Applying a blogging tool to the classroom

Since reading in this course I have really taken to the idea of starting a blog for my classroom. I teach 6th grade math, but I think it would be a good way to get students involved with things outside the classroom. I could use the blog to allow students to publish weekly math segments for parents and teachers. I could post a problem of the week for students to complete and submit the answer for a reward. I am beginning to think of many new ways to incorporate the blog in the classroom. I was a little stumped at the onset because I teach mathematics.

I have since discovered that there are many ways that I can incorporate this tool into the classroom. It can potentially be a hub for my classroom. I can make post to send students to anywhere in the math cyberworld. Parents can get updates about important dates and school news. I wonder if I will have the time to keep up with it all.

Pros and Cons of Blogging as a Collaborative Tool

Blogging can be a very good way to share information with students, parents, and fellow educational professionals. In education there is a big push for collaboration because of the benefits to both teachers and students. In most school districts grade levels are participating in some of the same activities and assignments. Educators can use a blog to share ideas and even post pictures of the finished product once the students are complete. It is also a good way to post and find  information on  up and coming events in the education world. The blog simply makes collaboration easier because people can search and comment on their own time, a very good way to propel everyone forward and best of all it is free!

Shaun

My Experiences with a BLOG

I found working with the BLOG very easy. I have my own personal blog that I host for personal reflection. I find that blogging is a very good way to release anything that might be on your mind. I use my blog to discuss topics of interest to me, which could be anything sometime. Personally, I keep my blog private. I allow people to follow me if they choose, but since my blog is personal I don't want to offend anyone in my professional friends list.

The technical aspect of www.blogger.com is very user friendly. They have several tutorial videos that people can watch on blogging, but the site is a simple point and click. They have several templates to chose from and lots of hints to assist with blogging. The site even has a separate HTML tab for those users that need assistance with this feature. Just a very simple thing to create and use for personal or professional use.

Shaun

Living and Learning with New Media

In Chapter 9 of Richardson's Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, Richardson mentions the 2008 MacArthur Foundation and the Digital Youth Project report "Living and Learning With New Media"(2010, 131). I thought it would be worth while for us to read the report and reflect on its findings here. I plan to report back in the next two days with my reaction to it. You can link to the white pages of the report by clicking on the title of this blog post.

Learners as Teachers - Questions to Consider

Will Richardson makes a simple request of the educators who read his book Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms: "Before you attempt to bring these [web-based] technologies to your students, first be selfish about their use in your own learning practice" (Richardson, 8). Richardson asks educators to consider four questions (9):

• What are your passions?
• Who are your teachers? Are they all in physical space?
• How are you building your own learning networks using these tools?
• In this new environment, how are you modeling your learning for your students?

Let's take a few moments to reflect on these questions and share our response(s) to one or more of the questions.

Designing a Blog using Templates

I just spent an hour designing our Blog Template and I am not sure my "final" version is any better than my initial design. I find the array of choices for template, background, font, layout, etc. a bit overwhelming. Over time, I am sure I will gain a better sense of what works and what does not.

This is a picture of “The Sun” by Dale Chihuly taken by Adrian Pingstone in June 2005 at the “Gardens of Glass” exhibition in Kew Gardens, London, England. I found the picture at the Wikimedia Commons website. I was able to adjust the size of the picture by editing the HTML code and changing the pixel dimensions by the same factor, thus ensuring the image is not distorted.

What are your thoughts? Do you like the design. Do you have any Blog design tips?