Comments on: How Do You Make School or Class Blogging Stick? http://edte.ch/blog/2009/12/20/how-do-you-make-school-or-class-blogging-stick/ Inspire Connect Engage Create Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:54:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: kschutte http://edte.ch/blog/2009/12/20/how-do-you-make-school-or-class-blogging-stick/comment-page-1/#comment-1984 kschutte Tue, 05 Jan 2010 08:52:38 +0000 http://edte.ch/blog/?p=702#comment-1984 If the goal is to communicate daily activities for parents/absent students, have students take turns typing in the info, including important questions/answers from the class. One student per day, for a grade, which gives them a newfound purpose for listening in class.<br><br>If the goal is to increase student writing on student blogs, get into the labs, let them choose a topic they are interested in and want to learn more about as well as teach others about, and insert <a href="http://www.ClusterMaps.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.ClusterMaps.com</a> into their individual blogs so they feel the presence of a global audience. If the goal is to communicate daily activities for parents/absent students, have students take turns typing in the info, including important questions/answers from the class. One student per day, for a grade, which gives them a newfound purpose for listening in class.

If the goal is to increase student writing on student blogs, get into the labs, let them choose a topic they are interested in and want to learn more about as well as teach others about, and insert http://www.ClusterMaps.com into their individual blogs so they feel the presence of a global audience.

]]> By: kschutte http://edte.ch/blog/2009/12/20/how-do-you-make-school-or-class-blogging-stick/comment-page-1/#comment-1761 kschutte Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:52:38 +0000 http://edte.ch/blog/?p=702#comment-1761 If the goal is to communicate daily activities for parents/absent students, have students take turns typing in the info, including important questions/answers from the class. One student per day, for a grade, which gives them a newfound purpose for listening in class.<br><br>If the goal is to increase student writing on student blogs, get into the labs, let them choose a topic they are interested in and want to learn more about as well as teach others about, and insert <a href="http://www.ClusterMaps.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.ClusterMaps.com</a> into their individual blogs so they feel the presence of a global audience. If the goal is to communicate daily activities for parents/absent students, have students take turns typing in the info, including important questions/answers from the class. One student per day, for a grade, which gives them a newfound purpose for listening in class.

If the goal is to increase student writing on student blogs, get into the labs, let them choose a topic they are interested in and want to learn more about as well as teach others about, and insert http://www.ClusterMaps.com into their individual blogs so they feel the presence of a global audience.

]]> By: Nick Jackson http://edte.ch/blog/2009/12/20/how-do-you-make-school-or-class-blogging-stick/comment-page-1/#comment-1687 Nick Jackson Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:14:51 +0000 http://edte.ch/blog/?p=702#comment-1687 Hmm that sounds interesting Tom Hmm that sounds interesting Tom

]]> By: Alejandra http://edte.ch/blog/2009/12/20/how-do-you-make-school-or-class-blogging-stick/comment-page-1/#comment-1679 Alejandra Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:28:11 +0000 http://edte.ch/blog/?p=702#comment-1679 Tom,<br>To make my class blog (<a href="http://yearsixale.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">http://yearsixale.blogspot.com</a>) stick is a question of being enthused with the idea of having a blog with my students. I need to keep it going and transmit this entusiasm to them by showing them some of the comments that other stduents have wriiten, by relating it to the curricula in an appealing way and using visual aids and by making some of the posts compulsory. I include a post on a daily basis but whenever I'm not able to do so, my students claim the fact that I haven't included any new post. This shows their enthusiasm and eagerness to keep on blogging. I always tell them who my "keen bloggers" are and they love it! <br>They also love the idea of having other students or teachers from abroad leaving comments in our class blog as they realize that they have another audience different from their own school friends. <br>Thank you<br>Alejandra from Buenos Aires Tom,
To make my class blog (http://yearsixale.blogspot.com) stick is a question of being enthused with the idea of having a blog with my students. I need to keep it going and transmit this entusiasm to them by showing them some of the comments that other stduents have wriiten, by relating it to the curricula in an appealing way and using visual aids and by making some of the posts compulsory. I include a post on a daily basis but whenever I'm not able to do so, my students claim the fact that I haven't included any new post. This shows their enthusiasm and eagerness to keep on blogging. I always tell them who my “keen bloggers” are and they love it!
They also love the idea of having other students or teachers from abroad leaving comments in our class blog as they realize that they have another audience different from their own school friends.
Thank you
Alejandra from Buenos Aires

