Blogging in a Primary
Classroom
What is a blog?
A blog is a personal website that contains content organized like a journal or a diary. Each entry is dated, and the entries are displayed on the web page in reverse chronological order, so that the most recent entry is posted at the top. Readers catch up with blogs by starting at the top and reading down until they encounter material they’ve already read.
Class Website vs Class Blog Class Website
Class Blog
• teacher or student
• teacher directed directed • teacher driven • teacher or student • information shared with driven the world
• reader comments not possible
• information shared with the world
• reader comments possible
• discussions can occur
Why Blog?
Why Blog? • For creativity • For communication • For literacy • For sharing • For ownership • For collaboration • For discussion • For interaction • For motivation • For participation • For engagement • For excitement
• For conversation • For critical thinking • For expression • For reflection • To extend the walls of the classroom
• To give students a voice • To give students an audience
• To give students skills
useful for their digital
Types of Blogs in a Primary Classroom There are many types of blogs but the two most common are:
Classroom Blog - A classroom blog is a blog that typically shares what is going on in a classroom. Example: St John’s Baptist Individual Student Blog - An individual student blog is a blog that a student takes ownership of. Example: Ms Lirenmans' Student's Blog
Safety Considerations
Before going on line with a blog it is very important to follow these important safety protocols: 1.Have signed copies of LEA /school AUP 2.Inform parents about your blogging. 3.Create a blogging permission slip. 4.Teach responsible on line behaviour.
Items to Include On A Blogging Permission Slip Reason for blogging. This may include to enhance writing, teach on line safety skills, develop a digital portfolio, develop technology skills. The blog safety procedures. Permission to have a student's photo on the blog. Permission to have a student's work on the blog.Â
On Line Safety Websites
Professor Garfield Infinite Learning Lab Hector's World - Think U Know Common Sense Media
Choosing a Blogging Platform Think about... 1.How easy is it to set up and use? 2.What privacy settings are available? 3.Does it allow items to be embedded? 4.Does it allow comments? If so is an e-mail
required to leave comments? 5.Does it cost? If so how much? 6.How long is the address to access the blog? 7.Can it be shared between students or classes?
Blogging Platforms Edublog Class Blogmeister Kidblog Yola Blogger Wordpress Tumblr Weebly
How To : Videos for Blogging PlatformÂ
Edublog Class Blogmeister Kidblog Blogger Wordpress Tumblr Weebly
Sample Blogs
Blogger Wordpress Weebly Edublog Class Blogmeister Kidblog
Privacy Settings
The power in a blog is the global audience it can attract. Some new to blogging are not comfortable with having their students writing so publicly. Thankfully most blogging sites allow you to control who has access to your blog in the settings area.
Blogger Privacy Settings
Kidblog Post Privacy Settings
Kidblog Comments Privacy Setting
Pages vs Posts Pages
• Typically found at the
top or on the side of a blog
• Entries are not listed by chronological order
• Entries are static
Posts
• Typically found in the middle of your blog
• Entires are listed in
reverse chronological order
• Content is update more frequently
• Can be tagged
What You Might Include on a Page
• All about your class • Parent newsletters • Links to favourite websites • Link to student blogs • Weekly spelling/word wall words lists • Visitor etiquette • Blogs your class follows
What You Might Include In Posts
• classroom information • special events • student work • class pictures • class videos • student of the week • introduction of new students • field trip summary
Commenting Commenting is a very powerful aspect of blogging. Comments:
• connect blog readers with blog authors • invoke dialogue re blog topic • invite communication between author/audience If you end your blog post with a question you are inviting your readers to answer with a comment.
How to Comment
Good Comments: 1. Say something you like. 2. Make a connection. 3. Ask a question. 4. Reread your comment.
Quad Blogging
Four classes work together and focus on one blog a week for four weeks. Â When your blog is the focus blog of the quad it typically receives more visitor and comments than usual. More information on Quad Blogging can be found here. Â http://quadblogging.net
Embedding Many blog hosts have simple buttons to push to add videos or photos, however if you'd like to embed something you've created else where on the internet you will require an embedding code.An embedding code typically looks something like this: <a href="http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/5177945/Untitled" title="Wordle: Untitled"><img src="http://www.wordle.net/thumb/wrdl/5177945/Untitled" alt="Wordle: Untitled" style="padding:4px;border:1px solid #ddd"></a>
You can usually find this code when you press a "share" link on the website you've created with.
Trouble Shooting with Embedding Sometimes when you add the embedding code  that is all you see on your blog and not the awesome creation you've made. Why? The chances are you are still on the visual screen.  Embedding code must be added to the HTML screen. There is typically tabs at the top of your writing area. Make sure to change to the HTML tab to add the code. The item you created should show up in the other (visual) screen.
Embedding Web 2.0 Tools Most Web 2.0 Tools provide an embedding code which allows you to add what you create on their web site to your blog. • • • •
VoiceThread Glogster Tagxedo fotobabble
• • • • •
Wordle Voki Storybird Audioboo Little Bird Tales
Examples of Embedded Objects
Most Web 2.0 Tools provide an embedding code which allows you to add what you create on their web site to your blog.
• Wordle • Voki • Storybird • Audioboo • Little Bird Tales
• VoiceThread • Glogster • Tagxedo • Fotobabble