Professional Development
Blogging in the Classroom
Web logs or blogs are online journals or diaries. They can be a great resource for helping students develop their writing skills. Blogs can be public or private. They can focus on a single topic or they can be more eclectic. In addition to allowing students to create entries, blogs also let others comment on what has been posted. Blogs can also be used by teachers to connect with other educators, to share experiences, or communicate with parents or students.
Reasons for Using Blogs in the Classroom
• Most students are familiar with blogging and are comfortable with the concept.
• Blogging is a non-threatening way for reluctant readers and writers to practice and refine their skills.
• Students who post their writing on the Web are likely to be more careful with their facts and their writing.
• Blogs are immediate. Students can see their work online in seconds.
• Blogs can build community.
• Blogs encourage reflective thought.
• Blogs can be multidisciplinary.
Tips for Using Blogs in the Classroom
• Find a blogging service that will give you the resources and flexibility you need.
• Develop a focus for student blogs. Whether the blogs are daily reflections, reading reflections, classroom experiences, a blog about a student's hobby, or a blog from a character for literature or history, each student should have a definite focus for their blog.
• Make sure students understand the importance of not sharing personal information like last names, home email addresses, or street addresses.
• Get parental permission before starting a blogging project! Make sure they understand what the blogs will be used for and what protections are in place.
• Make sure students understand netiquette! They need to understand how the written word can be misinterpreted. They need to know how to respond to the feedback they get in a constructive way and how to give constructive feedback to other bloggers.
• Set goals and expectations for blogging. Your goals should reflect the focus you set for the blogs.
• Establish rules of conduct for blogging.
• If you are uncomfortable with individual student blogs, consider a class blog!
Things To Do With a Classroom Blog
- Create an online book club.
- Have students comment on news and current events.
- Have students respond to what they are currently learning in the classroom.
- Have students write using vocabulary and spelling words.
- Have students respond to quotes, poetry, art.
- Have students post data from classroom experiments.
- Have students write book, movie, music, Website or TV reviews.
- Communicate with another class.
- Have students write blog entries as a character from a book or as a person from history.
Blog Sources
Blogger.com
blogger.com
This is one of the largest free blogging services on the Internet. It takes you step-by-step through the process of setting up your blog.
Motime
www.motime.com
This free service lets your quickly create a blog.
BlogMeister
classblogmeister.com
Another service designed specifically for schools.
RSS Feeds
RSS feeds are free updated content sent to your computer via the Internet (RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication). The feeds usually contain headlines, article summaries, and links to full articles.
Bloglines
www.bloglines.com
This service lets you aggregate content for different blogs on one page! Its like creating your own personal news magazine! You can also share your blogline with others.
Blogs About Blogging in the Classroom
Looking Into Practical & Productive Blogging, K-12
blue1.emerson.u98.k12.me.us/ricksblog
Reflections on Classroom Use of Blogs
jsiporin.motime.com
WebLogg-ed
www.weblogg-ed.com
Educational Blogs
educational.blogs.com
EPals
epals.com
World Languages Blogs
Global Voices
globalvoicesonline.org
Reporters without Borders
rsf.org
Blogs Around the World
oscarjr.us/batw.html
Francofonics
francofonics.com
K-6 Blog Examples
A Kindergarten Web Log
akinderblog.blogspot.com
The Adventures of Jefferson Bear
jeffersonbear.motime.com
Revolutionary War Project
rev.motime.com
J.H. House Elementary
jhhweb.rockdale.k12.ga.us
NewsQuest
www.schoolblogs.com/NewsQuest
Awesome Readers and Writers
mrsd.tblog.co |