Learning to Blog, Blogging to Learn - 2000 Series
Workshop 2129
July 16, 2009
8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Oretha Ferguson
Southside High School
oferguso@fortsmithschools.org
Overview\Goals:
This session teaches participants how to create a Wordpress blog hosted at the free education site edublogs.org. Participants learn basic blogging practices and explore how to integrate blogging into their curriculum. Participants will create a blog and design a lesson that integrates blogging into the existing curriculum.
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Activity I:
Introductions through Blogging
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8:30 - 8:45
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Activity II:
Analyze Blogs
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8:45 - 9:05
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Activity III:
What is a Blog?
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9:05 - 9:30
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Activity IV:
How can Blogs be used in Education?
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9:30 - 10:00
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Break
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10:00 - 10:15 |
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Activity V:
Create a Blog
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10:15 - 10:30
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Change VI:
Change the Password
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10:30 - 10:45
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Activity VII:
Learn the Basics
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10:45 - 11:30
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| Lunch |
11:30 - 12:30 |
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Work on Blog and
Create Lesson Plan using blogs in the classroom
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12:30 - 2:30
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| Send link to blog and lesson plan |
2:30 - 2:45 |
| Show Case blog and lesson Plan |
2:45 - 3:20 |
| Complete Evaluation |
3:20 - 3:30 |
Activity one: Introduce yourself by posting a comment to this wiki. Usernames and passwords will be provided.
In the comment, include the following:
1. Your name
2. Where you teach
3. What you want to learn from this session.
Activity two:
Work within your group to analyze several blogs. Take a few minutes to look at the blogs below. (To open links in a new window, right- click the link and select open in new tab or open in new window.) As you look at some of the blogs, discuss the following with your group:
- What common features do you notice among the blogs?
- How are the blogs organized? What information is in the sidebar(s)? Atop the home page? At the bottom of the home page?
- How do the blogs make use of multimedia elements: images, video, audio…?
- What primary differences do you notice among the blogs?
- Are there differences in the number and types of authors for the blogs?
- Are there differences in the purposes of the blogs? How are the blogs being used?
- How might you categorize the different types of blogs?
Stearns Fatherblog
The 21st Century School House ---Blocked by filter
Bud The Teacher
Huff English
B2 ---Blocked by filter
Math 306-04 ---Blocked by filter
2mgems ---Blocked by filter
Mrs. G's Treasure Chest of Thoughts
Dave Barry
Just Read
Activity Three:
You have just examined some general features of blogs and explored many different types of blogs. But what is a blog, and how can you use blogs in education? Continue to work within your group to explore more blogs.
What is a blog?
Below are several links to sites that attempt to explain blogs, blogging, and the blogging phenomena.
With your group, examine the sites below and create your own definition of a blog. As you create your definition, consider:
- What are the key characteristics of a blog?
- What makes a blog a blog?
- Are there “essential elements” of a blog?
Cool Tools: Blogging
Judy's Web2.0 Notes
What Blogging is Not
Activity Four: How can we use blogs in education?
- How are other educators using blogs?
- How are administrators and specialists using blogs?
- How are other teachers using blogs with their students?
- Could you modify any the ideas to meet your own needs or students’ needs?
- What is a task you currently undertake that you could tackle through a blogging?
- What is one unit or lesson you currently teach that you might teach using blogs?
Support Blogging
Blog 2 Learn ----See Links on SideBar
Social Net Working for Teachers
10 Ways to Use Edublog to Teach
Acitivity Five:
CREATE AN EDUBLOG
In this part of the process, you will create a blog using the free edublogs site. The focus of this activity is on the process (and relative ease) of setting up your blog, rather than the content of your blog; however, take a moment to consider the items on the following note sheet (which may help as you create your blog).
Edublogs Planning Worksheet
Creating your first blog will be very easy.
Step By Step
- Go to edublogs.org and create your blog by entering the information in the boxes (Don’t forget your planning sheet).
- After you create an account, you must validate it with a link Edublogs will send you in an e-mail. Open your e-mail and click on the link to get started.
- Now for the fun part! Using the resources below, personalize your blog:
- Choose a template.
- Update your profile.
- Write a post.
- Create an “About Me” page.
- Upload a blog avatar.
- Add some links to your blogroll (maybe some favorite blogs you found earlier).
- Need Help? Watch the videos
Edublogs Support
Edublog Videos
The Edubloggor --Official Edublogs "How to Blog"
Getting Started With Edublogs --Everything you need to know to get started in one location!
Activity Six:
Change the Password:
Click at the top of your page on "Howdy, (Your Name)"
Scroll to the bottom of "Your Profile and Personal Options" Page
Create a unique password
Activity Seven:
Design the Blog
On the "Dashboard," Click on Design. Click to select a design.
Activity Eight:
Learn the Basics
Ferguson's Freeway
Tia's Blog --Example of using pages
Morgan's Blog ---No Pages
Cindy's Blog ---No Pages
Terry'sBlog ---Example of Categories
David's Blog
Jennifer's Blog ---Separate Posts
Activity Nine:
Design a lesson plan to incorporate the use of Blogs. Lesson Plan Template *When completed, save template to desktop. Open e-mail. Attach and send template to yourself and to oferguso@fortsmithschools.org.
1. Think about a lesson, unit, or activity you currently teach with your students.
2. What are the goals of the lesson?
- What, specifically, should students know and be able to do at the completion of the lesson?
- How might you teach the lesson in a different way-using blogging?
- How could students use blogging to master the same content and skills?
3. What type of blog will work best for the lesson?
- A teacher blog to which students contribute?
- A class blog with multiple authors?
- Individual student blogs?
4. What resources do you need to provide to scaffold students?
- Would a project checklist be helpful?
- Would a list of links to sources be helpful?
