So you've got a blog, Now what?

2. So you’ve got a
Now what?
Rachel Boyd,
Ulearn07
http://rachelboyd.blogspot.com

3. Firstly…
So you’re already discovering the
benefits of blogging with your
students…
Where to next??
What are the possibilities??

4. By yourself…
Think of the FOUR best
things/outcomes that have occurred
for YOU personally because of
blogging.
Now…
Think of the FOUR best
things/outcomes that have occurred
for your STUDENTS because of
blogging.

5. Why let our students blog?

6. 4 c’s of Learning
Connect Elements blogging adds:
Contribute
Reflection
Collaborate
Conversation
Create
Expression
Participation

7. Overview…
 Review
Why students should blog
 Connection
Finding and connecting with other students/classes world-wide
 Reflection
Why and how does blogging support this
 Discussion tab
How the discussion tab on a wikispaces wiki could be used
 Worldwide Collaborative Projects
What are they and why/how do I get involved?
 Forum
Share some of YOUR best blogging ideas - we’ll make them into a resource bank

8. Connections
We’re only getting comments
from parents and family.
How can I get others to view
and comment on our class
blog??

9. If you haven’t listed your class or
student blogs on these wikis…
YOU NEED TO!
New Zealand Edublogs
http://nzedublogs.wikispaces.com/
[add under classroom/students blogs]
Support Blogging - Worldwide
http://supportblogging.com
[add under ‘list of bloggers’ > Classroom Blogs]

10. You can also use those two wiki resource
pages to connect with other classes
throughout NZ or the world!
Simply allow your students the opportunity
to comment on selected blogs, make
contact with the teacher with an idea, and
the sky is the limit!

11. Connections in action
•Interviewing another classroom via
Skype
•Collaborating on a topic/project
•Sending a ‘classmate’ (soft toy) to
another school - either within NZ or worldwide
•Blog buddies - class to class
•Individual blog buddies (virtual
friendships)- e.g.. year 7/8 students and year 2/3
students

12. Reflection
Critical reflection is an important
component of any learning process.
How can blogs be used to
facilitate and promote
reflection with my students?
http://room9reflects.blogspot.com/

13. To teach is to model and
demonstrate.
To learn is to practice and reflect.
What do you do on a daily basis to allow your
students to reflect?

14. Best practice = Past practice
Reflection = Future Practice
Image credit: http://www.lclark.edu/faculty/jsmiller/objects/idea_bulb.jpg

15. Why reflect on blogs?
Reflection is usually something done in
solitude, where we reflect inwardly.
The power of using blogs to reflect is
that they are open and visible.
The reflection is able to be shared and
is available for others to
comment on and give
support to.

16. Reflecting before learning
Questions, wonderings
I predict…
An idea I have about…
What if…
I wonder…
A question I have about…

17. General Questions to ask
• What was the greatest learning you’ve had
today?
• What struck me today?
• What else would I like to know about this?
• What did I do well?
• What could I have done differently?
• What did you find interesting?
• Think of 3 words that summarise your
learning today…

18. The discussion tab
The discussion tab on a wiki is a hugely
under-utilised resource where
conversations can take place.
Like a message board, it could be used as an
alternative to commenting via a blog for ease of
communication.

19. Worldwide Collaborative Projects
Collaborative projects are
a great way to get involved
with other classes/schools
around the world.
They are usually free to be apart of and can be
varied. It’s great to find a simple on to start with or
find one linked to a topic you are studying.

20. Examples
Voices of the World
http://votw.wikispaces.com/
Salute to Seuss
http://salutetoseuss.wikispaces.com/
E-bears - soft toy exchange between countries
http://e-bears.blogspot.com/
Hands around the World
http://www.technospudprojects.com/Projects/hands07/hands07.htm

21. Where to find them…
Imagiverse Activities 2007/2008
http://web.mac.com/imagiverse/activities/Welcome.html
Global Collaborations
http://globalcollaborations.wikispaces.com/
Online Projects 4 Teachers
http://onlineproj4tchrs.ning.com
Technospud Projects
http://www.technospudprojects.com/calendar.html

22. Forum
What can you share about your
experiences in blogging so far?
What great ideas have you put into action?

23. Thanks
Feel free to
contact me
if I an be of
any assistance.
I’d love to see
how you’re getting on!
Rachel Boyd,
Nelson Central School
rshirley@paradise.net.nz
http://rachelboyd.blogspot.com
http://room9nelsoncentral.blogspot.com

24. Live hyperlinks and other resources @
http://rachelboyd.wikispaces.com/ulearn2