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Weblogs in Education

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Title: Weblogs in Education


1
Weblogs in Education
  • New Jersey Association of School Administrators
  • TECHSPO 2004 ConferenceJanuary 29, 2004

2
Agenda
  • Welcome Intros
  • Objectives
  • Blogging Basics Confessions of a Newbie
  • Best-Practice Blogs an Interactive Tour
  • QA

- Simulated via screen shots
3
Objectives
  • Knowledge
  • Describe Blogs
  • List main parts
  • Blog Models

Application Live Blogs Key Trends Resources
Comprehension Explain Use Discuss Issues Building
Blogs
- Simulated via screen shots
4
Kevin Jarrett Technology Facilitator,
K-8Northfield Community School
5
Blogging Basics Confessions of a Newbie
  • Blogs a working definition
  • How I got started
  • Fascinations frustrations
  • Where I am now

6
Blogs a Working Definition
  • Blogs are websites, in a journal format, that
    present content in a way that promotes group
    collaboration
  • Blogs use simple forms to make adding content
    (publishing) very easy
  • Knowledge of HTML helpful (not required)

7
Blogs a Working Definition
  • Components
  • Blogging software (web or local server)
  • Template (formatting, layout)
  • Posts (content)
  • Hosting (yours or theirs)

8
How I Got Started
  • Wanted an easy way to update my site
  • Researched, chose Blogger.com
  • Taught myself how to modify templates using
    Dreamweaver
  • Soon began envisioning classroom applications

9
Web Log Characteristics
  • Posts are in reverse chronological ordermost
    recent first.
  • Updated on a regular basis, sometimes daily
  • Most Web logs are written in an informal, first
    person style and are filled with opinion.
  • Most hyperlink to or reference news and
    information from other sites many connections.

10
Web Log Characteristics
  • Primarily text, but Web logs can include all
    sorts of multimedia files
  • Invite comment and interaction from readers
  • Searchable archives

11
Masthead
Dateline
Blogroll
Links
Comments
Posts
Hypertext
12
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16
Fascinations Frustrations
The Bad The Ugly
The Good
  • EASY to create, use maintain
  • Professional look
  • Innovative technology
  • Many Blog services
  • Template editing
  • Server downtime?
  • Many Blog services
  • Acceptable Use issues?

17
Where I Am Now
  • Currently maintain four Blogs
  • Primary educational application is a technology
    resource portal for fellow teachers in my K-8
    district
  • 4th grade class collaborative blogging project
    completed last November
  • Considering using Blogs for teacher pages,
    special projects, school website

18
Will Richardson Supervisor of Instructional
TechnologyHunterdon Central Regional High School
19
Why Weblogs?
  • Weblogs have a number of characteristics that
    make them interesting as classroom tools.
  • Easy to createmost blogging software packages
    come with ready made professional looking designs
    that you can personalize if you like. And most
    have you up and creating content in a matter of
    minutes.
  • Access from anywhere with an Internet
    connectionStarbucks, the in-laws, soon on
    planes. You dont need special to read and update
    Weblogs.

20
Why Weblogs?
  • Audience and communicationWeblogs allow you to
    publish to a large audience or a targeted one
    depending on your needs. And it allows that
    audience to interact by leaving comments.
  • 4. CollaborativeThe ability to share space means
    you can invite almost anyone into the
    conversation.
  • 5. Knowledge Management and ArchivingBy keeping
    thoughts or projects or ideas in a Weblog, it
    becomes an online filing cabinet with different
    folders, and its searchable as well.

21
Why Weblogs? (Cont)
  • 6. MultimediaWeblogs can make use of audio and
    video, and some can store files of other types
    for easy retrieval.
  • 7. HypertextWeblogs allow for easy linking to
    research and sources of information.
  • 8. Low costMost Weblog software is either free
    or relatively inexpensive, depending on your
    needs.

22
Weblogs in Schools
  • There have been some really interesting examples
    of use in schools as teaching tools and as
    communication tools.

Online Filing Cabinet Collaborative Learning
Space Online Discussion Professional
Development School Website Library
Portal Information/Communication
23
Weblogs in the ClassroomOnline Filing Cabinet
  • Students and teachers can use the Web log as a
    place to store assignments, plans, handouts, etc.

Susan L.
24
Weblogs in the ClassroomCollaborative Learning
Space
  • Students can extend conversations outside of the
    classroom, and collaborate with invited guests
    from around the world.

The Secret Life of Bees /Author
25
Weblogs in the ClassroomOnline Discussion
  • Weblogs can work as a discussion group for
    students and staff.

Honors Sociology / Discussion
26
Weblogs in the ClassroomProfessional
Development
  • New (or veteran) teachers can use Weblogs as
    portfolios or as an archived discussion of their
    practice with mentors .

Entry Year Teacher
27
Weblogs in SchoolsWeblog as Website
  • Schools can use a distributed content creation
    model when using Weblogs as Websites.

Lewis Elementary
28
Weblogs in SchoolsLibrary Portal
  • Galileo High School Library in San Francisco uses
    a Weblog as its gateway to students and staff

Li-blog-ary
29
Weblogs in SchoolsInformation/Communication
  • Weblogs can provide a great way to manage
    knowledge, from committee work to historical
    artifacts.

Technology Committee
30
Weblogs in Schools
  • Reams and reams of digital paper for students,
    teachers and administrators to create with.

31
Weblogs in the ClassroomWriting Instruction
  • Blogging as Genre--Critical thinking, information
    literacy, research, collaboration and composition
    skills.
  • 1. Find and read material that is relevant to
    your life.
  • 2. Capture the essence of this relevant reading,
    give credit to its source, and synthesize those
    ideas into a piece of writing that advances a
    personal, perhaps greater understanding of that
    topic
  • 3. Publish that writing for response and for
    perhaps pushing someone elses thinking on the
    subject.
  • 4. Read some more.

32
Weblogs in the ClassroomWriting Instruction
33
Web Log Options
  • Free Web log software on the Internet
  • Blogger
  • moTime
  • Many others
  • Software for local installation
  • Manila--295 a year for up to 3,000 sites
  • Moveable TypeFree to schools
  • Pay Web logs with hosting
  • Type Pad--_at_30 a year with a limit on space

34
Web Log Considerations
  • Software -- all Web log software is not the same.
    Teachers need to find the best tool for intended
    use, and should think about ease of use, depth of
    content, collaboration, etc.
  • Access -- not all students have the same amount
    of access
  • Privacy -- posts can be accessible by anyone, or
    can be only viewed locally (intranet) depending
    on software. Collaboration and feedback can be
    limited and moderated depending on software.

35
Web Log Considerations
  • Time and Support -- planning and set-up take
    time, and tech support is required.
  • Assessment -- what and how.
  • Server issues -- local server use is best since
    files are more secure. Remote storage may result
    in loss of content.
  • Paradigm Shift -- distributed content model
    requires a change of thinking on the part of
    teachers and administrators.

36
Thank You! Questions?
  • Kevin Jarrett, kjarrett_at_atlanticava.org
    Technology Facilitator, K-8Northfield Community
    SchoolNorthfield, NJ
  • Will Richardson, wrichard_at_hcrhs.k12.nj.us
  • Supervisor of Instructional TechnologyHunterdon
    Central Regional High SchoolFlemington, NJ
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