Blogging

Izquierdo, E (2014) Web 2.0 tools: BlogsIzquierdo, E (2014) Web 2.0 tools: Blogs

BloggingBloggingThe best way to be ‘The best way to be ‘youyou’ and share it with others’ and share it with others

Evelyn [email protected]

UNIVERSIDAD CENTRAL DE VENEZUELAFACULTAD DE HUMANIDADES Y EDUCACIÓN

MAESTRÍA EN INGLÉS COMO LENGUA EXTRANJERA

Mayo 2014

Izquierdo, E (2014) Web 2.0 tools: Izquierdo, E (2014) Web 2.0 tools: BlogsBlogs

BlogsBlogsAgenda:Agenda:

Define what a blog is Define what a blog is Know its different educational uses Know its different educational uses Discuss about the potential of blogging in the ELT field and as a tool for Discuss about the potential of blogging in the ELT field and as a tool for

professional developmentprofessional development Know different blog hosts Know different blog hosts See some blog samples See some blog samples Create your own blog in BloggerCreate your own blog in Blogger Set up an ESL/EFL/ESP blog: Set up an ESL/EFL/ESP blog: Select templates, post messages and edit entriesSelect templates, post messages and edit entries Comment on other blogsComment on other blogs Explore options for author’s managementExplore options for author’s management Discuss concepts of tagging and syndication (RSS)Discuss concepts of tagging and syndication (RSS) Invite colleagues and students to visit your blog.Invite colleagues and students to visit your blog. Homework: Blog design, entries, widgets, posts, comments, etcHomework: Blog design, entries, widgets, posts, comments, etc


What is a blog?What is a blog?

Before defining what a blog is, please, watch this video:Before defining what a blog is, please, watch this video:


A blog is…A blog is…“… “… a Web page that serves as a a Web page that serves as a

publicly accessible personal publicly accessible personal journal for an individual or journal for an individual or company. Blogs are typically company. Blogs are typically written in chronological order written in chronological order and displayed in reverse and displayed in reverse chronological order to the chronological order to the reader… The word blog itself is reader… The word blog itself is a play on the words a play on the words Weblog Weblog (Web + log)(Web + log), as most blogs will , as most blogs will be displayed in a journal or log be displayed in a journal or log entry format, where most are entry format, where most are updated daily or more updated daily or more frequently than most Web sites frequently than most Web sites would be….” (Webopedia, would be….” (Webopedia, 2009)2009)


To what extend can we use To what extend can we use blogs?blogs?


Types of blogs in language teachingTypes of blogs in language teaching

Aaron Campbell (2003) has outlined Aaron Campbell (2003) has outlined three types of blogs for use with three types of blogs for use with language classes: language classes:

The Tutor BlogThe Tutor Blog is run by the is run by the teacher of a class. The content of teacher of a class. The content of this type of blog can be limited to this type of blog can be limited to syllabus, course information, syllabus, course information, homework, assignments, etc. Or the homework, assignments, etc. Or the teacher may choose to write about teacher may choose to write about his or her life, sharing reflections his or her life, sharing reflections about the local culture, target about the local culture, target culture and language to stimulate culture and language to stimulate online and in-class discussion. In online and in-class discussion. In this type of blog, students are this type of blog, students are normally restricted to being able to normally restricted to being able to write comments to the teacher's write comments to the teacher's posts.posts.


……Types of blogs in language Types of blogs in language teachingteaching

The Class BlogThe Class Blog is a shared space, is a shared space, with teacher and students being with teacher and students being able to write to the main area. It is able to write to the main area. It is best used as a collaborative best used as a collaborative discussion space, an extra-discussion space, an extra-curricular extension of the curricular extension of the classroom. Students can be classroom. Students can be encouraged to reflect in more encouraged to reflect in more depth, in writing, on themes depth, in writing, on themes touched upon in class. Students touched upon in class. Students are given a greater sense of are given a greater sense of freedom and involvement than freedom and involvement than with the tutor blog. with the tutor blog.


……Types of blogs in language Types of blogs in language teachingteaching

The Learner BlogThe Learner Blog is the is the third type of blog and it third type of blog and it requires more time and requires more time and effort from the teacher to effort from the teacher to both set up and moderate, both set up and moderate, but is probably the most but is probably the most rewarding. It is the student's rewarding. It is the student's own personal online space. own personal online space. Students can be encouraged Students can be encouraged to write frequently about to write frequently about what interests them, and can what interests them, and can post comments on other post comments on other students' blogs. students' blogs.


Other educational uses in ELTOther educational uses in ELT

Course syllabusCourse syllabus Professional Web siteProfessional Web site ICT trainingsICT trainings Free publishingFree publishing


Why blogging?Why blogging?

Graham Stanley (2005) stands several reasons for using blogs:

1. To provide extra reading practice for students.This reading can be produced by the teacher, other students in the same class, or, in the case of comments posted to a blog, by people from all over the world.

2. As online student learner journals that can be read by their peers. The value of using learner journals has been well documented. Usually they are private channels between teacher and student. Using a blog as a learner journal can increase the audience.

3. To guide students to online resources appropriate for their level.The Internet has a bewildering array of resources that are potentially useful for your students. The problem is finding and directing your learners to them. For this reason, you can use your tutor blog as a portal for your learners.

4. To increase the sense of community in a class.A class blog can help foster a feeling of community between the members of a class, especially if learners are sharing information about themselves and their interests, and are responding to what other students are writing.



4.4. To encourage shy students to To encourage shy students to participate.participate.There is evidence to suggest that There is evidence to suggest that students who are quiet in class can students who are quiet in class can find their voice when given the find their voice when given the opportunity to express themselves in opportunity to express themselves in a blog.a blog.

