Using Blogs in the Classroom Presented By: Patrick Egan

Quotes It will take a writing revolution to get the emphasis on language arts and communication back to where it should be. Writing should be taught in all curricular areas. The amount of time spent writing should be doubled. National Commission on Writing

Blogs Offer authentic audiences

Blog……word of the year! Blog – An online journal available on the web Blogging – The activity of updating a blog Blogger – A person who blogs

What is a Blog? Blog is slang for web log Communication medium Personal online journal Focuses on a particular topic or area of interest to the writer

Blogs are a popular cultural phenomenon developed outside of schools. are chronological: Most current postings appear first. offer authentic audiences

How do you create a blog? Many online free blog websites Websites provide online design templates New bloggers need to register and name the blog site Free blog websites: – Blogger Blogger – Word press Word press – Edu blogs Edu blogs

Why use a blog? Provides a space for a writer to consider new ideas while connecting to learning Provides a paperless way to journal Allows the use of sharing ideas in a multimedia format Provides others a way to comment on bloggers ideas

Why blog cont. Provides an immediate authentic audience Highly motivating for most learners Students can engage in course readings, discussions and text in ways that may be difficult through oral discussion Allows individuals to become active participants

Using the Blog in the Classroom As an educational tool, blogs may be integrated in a multi-faceted manner to accommodate all learners. Blogs can serve at least four basic functions.

Classroom Management Class blogs can serve as a portal to foster a community of learners. As they are easy to create and update efficiently, they can be used to inform students of class requirements, post handouts, notices, and homework assignments, or act as a question and answer board.

Collaboration Blogs provide a space where teachers and students can work to further develop writing or other skills with the advantage of an instant audience. Teachers can offer instructional tips, and students can practice and benefit from peer review. They also make online mentoring possible. For example, a class of older students can help a class of younger students develop more confidence in their writing skills. Students can also participate in cooperative learning activities that require them to relay research findings, ideas, or suggestions.

Discussions A class blog opens the opportunity for students to discuss topics outside of the classroom. With a blog, every person has an equal opportunity to share their thoughts and opinions. Students have time to be reactive to one another and reflective. Teachers can also bring together a group of knowledgeable individuals for a given unit of study for students to network and conference with on a blog.

Student Portfolios Blogs present, organize, and protect student work as digital portfolios. As older entries are archived, developing skills and progress may be analyzed more conveniently. Additionally, as students realize their efforts will be published, they are typically more motivated to produce better writing. Teachers and peers may conference with a student individually on a developing work, and expert or peer mentoring advice can be easily kept for future reference.

Ideas for Blogs Possibilities

Where can I found out more about using blogs? Will Richardson’s Blog What We’re Doing When We Blog – Meg Hourihan What We’re Doing When We Blog – Meg Hourihan Center for Technology and Teacher Education’s Blogging Activities Page Center for Technology and Teacher Education’s Blogging Activities Page A blog about blogs in the classroom

Interdisciplinary course: Language arts, children’s literature, and technology Management issues Wanted a running record Quick turn around of product Easy to grade: from home or at school Try a new technology Why? BLOGS: EDU 2500 Communication Arts Methods Course

Example: Journal Question: Book: The Invisible Thread While reading this book, focus on the element of point of view and moral dilemma presented in the story. 1. The reader gets the perspective of a Japanese American’s point of view about the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII. Describe, from Yokshiko’s point of view, what this internment camp was like. Use examples from the story to clarify your response. 2. The moral dilemma in this story is whether it was right to intern Japanese Americans during WWII. After reading this book, what is your opinion of this decision? Has the book altered your views in any way? If so, what ways?

Responses Blog Example #1 – Classroom blog Blog Example #2 – This teacher has class blog on Secret Life of Bees Blog Example #3 – Students blog about their reaction to course text Blog Example #4 – Students blog about their response to literature

More Idioms are fun Jefferson Bear Blog Yessenia’s web log – This fifth grade student writes and blogs

Student Blogs Secret Life of Bees – Reader’s Guide Secret Life of Bees – Reader’s Guide Ox Ridge Elementary School - Darien, Connecticut Ox Ridge Elementary School - Darien, Connecticut

Challenges: Teachers and students say… Students forgot passwords Wrong addresses Created new blogs; forgot their old addresses Couldn’t comment online: used However, these issues were temporary and after a couple of weeks this passed

Benefits: Teachers and Students say.. Easy to manage: No papers Archives assignments Peers and teacher can comment online Students liked them Easy to access: Example: Management TipExample: Management Tip

Things to consider District support Kids NOT giving out personal information Teacher could control and set up blog Students could keep track of work and blog together to share research Online literature circle Supports any subject area

Quote PPS Intstructional Technology Weblog