- Are graphic organizers needed?
5. How will you assess students’ learning?
- Do you need to provide a rubric?
- How will you assess students' work throughout the lesson as well as the end product?
6. Now, create a lesson, project, or unit that integrates blogging. Before beginning, explore some of the lessons in the links below.
SAMPLE BLOGGING LESSONS
Teacher Blogs:
Class Blogs:
Helpful Resources
Standards
BLOGGER'S CONTRACT
Participant's Blogs
http://spenix.edublogs.org/
http://jgraham14.edublogs.org
http://cgreene.edublogs.org
http://mkincy.edublogs.org
http://cbricker.edublogs.org
http://alewis6.edublogs.org
http://dmcmahen.edublogs.org
http://acarlson2.edublogs.org
http://martibrooks.edublogs.org
http://tterry.edublogs.org
http://220stewart.edublogs.org
http://ncoleman.edublogs.org
http://tkeifer.edublogs.org
http://kpankey.edublogs.org
http://scarter.edublogs.org
http://msmcfarland.edublogs.org
http://rcampbel.edublogs.org
http://jevans4.edublogs.org
http://rprattwe.edublogs.org
http://mlokey.edublogs.org
Participant's Lesson Plans:
April's Lesson Plan alc.doc
Ashley's Lesson Plan.doc
Carol's Lesson Plan.doc
Carolyn's lesson plan.doc
Casey's Lesson Plan.doc
Dana's Lesson Plan Template.doc
Denise's Lesson Plan.doc
Jerry's Lesson Plan.doc
Joe's Lesson Plan.doc
Kim's Lesson Plan Template.doc
Margy's Lesson Plan.doc
Marilyn's Lesson Plan.doc
Nancy's Lesson Plan.doc
Julie's Lesson Plan.doc
Renee's Lesson Plan.doc
Renee's Lesson Plan II.doc
Robin's Persuasive Writing Lesson Plan.doc
Shannon's Lesson Plan Template.doc
Teresa's Lesson Plan.doc
Tracy's Lesson Plan.doc
Comments (19)
wikiuser0006 said
at 8:42 am on Jul 16, 2009
Joe Graham
Southside High School
I am participating in the 1:1 program and I think blogging will be a great activity that I can use with the minis.
wikiuser0003 said
at 8:42 am on Jul 16, 2009
Carol Bricker
Pre-AP Biology/SHS
I hope to gain a greater understanding of the uses for a blog in my classroom.
wikiuser0019 said
at 8:42 am on Jul 16, 2009
Robin Webber
Interventionist - Sunnymede, Tilles, and Carnall
I want to get some ideas about how to use blogs to communicate with parents and/or students.
wikiuser0020 said
at 8:42 am on Jul 16, 2009
Julie McFarland-Ordoñez
7th grade English at Kimmons
I hope to find a way to make my students enjoy writing more.
wikiuser0004 said
at 8:42 am on Jul 16, 2009
Margy Kincy
Southside High School English
I have spent much of my summer learning enough to use the mini computers in my classroom.
wikiuser0007 said
at 8:42 am on Jul 16, 2009
Denise Stewart, Beard Elementary
I would like to learn how blogging can be used in my 1st grade classroom.
wikiuser0017 said
at 8:43 am on Jul 16, 2009
I'm Renee Campbell and I teach special ed at Southside High School. I know vaguely about blogging, but want to know more.
wikiuser0010 said
at 8:43 am on Jul 16, 2009
April L. Carlson
Chafin Jr. High
I want to understand what a blog is, what blogging is, how my students are using it at home, and how I can use it in the classroom.
wikiuser0014 said
at 8:43 am on Jul 16, 2009
Kim Pankey
6th Grade/Euper Lane
I want to learn how to create a blog and how to use blogging in the classroom for journaling.
wikiuser0001 said
at 8:43 am on Jul 16, 2009
Sue Lokey-6th grade-Cook Elementary School-Reading and Science
wikiuser0008 said
at 8:43 am on Jul 16, 2009
My name is Teresa Terry. This year, I will be teaching second grade at Bonneville Elementary. I want to gain ideas as to how to incoroporate blogging with second graders. I'm excited to be here!
wikiuser0016 said
at 8:44 am on Jul 16, 2009
Tracy Keifer
Euper Lane 4th grade
I want to learn how to set up a blog for my classroom.
wikiuser0018 said
at 8:44 am on Jul 16, 2009
Jerry Evans
Northside High School
Social Studies (American History, U.S. Government, Current Events)
Basics of Blogging - NO PRESSURE - to learn more about something new I might want to use. Again, NO PRESSURE!
wikiuser0009 said
at 8:44 am on Jul 16, 2009
My name is Carolyn Brooks, and I teach either 5th or 6th grade at Ballman Elementary School. Last year I taught a 5th/6th split.
In my opinion, the more I can use technology in my classroom, the better prepared my students will be for their adult lives. I want to gain as much knowledge in as many different areas of technology as I possibly can, so my mind is a sponge today.
wikiuser0012 said
at 8:46 am on Jul 16, 2009
Sherri Penix
Principal
Euper Lane Elementary
How to effectively use this in my position as an administrator
wikiuser0013 said
at 8:46 am on Jul 16, 2009
I am Nancy Coleman and I teach specail education at Southside High School. I teach World History and English
wikiuser0015 said
at 8:46 am on Jul 16, 2009
Shannon Carter
wikiuser0015 said
at 8:47 am on Jul 16, 2009
Shannon Carter
Euper Lane eleme ntary
Grade 6
I would like to use blogging in my Math and Science Class.
wikiuser0002 said
at 8:48 am on Jul 16, 2009
Ashley Lewis/Cook/6th grade History and Writing I don't blog, but I use facebook and twitter to keep up w/my students.
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