All+about+Blogs

A blog is an online journal. Work is posted in order, so the last piece of work that is posted is at the top of the page. Blogging is simple. You can post childrens work, vidoes, make slide shows. It is a way that parents can see what is happening in your classroom and the children can share with others world wide what they are learning.

media type="custom" key="23365478"

You will need to set rules for your class about the use of the blog. Remember this is to help with their learning. Remind children to NEVER give out any personal information about themselevs or their class mates. Your blog is a public space. Be sure that anything you write you are pround of. Dont publish on the blog till at least 2 other people have checked it for mistakes.

This is an exapmle of a class poster designed for their wiki and posted on their front page to refer to.

media type="custom" key="5799667"   Take a look at this 3 minute video which explains what a blog is.

media type="youtube" key="NN2I1pWXjXI" height="385" width="480" Linked from comon craft.

Now the fun begins.

Setting up your own blog go to [|www.blogger.com]

You may need to set up a gmail account. It is simple to use blogger and this video shows how to set up a blog and insert a posting and a picture.

media type="custom" key="5799449"

This video shows you how to add HTML. These are embed codes from other sites such as adding a video, widgets. media type="custom" key="6011875" How to add widgets to your blog.

A widget is basically a tool that your embed (copy and paste a code). Widgets can include a clock, a counter, worldmap etc. these are some widgets on my blog.

media type="custom" key="6011959" We need to evalutae what we are putiing onot our blogs and think carefully is it reflecting what we are doing in class? Is it relevant learning? Appropriate posts of what is happening at the time? I found this short article 'Features of a good quality student blog' by Anne Mirtschin
 * What makes a good blog? **

...Good structure and layout, with appealing design and theme ..Regularly uploaded and updated posts (should be at least once a week), showing intellectual quality. ..Evidence of proof reading for accuracy, reliability and completeness. ..Appropriate language, bearing in mind digital citizenship status ..Posts of varying lengths with interestingly written content and work that reflects the best of student's ability. ..A range of topics for the posts - could include curricular and non curricular activities.Use of essential and interesting sidebar widgets eg categories, search option, blogroll, links. ..A clustrmap and/or feedjit map and feeds Others may include weather pixie, a clock, feature slideshare presentations and flickr etc animated widgets, where appropriate. ..Presence of hyperlinks to give a richer depth allowing for further research, showing a degree of expertise on the topic ..A header with appropriate titles and images that relect something about the author eg a panoramic image showcasing where you live, interests, school pursuits etc. ..Addition of voluntary and student self-directed posts, showing personality of and ownership by student. ..Links to frequently used resources, class blog and teacher blogs ..Evidence of reflections ..Evidence of comments and conversations ..Blogroll of fellow bloggers - either in-house or global ..Frequent use of images and photos (preferably self taken), including graphs, wordle, clipart, cartoons, tag galaxy etc These should be ofappropriate format and size ..Addition of a number of pages, including ‘about me', extra curricula activity involvement, my digital stories, photography, global projects etc ..Variety of multi media including voicethreads, slideshare, podcasts, digital movies etc ..Appropriate acknowledgement of any copyright or creative commons materials used. ..User documentation instructing the readers of the blog, to complete the same task. Eg how to add a tag galaxy. ..Full development of the blog as a digital portfolio.