs.org/videos/
• http//www.classblogmeister.com/
• www.teacherweb.com

4
Creating a blog on Teacher Web

• 1. Go to the Update Index page by clicking on the
  bottom divider line of any of the pages.
  
• 2. Go to the Add/Delete/Rename pages button.
• 3. Once youve added a blog page go to the page
  and click on the top divider line.
  
• 4. You will be prompted to enter a password.

5
Teacher Web Blogs

• 5. After logging in you will see Add Entry (new
  topic) button on the right. Click the button to
  post a new entry.
  
• 6. When you have finished entering text, click
  Save Post to post the entry to your blog page.
  All comments must be approved by you before they
  can be displayed. (You will be notified by email
  when there is a comment.)

6
Teacher Web Blogs

• 7. If youd like visitors to be able to post
  comments, leave the Enable Comments box
  checked.
  
• 8. All entries you post will remain available on
  the page until you remove them.
  
• 9.Old entries can be accessed from the Archives
  link on the right side of the page.

7
www.epals.com

• Here is an example of an epals site
  http//sites.epals.com/mrshernandezsmathclass/
  created by Kristen Hernandez at Carolyn Park
  Elementary.

8
Blogging Topics

• Top 100 Education Blogs http//oedb.org/library/f
  eatures/top-100-education-blogs
  
• The difference between wikis and blogs
  http//ferret.bemidjistate.edu/morgan/cgi-bin/blo
  gsAndWiki.pl?WikiAndBlog

9
Why do teachers use blogs?

• Some teachers use them to replace class web
  pages.
  
• Blogs help develop a community of learners. Loud
  students and quiet students have the same blog
  space as well as time to think about responses.
  

10
Ways to use blogs in class

• Post class related information like homework,
  class work, projects, and thought provoking
  questions.
  
• Post writing prompts.
• Practice Reading and Responding skills as they
  relate to subject matter.
  
• Post photos and ask for related stories.

11
More blogging

• Propose a science related question prior to an
  experiment and ask for student hypotheses.
  
• Display student poetry and other creative
  writings.
  
• Create an online book club or literature circle.
• Post tasks for project based learning.
• Create a class newsletter based on student
  writing and ideas.
  
• Provide an article for students to summarize.

12

• Use blogs to create sentences for new vocabulary
  in context
  
• Create writing portfolios for students.
• Complete a webquest.