Why should we consider blogging for our students?
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Course Dates: 9/23/09 - 4/28/10
Welcome to Framingham State College 21st Century Teaching & Learning course, Number: PRDV74121. This course focuses on offering teachers an opportunity to understand, create and implement 21st Century Technology tools to support technology integration in their classroom. The K-12 teachers and students learning will reach beyond the classroom. Participants will master a variety of technology tools. Please contact instructor by email should you have any questions. Sandra Donato
Course Dates: 9/23/09 - 4/28/10
FSC-21st Century
Course Tools:
- DS Technology News
- Slideshare
- Brain Pop Topic List
- Animoto Video
- FSC Google Discussion Group
- 1. Blogger-Create Your Blog Now
- 2. PBWorks-Wiki
- 3. You Tube
- 4. Teacher Tube
- 5. Discovery Education
- 6. Flip Camera
- 7. Slideshare
- 8. Google Docs
- 9. Google For Educators
- 10. Slide
- 11. Picasa Web Albums
- 12. Flickr Photo Sharing
- 13. Twitter
- 12. BIT LY: Shorten and Share Your Links
- 14. Voicethread Digital Storytelling
Articles & Readings:
- 1. The 21st Century Digital Learner-Edutopia
- 2. Building Your Own Personal Learning Space-MassCue
- 3. 21st Century Teaching Tools Engage Students-Cisco
- 4. NEA-Turning the Page
- 5. ISTE on Skype and Twitter
- 6. Mini Laptops Coming Up Big
- 7. Teachers Take to Twitter
- 8. Cloud Computing W/ Google Docs
- 9. Video-Twitter in the Classroom
- 10. 6 Examples of Using Twitter in the Classroom
- 11. Teach & Learn Spanish Blog and Twitter
Links of Interest
- Building 21st Century Skills
- Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling
- eSchool News
- ISTE on VoiceThread Video
- ISTE Vision Videos
- ISTE-National Educational Technology Standards
- Kathy Schrock's Educators Blog-Check It Out
- MA Technology Literacy Standards & Expectations
- Massachusetts on 21st Century Skills
- Partnership for 21st Century Skills
- Partnership for 21st Century Skills-Video
33 comments:
Hi all! I am interested in using my blog to extend class discussion. I know some students are likely to speak up and say more if they can type their ideas. When I blogged with students last year, I think we got a little bogged down in the HW aspect of responding to the blog. Assigning them reading and a blog post seemed to be a bit much.
This year I think the key is having students generate more of the postings and content. The question is how to do that. I would love some feedback on what has worked for other people! Also, here's a link to the blog in case you would like to see what it looks like: http://dsmsmockingbird.blogspot.com/
I'm planning on using my blog as a way to engage students in learning about various Spanish-speaking countries. Each unit in our text focuses on an area and gives basic demographic statistics, names of a few famous people, a recipe or maybe describes a holiday or tradition. I'm going to ask them to share anything they read or see about that country - maybe give them extra credit - if they include a link to a web site like a You Tube video, photo, article, etc.
I'd also like to post the video tapes their in-class skits (20-60sec) and have them watch themselves and comment (for my eyes only) on how they did, any errors they notice, etc.
Finally, I'm considering having them "answer" the units' essential questions... heck - I spent the time making the things up... might as well see if they are "engaging and multilayered" from a kid's perspective. :-)
To Mrs. S - Thanks for your input on the homework "blogging" (like the sound of "bogged down in blogs" :-) The article this week was followed by a couple of interesting comments - one dealt with letting students create their own blogs. The teacher thought he'd be overwhelmed but I got the impression he was really excited with the results.
When I ask my students the question, "How many of you would like to chat online?" they all seem to raise their hands within a matter of a second.
I initially started using the blog platform as a way to organize resources, links, tools and classroom news to share with other teachers, parents and fellow techies.
Quickly, I became very comfortable with the ease and convenience that not only I was experimenting, but more importantly the interest and engagement I saw in my students.
I currently use my class blog as a classroom management tool as well as a place for students to share "their chat" or better yet a safe and respectful place that encourages writing online for assignments or projects done in class either for homework or in class. With specific instructions, students enjoy writing online especially for their peers viewing. So many times the only 2 people that exchange writings or comments are student and teacher...why not collaborate as a class or community instead of a small number?
In the future, I would like to allow more students access to managing a class blog related to curriculum, I would begin by creating a separate blog for students so that they do not have access to my original.
Hello,
My initial response to how to use my blog would be to have students respond to different science media events. Either read and respond to something I assigned or share something a student has found on their own. I am having my students do a current issues assignment for Q1 on paper, but I'd like to move it to the blog for the remainder of the year. Not sure how to appropriately organize 86 student entries though. Hmm...
Casey,
I love how you included videos on your TKAM blog. I'd like to know more about your experience with the blogging as HW b/c that is my original thought.
I definitely want to add classroom video to my blog as well.