]]> By: atholemclauchlan http://edte.ch/blog/2009/12/20/how-do-you-make-school-or-class-blogging-stick/comment-page-1/#comment-1675 atholemclauchlan Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:29:11 +0000 http://edte.ch/blog/?p=702#comment-1675 After a while in the wilderness (the teacher and the blog) I have really pushed for the use of blogs in the school. However, an in-service day and lots of offers of support has only resulted in 4 teachers and classes really taking ownership of the blog. All web links and documents are shared through Glow these days. My own class blog is used simply to share and publish lessons, trips, photos, artwork, videos etc. A different team table each week has responsibility for organising and writing the blog post. The class blog is a success so far because they really value it and get excited when it is their turn to contribute. It is also an excellent way of sharing learning and the fun of the classroom with the parents and other staff. But you must be committed to it. One of the P7 teachers organises her class to email contributions for the blog through Glow, which is a brilliant idea. I am still desperately trying to get the other teachers in the school and the management especially just to comment on the blog. I use blogger and set it up so that all they needed to do was to send an email from their email account and that would automatically publish as the blog post. The staff use email everyday and I thought they would be less inhibited publishing to the blog that way. But so far (not) so good! Also, Glow mail does a funny thing of reformatting text which makes it look very ugly when it arrives on the blog. Nevermind, I will keep pushing it in the new year. I think it is fantastic for teaching younger kids the responsibilities of publishing to the web, celebrating class achievements and learning and of course the not always so simple act of writing with/for a purpose. <a href="http://www.p6den.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.p6den.blogspot.com/</a> After a while in the wilderness (the teacher and the blog) I have really pushed for the use of blogs in the school. However, an in-service day and lots of offers of support has only resulted in 4 teachers and classes really taking ownership of the blog. All web links and documents are shared through Glow these days. My own class blog is used simply to share and publish lessons, trips, photos, artwork, videos etc. A different team table each week has responsibility for organising and writing the blog post. The class blog is a success so far because they really value it and get excited when it is their turn to contribute. It is also an excellent way of sharing learning and the fun of the classroom with the parents and other staff. But you must be committed to it. One of the P7 teachers organises her class to email contributions for the blog through Glow, which is a brilliant idea. I am still desperately trying to get the other teachers in the school and the management especially just to comment on the blog. I use blogger and set it up so that all they needed to do was to send an email from their email account and that would automatically publish as the blog post. The staff use email everyday and I thought they would be less inhibited publishing to the blog that way. But so far (not) so good! Also, Glow mail does a funny thing of reformatting text which makes it look very ugly when it arrives on the blog. Nevermind, I will keep pushing it in the new year. I think it is fantastic for teaching younger kids the responsibilities of publishing to the web, celebrating class achievements and learning and of course the not always so simple act of writing with/for a purpose. http://www.p6den.blogspot.com/

]]> By: Jan Webb http://edte.ch/blog/2009/12/20/how-do-you-make-school-or-class-blogging-stick/comment-page-1/#comment-1668 Jan Webb Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:51:13 +0000 http://edte.ch/blog/?p=702#comment-1668 I have to admit to having had that initial reaction about blogging. As such, we didn't get going on this sort of work until we began podcasting. Blogging is more about putting an idea out there and accepting ownership for it. Wikis have definite strengths for co-construction and collaboration, but blogging could be used more as a personal revision guide - linked with a wiki for discussion/comment elements? - I'm with Tom on this- recording audio and putting on i-pods for revision is enormously powerful! Good luck with it. I have to admit to having had that initial reaction about blogging. As such, we didn't get going on this sort of work until we began podcasting. Blogging is more about putting an idea out there and accepting ownership for it. Wikis have definite strengths for co-construction and collaboration, but blogging could be used more as a personal revision guide – linked with a wiki for discussion/comment elements? – I'm with Tom on this- recording audio and putting on i-pods for revision is enormously powerful! Good luck with it.

