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Blogging in the Literacy ClassroomWith Sylwia Bielec, LEARN

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Session Breakdown

Introduction & KWL

What is a Blog?

Why Blog?

How to Blog?o Legal Issueso Pedagogical Issueso Ethical Issueso Logistical Issues

+KWL

What do I know about blogs and blogging?

What do I want to know about blogs and blogging?

What did I learn?

+What is a Blog?

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What is a blog?

Portmanteau word of the term Web Log

Consists of discrete entries, typically displayed in reverse chronological order

A typical blog combines text, images, media and links to other web resources

Often themed on a single subject

Early blogs had single authors or very small groups

“Multi-author blogs” are common today

Social networking in the form of cross-links and comments and sometimes private messages make today’s blogs interactiveSource: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog

+Session Breakdown

Legal Issues Ethical Issues

Pedagogical Issues Logistical Issues

Why blog with

students?

+Why Blog?Blogs...

...increase motivation for writing• Authentic audience• Technology (incl. mobile)

...create a community of writers• Comments & discussion• Witness to growth

...allow for a variety of text types• Self expressive, narrative,

literary and information-based

...allow for texts in a variety of media• Written• Audio• Video• Photo/still image

+ Do you currently have a classroom blog?

+Planning for BloggingIssues to consider

Legal Issues Ethical Issues

Pedagogical Issues Logistical Issues

+Planning for BloggingIssues to consider

Legal Issues Ethical Issues

Pedagogical Issues Logistical Issues

PoliciesConsentOnline safetyCopyright

Guidelines/Code of ConductCreative Commons

RationaleStructureWriting ProcessFrequencyGuidelines

PlatformSetupAccess to equipmentAccess to blog

+Planning for BloggingIssues to consider

Legal IssuesPoliciesConsentOnline safetyCopyright

+Planning for BloggingIssues to consider

Legal Issues

School Board Policies• Internet use• Acceptable use• Preferred blogging platform

Consent• Parental consent in writing

Online Safety• Pseudonyms only – no

names• No locations• Being aware of digital

footprints

Suggestion• Servers housed in Canada

Copyright• Learning how to respect

copyright laws

PoliciesConsentOnline safetyCopyright

+Planning for BloggingIssues to consider

Legal Issues Ethical Issues

Pedagogical Issues Logistical Issues

PoliciesConsentOnline safetyCopyright

Guidelines/Code of ConductCreative Commons

RationaleStructureWriting ProcessFrequencyGuidelines

PlatformSetupAccess to equipmentAccess to blog

+Planning for BloggingIssues to consider

Pedagogical Issues

RationaleStructureWriting ProcessFrequencyGuidelines

+Planning for BloggingIssues to consider

Pedagogical Issues

RationaleStructureWriting ProcessFrequencyGuidelines

Why do you want to blog?• Purpose• Desired outcomes

The answer to this question will help you come up with a structure

• Free-form journal• “Raison, passion,

émotions”(Head, Heart, Guts)

• Subject-based categories (ex: Reviews, News, Editorial, etc)

• Text types: poetry, essay, article, etc.

+Planning for BloggingIssues to consider

Pedagogical Issues

RationaleStructureWriting ProcessFrequencyGuidelines

Writing Process

At what stage do blog posts get published?Are you ok with less-than-perfect writing going up on the web?Will you allow for rewrites and edits?How often do you expect your students to blog?How often do you expect your students to comment or participate in discussion?

+Planning for BloggingIssues to consider

Pedagogical Issues

RationaleStructureWriting ProcessFrequencyGuidelines

Frequency

• Random• Structured/required• Tied to your purpose or

rationale

Often linked to motivation

Motivating students to blog is the same as motivating them to write!

+Planning for BloggingIssues to consider

Pedagogical Issues

RationaleStructureWriting ProcessFrequencyGuidelines

What are some strategies that you currently use to motivate your students to write?

Answer in the chat box!

+Planning for BloggingIssues to consider

Ethical IssuesGuidelines/Code of ConductCreative Commons

+Planning for BloggingIssues to consider

Ethical IssuesGuidelines/Code of ConductCreative Commons

Code of Conduct• Write it together• Accountability• Cyberbullying

Creative Commons• Introduce, explain, give

access• Contribute• Creativecommons.org

+Sample Items from Codes of ConductWhen I blog...

• I will respect the rules protecting human rights (no racism, no sexism, no religious insults, no insulting remarks).

• I will not copy what someone else has written and pretend that I am the author.

• If I quote someone, or use text from the Internet or a book, or use a picture, sound or video that I did not create, I will ask the original creator for permission to use their work.

• I will use correct English and check my spelling and grammar.

• I will not incite my readers to buy or sell anything.• I will only post things that I would want everyone (in

school, at home, in the world) to know.

...

Sources: http://www.domainelangues.qc.ca/blogue/documents/code_en.pdf

http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2009/09/06/student-blogging-guidelines/

+Planning for BloggingIssues to consider

Logistical Issues

PlatformSetupAccess to equipmentAccess to blog

+Planning for BloggingIssues to consider

Logistical Issues

PlatformSetupAccess to equipmentAccess to blog

Platforms• School Board Portal• Edublogs – edublogs.org• Kidblog – kidblog.org

Setup• Create your class blog• Enter your students

Access to equipment• When will students blog? At

school? At home?• How many

computers/laptops/iPads do I have?

+Planning for BloggingIssues to consider

Legal Issues Ethical Issues

Pedagogical Issues Logistical Issues

PoliciesConsentOnline safetyCopyright

Guidelines/Code of ConductCreative Commons

RationaleStructureWriting ProcessFrequencyGuidelines

PlatformSetupAccess to equipmentAccess to blog

+What questions do you still have about blogging?