To BLOG or Not to BLOG

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To BLOG or Not to BLOG?

• Created by
• Jan North
• Mansfield ISD
• (used by permission)

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What do you know about Blogs?

• Turn to a neighbor on your left side. Tell them
  one thing you know about Blogs.

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What is a Blog?

• Short for weblog
• Online journals or newsletters
• A Web site that contains dated entries in reverse
  chronological order (most recent first) about a
  particular topic.
• Quick way to publish news and happenings
• A diary or history

• A collaborative space either stand alone or
  within a website that visitors can post comments,
  link to, add to, or just read on a weekly, daily,
  hourly basis
• A web-based publication of periodic articles
  (posts), usually presented in reverse
  chronological order. It is an online journal with
  one or many contributors.

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What is a Blog?

• Personal
• On the Web
• Published
• Part of communities

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Interesting FactsThe State of Blogging

• Launching a website or a blog takes less than 5
  minutes
• 5 of all Internet users get news and other
  information from content-rich blogs and
  content-rich websites
• 3 in 5 teens have their own blog

• Older school-age girls are most likely to keep up
  with a blog
• Teens wear their hearts on their blog
• Many schools are banning blogs
• How 8th graders view blogging

What do you think about this?
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What do you want to learn about Blogs?

• Talk with the neighbor on your right. Tell them
  one thing you would like to learn about Blogs.

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The evolution of a Blog

• Then
• Online publication of personal diaries

• Now
• Respected vehicle for editorials on specific
  topics

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Anatomy of a Blog

• Date header
• Title
• Time stamp/permalink
• Post

• Author nickname
• Category
• Comments
• Trackback

Work with a partner to find each part of a
Blog Click here to visit a Blog
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What can Blogs be used for in Education?

• Information/Communication Tools
• Online Filing Cabinets
• Collaborative Tools
• Literature Circles
• Online Discussions
• Professional Development
• Writing Tools

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Other examples

• The Daily Blog
• The Race Report
• Blog Away on a Paperless Journal
• Computer Art Blog
• Mrs. Wrights Class
• Library Blog
• The FordLog

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A few Im playing with

• By the way
• Once upon a Blog
• K8 Campus Technologists
• Becoming an Educational Administrator

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Benefits of Using Blogs in Education

• Offer potential for collaboration
• Ability to publish anywhere, anytime
• No need to learn html, ftp, etc.
• Free tools available
• Different from a regular webpage or discussion
  forum
• Promotes reflection

• Offer opportunity for feedback scaffolding of
  new ideas
• Promote interactivity, opportunities for active
  learning
• Build student/teacher relationships
• Space for students to publish their thoughts
  understanding, reflect, revise

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Benefits.

• Helps students become subject-matter experts
• Increases student interest and ownership in
  learning
• Gives students legitimate chances to participate
• Provides opportunities for diverse perspectives

• Increase higher-order thinking skills
• Students have full control and ownership of
  online content
• Links can help support information/learning
• Supports student knowledge acquisition
• Encourages guided discovery and knowledge
  construction

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What might the dangers or pitfalls be in using
Blogs?

• What would you imagine the dangers teens could be
  exposed to by using blogs?
• What pitfalls might there be in using them in the
  classroom?
• Example Rubric

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Keeping Students Safe

• Blog Website
• Hide account/login details
• Topics
• Password Protection
• Email
• Avatars/Photos
• Profile/Private

• Selection
• Age
• Privacy
• Support
• Other services
• Costs

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Keeping Students Safe

• When you Blog
• Personal info
• Correct info
• Be nice to people

• Other
• Hide from Search Engines
• Look at Blog stats

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To Blog or Not to Blog?

• Before you decide to start Blogging
• Visit different weblog sites
• Look for features you like
• Identify management strategies for pitfalls
  problems
• Bloggers Contract
• Model Blogging for your students

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Your Content

• What area in your content could benefit by the
  use of a Blog?
• Choose a lesson in which you would like to use a
  blog. Identify the TEKS and learning objectives
  for this lesson.
• Now we will create a blog to use with this
  lesson.

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Creating a Blog
We will be using eBloggy to practice creating a
Blog There are many other sites you might want to
use this blog allows us to delete the blog if we
should decide not to keep it. We will finalize
our learning with the questions at
http//muchadoabout.ebloggy.com/
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Blog Resources

• My FAVORITE right nowhttp//classblogmeister.com
  /index.php
• http//boastology.com/pages/features.php
• Blogger.com
• http//www.haranbanjo.com/kidzlog/
• Blogdrive
• Unbelievably GREAT resource! (found at last
  minute) http//www.laptopinstitute.com/Presentatio
  ns/Gail_Braddock-Blogging_Can_Enhance.rtf
• What is a Blog?http//innovatelearning.org/worksh
  ops/blogs/

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Resources

• 7 Things You Should Know About Blogs
  http//www.educause.edu/LibraryDetailPage/666?IDE
  LI7006
• 3 in 5 Teens Have Own Blogs http//timesofindia.in
  diatimes.com/articleshow/1283897.cms
• Teens Wear Their Hearts on Their Sleeves
• http//www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techinnovations/
  2005-10-30-teen-blogs_x.htm
• What is a Weblog? http//oldweblogscomblog.scripti
  ng.com/personalWebPublishingCommunities
• What are Blogs? http//oldweblogscomblog.scripting
  .com/personalWebPublishingCommunities

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Resources

• Blog on! http//www.edutopia.org/magazine/ed1artic
  le.php?idArt_1299issuejun_05
• Alan November-How To Guide http//www.novemberlear
  ning.com/Portals/0/Educators_Guide_to_blogs.pdf
• Why Do We Have to Learn to Blog?
  http//davidwarlick.com/2cents/2005/11/01/why-do-w
  e-have-to-learn-how-to-blog/
• How to Blog Safely http//www.eff.org/Privacy/Ano
  nymity/blog-anonymously.php
• Blogging is Elementary My Dear Watson!
  http//www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech217.
  shtml
• The Secret Life of Bees http//www.people.virginia
  .edu/7Esbk8q/31232k.pdf

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Resources

• Anatomy of a Blog http//webdesign.about.com/cs/we
  blogs/a/aa063003a.htm
• Blog Idea File http//www.weblogg-ed.com/stories/s
  toryReader100
• A Webquest on Blogs http//www.ettenborough.net/WO
  W2004/
• Another favorite CogDogBlog
• GREAT! Blog Glossaryhttp//www.samizdata.net/blog
  /glossary.html
• Keeping Children Safe While Using
  Blogshttp//www.netalert.net.au/02582-How-can-chi
  ldren-stay-safe-using-blogs.asp
• How Eighth Graders View Blogging
  http//www.ottergroup.com/blog/BlogsandEducation/_
  archives/2005/6/10

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Resources

• Blog Wikipedia