SIMPLE WAYS TO INCORPORATE BLOGS

AND/OR WIKIS INTO THE CLASSROOM

PRESENTED BY,

NIKKI NIX

APRIL 11, 2011

Our Students:

• Today’s students generally have access to technologywithin the first few yearsof their life.

• What better way to engage them than something they are already interested in.

• When teachers are asked “when given the opportunity to choose what they want to do in class, what do students most want to do”***Besides not doing anything or going out to recess, of course***The answer is typically, “working on the computer”

• One simple way this desire can be put to use with blogs and/or wikis.

OUR STUDENTS:

• When the question was posed to the IT Fix-It person and random teachers they all stated that the one thing they don’t seem to have time for is computer stuff, like blogs, wikis, etc.

• This is where I come in, to show how simple it can be… maybe not push button easy, but easy enough.

Examples:• Some teachers have already implemented

ways to incorporate blogs. The following are great examples of ways to get started.

• Some teachers use them as a means to communicate with parents and show what is being done in class:http://blog.oconee.k12.ga.us/mbesgrade3/

• This blog clearly shows parents what the students have done and what is coming up next. This is an easy to set up blog through the school. Students love to look and se what has been posted and see if maybe a picture of themselves is posted… This is a great way to have students get excited to show parents what is going on in class. It is also a wonderful way for parents to keep up on their own.

Examples cont…• Others use it as a means of homework:

https://sites.google.com/a/oconeeschools.org/robinette-hammond/

http://blog.oconee.k12.ga.us/mrobinette/

• This site is used for class notes and homework. It lists everything that is currently going on in class and what is coming up. It also has any study guides needed for quizzes and tests. This site is a great opportunity for students and parents to keep up with projects and upcoming tests.

• Also on the side it has a complete of the most used websites in class. Additionally the math textbook is linked and educational sites that can be used to further explore topics.

Examples cont…

http://blog.oconee.k12.ga.us/mrobinette/

• This site, used as an INCENTIVE. It is probably the most popular with the STUDENTS. It is an elective blog activity, that if done gains them the right to eat lunch in the classroom on Fridays. It is a weekly blog that posts a question or educational activity that has to be completed before that Friday. Students are not required or penalized for not completing the activity, they just lose their chance at the reward.

• While this blog is elective it allows the students the chance to respond as they wish to some questions. Opens them up to the world of blogs and teaches them about ethical use of technology. The students are required to use ethical behavior due to the fact that it is an open forum. This simple blog, used purely as an incentive, teaches them and opens them up to a world of knowledge. Without them having to directly do a lesson on it.

SIMPLE USE• MOST SCHOOL SYSTEMS OF A BLOGGING SYSTEM THAT

CAN BE USED. WIKI SYSTEMS CAN ALSO BE USED IN CERTAIN DISTRICTS. CHECK WITH YOU IT PERSON TO SEE WHAT IS ALLOWED.

• MOST BLOGS AND WIKIS ARE SIMPLE TO SET UP, UNTIL YOU’RE READY TO GET FANCY THAT IS.

• STUDENTS LOVE GETTING ON THE COMPUTER TO DO ANYTHING, SO WHY NOT INCORPORATE INTO WHAT YOU ALREADY WANT THEM TO KNOW.

• YOU CAN ALSO SAVE TIME FOR YOURSELF BY JUST POSTING CURRENT EVENTS, TOPICS, TEST DATES, ETC. TO A WIKI OR BLOG INSTEAD OF ANSWERING ENDLESS EMAILS FROM PARENTS.

• BASIC SET UP FOR A WIKI OR BLOG TAKES ABOUT 10 TO 15 MINS TOPS, UNLESS YOU GET FANCY. BE SIMPLE TO START, THE STUDENT WILL STILL USE IT AND LOVE IT.

JUST GET STARTED!!!