]]> By: tomgbarrett http://edte.ch/blog/2009/12/20/how-do-you-make-school-or-class-blogging-stick/comment-page-1/#comment-1666 tomgbarrett Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:26:22 +0000 http://edte.ch/blog/?p=702#comment-1666 I think that if the decision to start a blog is not clear enough than<br>it isn't something to pursue. It is more likely to run into<br>sustainability issues. You are right to question the use of a wiki<br>over a blog for your situation.<br><br>Although, as other comments have pointed out, creating and publishing<br>a podcast is blogging. Perhaps a revision podcast for different<br>subjects, made by different groups of your class, uploaded to iTunes<br>and then it can be used on their iPods or phones. Just a thought. I think that if the decision to start a blog is not clear enough than
it isn't something to pursue. It is more likely to run into
sustainability issues. You are right to question the use of a wiki
over a blog for your situation.

Although, as other comments have pointed out, creating and publishing
a podcast is blogging. Perhaps a revision podcast for different
subjects, made by different groups of your class, uploaded to iTunes
and then it can be used on their iPods or phones. Just a thought.

]]> By: Nick Jackson http://edte.ch/blog/2009/12/20/how-do-you-make-school-or-class-blogging-stick/comment-page-1/#comment-1665 Nick Jackson Mon, 21 Dec 2009 07:57:50 +0000 http://edte.ch/blog/?p=702#comment-1665 This is all awesome reading re blogs Tom and all the commentators but as a teacher of ICT who wants to bring blogging in to top set students who have finished the ICT course and will be using their lesson time to use ICT resources for creating revision materials for their other courses, I cant see blogging taking off. I don't think they will see the point or there will be other resources that will do the job better eg a wiki. What do you think? This is all awesome reading re blogs Tom and all the commentators but as a teacher of ICT who wants to bring blogging in to top set students who have finished the ICT course and will be using their lesson time to use ICT resources for creating revision materials for their other courses, I cant see blogging taking off. I don't think they will see the point or there will be other resources that will do the job better eg a wiki. What do you think?

]]> By: Jan Webb http://edte.ch/blog/2009/12/20/how-do-you-make-school-or-class-blogging-stick/comment-page-1/#comment-1663 Jan Webb Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:58:09 +0000 http://edte.ch/blog/?p=702#comment-1663 Definitely pupil ownership! (if you'll consider the podcasting we do as blogging - it performs the same function) It's amazing how suddenly 8/9 year olds start taking a leadership role and organising their peers to do it (not to mention chasing them up if they aren't pulling their weight!) Shared ideas, too - we often have a large piece of paper stuck on the wall at the back of the classroom for suggestions - those who put something on there then check up on the weekly podcast to make sure it has been included. Definitely pupil ownership! (if you'll consider the podcasting we do as blogging – it performs the same function) It's amazing how suddenly 8/9 year olds start taking a leadership role and organising their peers to do it (not to mention chasing them up if they aren't pulling their weight!) Shared ideas, too – we often have a large piece of paper stuck on the wall at the back of the classroom for suggestions – those who put something on there then check up on the weekly podcast to make sure it has been included.

]]> By: Jan Webb http://edte.ch/blog/2009/12/20/how-do-you-make-school-or-class-blogging-stick/comment-page-1/#comment-1664 Jan Webb Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:58:09 +0000 http://edte.ch/blog/?p=702#comment-1664 Definitely pupil ownership! (if you'll consider the podcasting we do as blogging - it performs the same function) It's amazing how suddenly 8/9 year olds start taking a leadership role and organising their peers to do it (not to mention chasing them up if they aren't pulling their weight!) Shared ideas, too - we often have a large piece of paper stuck on the wall at the back of the classroom for suggestions - those who put something on there then check up on the weekly podcast to make sure it has been included. Definitely pupil ownership! (if you'll consider the podcasting we do as blogging – it performs the same function) It's amazing how suddenly 8/9 year olds start taking a leadership role and organising their peers to do it (not to mention chasing them up if they aren't pulling their weight!) Shared ideas, too – we often have a large piece of paper stuck on the wall at the back of the classroom for suggestions – those who put something on there then check up on the weekly podcast to make sure it has been included.

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