Thanks,
Tammy
I have started using a blog with my 7th grade health students. They are currently working on a personal health project. The project involves keeping track of a healthy behavior change for 7 days. In addition to keeping a (hardcopy) LOG of their efforts, students are submitting progress reports on meeting their goal on their class BLOG. So far so good. Most of the students have been able to post comments. I'd like to continue to streamline this project and make it completely paperless. I'm learning as I go.
I thought an interesting point noted in the article was the need for students to have access to a computer and the internet. I'm looking forward to getting feedback from my students as to the obstacles they faced in using this platform to do assignments. I'm looking forward to learning how to post video clips on the blog. Tammy and Christine, I'd like to hear more on how you use this option.
I'm not sure yet how I will use blogs in my classroom.
I find the "access" issue a difficult one -- it's hard to show what to do without a smartboard (last rooms left without one are mine and Irene's, I think) and the laptops are slow and not always available. I don't like assigning things we can't work together on in class, at least not at first.
If computers were as accessible as a notebook and piece of paper . . .
(not quite yet).
Of course "I forgot my pencil" is not a problem when there is computer working in front of them, and that would be awesome!
For Tammy
I read your comment about the trouble with organizing 86 student posts.
One idea -- from reading the comments on the Edutopia site -- it might help to organize the students into mini-blog groups (one teacher briefly describes doing this) -- if your theme is current events maybe there could be a blog on space science events, life science, earth science, etc., and students would choose which group to "join" and only comment within their group. Then a real discussion could happen and not just long unreadable threads.
Just a thought. Now I'm thinking about current science blogging in 8th grade!
--Mary
First question: how do I get students, parents, anybody to start relying on my website, wiki (is it really an interactive wiki?) and blogs? Maybe a good discussion to start class off with tomorrow?
I always find band to be a square peg trying to fit into a round hole with this stuff. Here are my thoughts for this year:
1. Notices (this is where I came up with the above question).
2. Journals (I like the interactive nature of a blog here).
3. Discussions (especially post-concert).
4. Personal Expression (students would post what they are doing musically in their lives).
As one of the folks said in the article, in-class (rehearsal) discussion will probably be a good idea to direct the discussions a bit.
TD
Mary,
The music department does not have a smart board and we have that jiffy midi-lab too. We don't even have a projector so we can better teach music software programs that the students use to write compositions.
We'll get a smart board when something new and exciting comes along!
TD
I expect use the blog as a discussion tool. It would be fun to post an interesting article and have students comment. Trying the same exercise in groups might also be worthwhile.
Sandra-Even though I don't have computers in my class every day,I have a couple of other ideas. If I put the blog up on my smart board it might be an interesting tool for class management. If I point out the comments that are particulary good, or might warrant further discussion it might be a motivator!
Great discussion! I have linked a very interesting article I shared with Frederick this summer to our class blog, #6 "Mini Laptops Coming Up Big" under Articles & Readings for your viewing.
The future of laptop accessibility, which I believe is only around the corner for some districts...I hope DS is one of them. It seems to be the solution to pencil and paper and the digital divide both at home and at school.
*You can also copy/paste the url below into your browser from Ed Tech Magazine:
http://www.edtechmag.com/k12/issues/november-december-2008/coming-up-big.html
Okay, I'm trying this again. Just typed my intentions for libray blog. Tried to post it, but was given an error message with a code number. So, this is a test to see what happens.
It may sound strange, but even though I teach Educational Technology courses, I had a hard time trying to figure out how I was going to effectively use a blog in my classroom. I don’t like the idea of using one just to post “static” information; I can use a traditional web site or a wiki for that. That being said, my initial blogs will focus on asking my students to reflect on how they can best utilize some of the software/tools that they are learning in my class in some of their other classes. For example, we are just finishing up a unit on Excel. I would ask them to reflect on how they might use Excel in one or two of their other classes.
Paul, looks like your last comment published worked fine.
Please let me know if I can review the commenting steps with you in class.
Tammy and Mary,
Yes, trying to organize what seems to be an overwhelming amount of students comments can be done.
I have created Post Sections for each period on my class blog. This allows easy navigation for students as well as follow-up and assessment for me.
For example: Period 3 Blog Section; Period 4A Blog Section; or Period 7B Blog Section. I also assign them a class logo or icon that they can remember to help catch their eye.
Andrea has recently initiated this in her class, please feel free to visit her blog or mine to see how this can help you and your students stay organized.
In class we will discuss the "comment moderation" feature to help "accept or reject" your students comments.
Hi Sandra,
I'd like to learn how to create Post Sections for each of my classes on my class blog. Thx
Hi Tom D:
I think you'd find lots of activity on a blog that encouraged kids to talk about what they doing musically. Sooo many kids seem to be in bands or at least they have a favorite one they follow with intent allegiance. My guess is it would be a sure fire way to get them blogging. Paul
I plan on using the library blog as a virtual book discussion. Students and faculty could talk about books they've read and get suggestions for further reading.
I also think it would be a way I could alert students in advance for periods when the library will be closed for class visits. This would prove helpful to the student that saves an assignment for Directed Research period only to find he doesn't have access to the library resources due the library being closed. A standard website might be better suited for posting a calendar, but I guess I'll find out. That's why I'm taking this class.
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