Course Module- Blogs

Blogging has become something of a trend among the computer literate of today. What the heck is blogging? Well, you are about to find out for yourself. Do you like to write or keep a personal journal? Do you like to vent with your friends and family, or about your friends and family? Do you like to discuss things that are important to you and get feedback from others? Do you believe that writing to learn is a valuable tool for student understanding? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then blogging may be for you!

You will be exploring the world of blogs by concentrating on two essential questions: What is a blog? and Is blogging for me? You will also have the opportunity to look at a few blogs. You may want to jot down notes in your Activity Log as you read and visit each site/page/article because you will be asked to form some opinions later on.

What is a blog

Your goal is to gain a basic understanding of what exactly a blog is.

Blogger	This site offers a user friendly introduction to blogging. http://www.blogger.com/tour_start.g
Mr. Ford's Class Weblog	This Welcome page really highlights some of what a class blog has to offer. http://class6f.manilasites.com/about

Check a few out
The following are sites where you can see blogging in action. Visit a few, read some blogs and get a feel for them.
These sites are also places you can come back to if you decide to create a blog of your own.

Blog Meister	This site was a little confusing at first. It takes some patience to get adjusted to overwhelming amount of information on a blog site. My suggestion is to use the right sidebar, choose a state and grade level, and then actually check out some teachers class blogs. Some are password protected, but which as researcher is frustrating, but as teachers I think that we can all agree that would be a nice feature. http://classblogmeister.com/
Elementary School Blog	Blog site designed especially for elementary school teachers and librarians. http://elementary-school.blogspot.com/
Blogging in the classroom	This page has tons of blogs for you to check out. They are sorted by category. There are a few class blogs about halfway down the page. http://aps.eu.rmit.edu.au/lsu/resources/classes/blogging/links.html#selection

Blogging Scavenger Hunt	If you have the time to complete all of this, it is really worth while. Since you are probably a little pressed for time, I would suggest scrolling down and checking out some of the suggested articles and blogs.
How Educators are Using Weblogs	A short article about how four different teachers are using weblogs with their students. http://www.intel.com/education/projects/news/vol_05/elementary2.htm
Weblogs in Education: Bringing the World to the Liberal Arts Classroom	This article gives a brief definition of a blog and describes several different ways they are being used in liberal arts classrooms. http://newsletter.nitle.org/v2_n1_winter2003/features_weblogs.php
The Educated Blogger: Using Weblogs to Promote Literacy in the Classroom	This paper explores the use of blogs in the classroom. http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue9_6/huffaker/index.html#h4
Blogging Basics: Creating Student Journals on the Web	Tips for how to actually create a blog, as well as, do's and don'ts for using blogs in the classroom. http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/techtorial/techtorial037print.shtml

It is time to share your opinions. Now that you know more about weblogs, what do you think about them? Will blogging have a place in your classroom? How can you use blogging with your students? (Consider the benefits, as well as, any drawbacks or concerns.)

	unacceptable	developing	accomplished
Blog Response	One brief general comment is posted that does not answer all questions asked or does not relate to the topic.	Brief comment is posted that responds to some of the questions asked, offers a generic perspective, and/or does not clearly express opinion.	Thoughtful comment is posted that addresses all questions asked, offers a personal perspective. and expresses opinions clearly.