HOW TO ENGAGE 21ST CENTURY LEARNERS USING BLOGGING
Created by Lee Martin
What is a Blog?
- A blog originally came from the word “weblog” or a “web log”.
- You can think of it as an online journal or diary, although blogs are used for much more now, like online journalism.
- A blogger is someone who blogs, or writes content for a blog.
- Blogging is the act of writing a post for a blog
- In the hands of your students, a blog is whatever they want it to be. Blogs are whatever we make them. Consider your blog a classroom without walls, where your little community and the world are engaged.
WATCH THIS VIDEO FOR A BETTER IDEA
Teaching and Learning Opportunities
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- As an informational/instructional resource
- For frequently asked questions and other course updates
- As a tool for learners to establish their own journals, portfolios and personal reflections for presentation to their teachers and peers
- A course/subject journal compiled over the period of delivery with course related reflections
- To showcase personal works and achievements (eg an arts portfolio)
- To contribute to a wider body of knowledge (eg People from beyond your provider can benefit from reading your blog)
- As a class portal where learners can access supplemental materials, curriculum, links, videos, podcasts, homework, assessment task and other peer/trainer feedback
- As an ongoing content where materials and resources can be archived online for easy locating in the future.
- As the basis of an assessment.
Free Blogging Sites
There are many free blogging sites available where you can register and create your blog. Three popular sites are:
- Blogger http://www.blogger.com
- Wordpress http://www.wordpress.com
- edublogs http://edublogs.org
TechSlam: Creating a Blog
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Blogger Handout 1 | |
File Size: | 219 kb |
File Type: | jpg |
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Blogger Handout 2 | |
File Size: | 271 kb |
File Type: | jpg |
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edublog_ebook.pdf | |
File Size: | 1291 kb |
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Must Have Tools For Any Blog
Classroom Connections
Blogging Rubric
- CLICK HERE to open a rubric designed for both teacher and peer-evaluation of student blogs
Literacy
- The Writing Process by Jon Beers: A brilliant whiteboard animation that details the use of blogging to develop better literacy skills.
- Literacy and Blogging by Kelly Jordan: Award winning blogger who uses a classroom blog to promote literacy for her Primary students
- Blog in Literacy by Kathleen Morris: A Sliderocket presentation on implementing blogging into your literacy program
FSL
- La 8ème Merveille du Monde by Lee Martin: An FSL teacher uses blogging and Storybird to promote literacy skills in the FSL classroom
- La Salle 205 by Gurdeep Gill: A primary level French Immersion teacher uses his class blog to highlight student work, reinforce learning, communicate with parents and engage his students.
Science and Technology
- Science Blogs: A great meeting place for a number of interactive science blogs covering all strands and levels
Social Studies
- Teaching with Blogs by Lisa Parisi: An author/teacher uses blogging to support student discussion in her social studies classes