5.5. To stimulate out-of-class discussion.To stimulate out-of-class discussion.A blog can be an ideal space for pre-A blog can be an ideal space for pre-class or post-class discussion. And class or post-class discussion. And what students write about in the blog what students write about in the blog can also be used to promote can also be used to promote discussion in class.discussion in class.



7.7. To encourage a process-writing approach. To encourage a process-writing approach. Because students are writing for publication, they are usually more Because students are writing for publication, they are usually more concerned about getting things right, and usually understand the value of concerned about getting things right, and usually understand the value of rewriting more than if the only audience for their written work is the rewriting more than if the only audience for their written work is the teacher.teacher.

8.8. As an online portfolio of student written work.As an online portfolio of student written work.There is much to be gained from students keeping a portfolio of their There is much to be gained from students keeping a portfolio of their work. One example is the ease at which learners can return to previous work. One example is the ease at which learners can return to previous written work and evaluate the progress they have made during a course.written work and evaluate the progress they have made during a course.

9.9. To help build a closer relationship between students in large classes.To help build a closer relationship between students in large classes.Sometimes students in large classes can spend all year studying with the Sometimes students in large classes can spend all year studying with the same people without getting to know them well. A blog is another tool same people without getting to know them well. A blog is another tool that can help bring students together.that can help bring students together.


Some blog samplesSome blog samples

Tutor blog: Tutor blog: Beyond the English Classroom Walls Beyond the English Classroom Walls

http://beyondtheenglishclassroomwalls.blogspot.com Nahir’s ICT training blog Nahir’s ICT training blog http://ourthoughts-ipc.blogspot.com/

Class blogs:Class blogs: Bee Online Bee Online http://beeonline.blogspot.com Bee Online 2Bee Online 2 http://beeonline2.blogspot.com/ Leonela’s blog Leonela’s blog http://ictleonela.blogspot.com/

Free publishing:Free publishing:

http://interculturalvoices.wordpress.com/


Some popular blog hosting sitesSome popular blog hosting sites

Wordpress Blogger Edublogs Tumblr SquareSpace LiveJournal Typepad Weebly


BloggerBlogger


Sample of a Blog (Blogger) Sample of a Blog (Blogger)


Gadgets /Widgets Gadgets /Widgets


TaggingTagging

Tags are keywords Tags are keywords used to describe a used to describe a piece of information piece of information or data (web page, a or data (web page, a digital photo, or digital photo, or digital document). digital document). They are categories They are categories that ease the search that ease the search work and connect work and connect knowledge.knowledge.


SyndicationSyndication

RSS stands for Really RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. It Simple Syndication. It is the way to facilitate is the way to facilitate the exchange of the exchange of information on the web information on the web back and forth.back and forth.

To start crossing the To start crossing the information, we need a information, we need a feed aggregator: Atom, feed aggregator: Atom, for instance.for instance.


Now, let’s blog!Now, let’s blog!


What to blog about?What to blog about?Think!Think!


Before creating a blog consider…Before creating a blog consider… The settingThe setting

The school/institution policiesThe school/institution policies ParentsParents Students expectationsStudents expectations Tech supportTech support TrainingTraining NetiquettesNetiquettes

The audienceThe audience The teacher, the students, the communityThe teacher, the students, the community Personal or a group Blog/WikiPersonal or a group Blog/Wiki Private, public, customize postsPrivate, public, customize posts Who moderates: writer, contributorsWho moderates: writer, contributors


Before creating a blog consider…Before creating a blog consider…

The objectivesThe objectives ClassClass CourseCourse SchoolSchool

The contentThe content ClassClass Extra-class activitiesExtra-class activities FreeFree


Enjoy blogging! Be creative!Enjoy blogging! Be creative!

Choose templatesChoose templates Change colors and fontsChange colors and fonts Add widgetsAdd widgets Post your first messagePost your first message Leave comments on Leave comments on

your peers’ blogs.your peers’ blogs. Edit entriesEdit entries


ReferencesReferences Campbell, AP (2003). 'Weblogs for use with ESL classes' [Online] Available at

http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Campbell-Weblogs.html Stanley, G. (2005). Blogging for ELT. Teaching English -British Council article.

[Online] http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/articles/blogging-elt Webopedia. The History og Blogging.

http://www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/history_of_blogging.aspFurther reading: Izquierdo, E. (2008). Blogs and Wikis: Tools for Collaborative Work. VenTesol

Region 1. Stanley, G. (2005). Blog-efl. Graham Stanley’s blog with information and comments

for teachers of EFL/ESL interested in using blogs. [Online] Available at http://blog-efl.blogspot.com

Images: http://trevorcook.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/093004borgman600x403.jpg http://spinachflame.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/greatestbloggerborder.jpg http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/mbc/lowres/mbcn52l.jpg http://rentoid.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/i_love_blogging.jpg


ReferencesReferences

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3655/3648205233_b595687f49.jpg http://www.dailyblogtips.com/wp-content/uploads/blogs.jpg http://paintermommy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/royston_bloglink.jpg http://www.akmalwardak.com/wp-content/uploads/

2009/05/070618_blog_your_human.gif http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SVugPWIpLtw/Sr9-MsuvAUI/AAAAAAAAA2g/z6im-

Lc0fv4/s400/blog-cartoon-357x350.jpg http://edutech.csun.edu/aln/files/UserImages/blogging.JPG http://bellurramki18.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/rwbblogcartoon61151008.jpg

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN2I1pWXjXI


Thank you very much!Thank you very much!

Enjoy blogging!Enjoy blogging!

Education

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