Blogging for Classroom Use

Transcription

1 Blogging for Classroom Use

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3 Blogging for Classroom Use August, Hillsborough Community College - Professional Development and Web Services

4 Hillsborough Community College - Professional Development and Web Services The material contained in this training material is copyrighted 2007 Hillsborough Community College Department of Professional Development and Web Services and may not be reproduced without express, written permission. Other trademarks, trade names, logos, designs, brand names, and product services mentioned in this publication may be trademarks or registered trademarks of third parties.

5 Blogging Objectives Upon completion of this module, participants will be able to: 1. Identify classroom strategies for utilizing blogs. 2. Create an original blog.

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7 Blogging What is a Blog? The term blog is a combination of the words web and log. Merriam-Webster s online dictionary defines blog as a web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer. Source: Retrieved on August 7, 2007 Learning Benefits Increase student participation (students enjoy the blogging format) Helps student to develop creative and critical thinking Fosters strong analytical skills through reading and writing Exposes students to a variety of opinions including quality information from experts in the field Increases students information and computer literacy Builds academic collaboration outside of the classroom Blogging as a Learning Strategy eportfolio Reflective Journal Collaborative Writing Asynchronous communication tool to share ideas and information Store and retrieve academic resources

8 Hillsborough Community College - Professional Development and Web Services How Can I Create a Blog? There are a variety of free blogging sites and software applications. Some are very easy to use and require little preparation. Others require installation and technical support. Among the easiest to use are: Blogger Diaryland Journal Space Xanga LiveJournal Aeonity The remainder of this training modules outlines the steps required to create a blog using Blogger.

9 Blogging Creating a Blog 1. Access the Blogger website at: 2. Click Create Your Blog Now 3. Enter your address. 4. Create and confirm your password. 5. Create a display name. (This is the name that will display when you post a blog.) 6. Type the word verification. 7. Click Continue

10 Hillsborough Community College - Professional Development and Web Services 8. Type the title of your blog. 9. Create your blog address (URL). Make sure to write down the address. 10. Click Continue. 11. Select a blog template. 12. Click Continue

11 Blogging 13. Your blog has been created. To post your first message, click Start Posting. (If you do not wish to post immediately, close the website. You can access your blog by logging onto the Internet and using the blog URL that you created.) 14. Type your message title and message. When finished, click Publish Post

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13 Blogging: A 30 Minute Introduction Professional Development & Web Services Workshop Overview What is a Blog? Why Bother Blogging? Benefits to Learning Blogging as a Learning Strategy How Can I Create a Blog? Creating a Blog with Blogger Resources

14 What is a Blog? The term is a combination of the words web and log. Merriam-Webster s online dictionary defines blog as a web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer. Source: Retrieved on August 7, 2008 Why Bother Blogging? Use a constructivist learning tool! Expand beyond the walls of the classroom. Archive the learning process for both students and teachers. Support multiple learning styles. Help students to develop analytical and critical thinking skills. Promote reflection, creativity, and interaction.

15 A Few More Reasons to Blog Develop a way to post info to the web and receive feedback Communicate online asynchronously Organize information for easy retrieval Virtual collaborative environments It s EASY! Benefits to Learning Increase student participation. Develop creative and critical thinking. Foster strong analytical skills through reading and writing. Exposure to quality information and experts in various academic fields. Increase students information and computer literacy. Build academic collaboration outside of the classroom.

16 Blogging as a Learning Strategy eportfolio Reflection Journal Collaborative Learning Environment A Writing Genre Academic Resources A Communication Tool How Can I Create a Blog? There are a number of free blogging sites and software applications. Some are very easy to use and need very little work while others need to be installed on servers and require technical support. Here are a few easy ones to use. Blogger Diaryland Journal Space Xanga LiveJournal Aeonity

17 Creating a Blog with Blogger Although you can use any number of free blogging sites, we will use Blogger. It is extremely simple to learn, use, and it is popular! Register with Blogger Enter Your Information Give Your Blog a Name Choose a Template Start Posting Blog Away! Click the graphic for a how to video. Print Resources Bausch, P., M. Haughey, et al. (2002). We Blog: Publishing Online with Weblogs. Indianapolis, Wiley. Blood, R. (2002). The Weblog Handbook: Practical Advice on Creating and Maintaining Your Blog. Cambridge, MA, Perseus Publishing. Blood, R. (2002). We've Got Blog: How Weblogs Are Changing Our Culture. Cambridge, MA, Perseus Pub. Penrod, D. (2007). Using Blogs to Enhance Literacy: The Next Powerful Step in 21st-Century Learning. Maryland, Rowman & Littlefield Education Powers, Shelley. editor. (2002). Essential Blogging. Sebastopol, CA, O'Reilly. Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms.Thousand Oasks, CA, Corwin Press Stauffer, T. (2002). Blog On: Building Online Communities with Web Logs. Berkeley, CA McGraw-Hill/Osborne. Stone, B. (2002). Blogging: Genius Strategies for Instant Web Content, New Riders.

18 Web Resources Community College English Blogs relating to issues in community colleges. EdBlogger Praxis List of educational blogs. Weblogg-Ed - A portal for educational blogs. Weblogs in Higher Education A portal for various disciplines and issues in higher education. Blog Search Engines Blog Search Engine - Daypop Search Engine - Technorati -