blogging to enhance literacy
DESCRIPTION
Blogging To Enhance LiteracyTRANSCRIPT
Blogging to enhance literacy
Examples from the Macedon Ranges network
Aims for the session
• Define “blogging” in an educational context
• Explore student blogs from the Macedon Ranges area
• Reflect on benefits for student learning
• Ideas for using blogs in your classroom
• Some sandpit time using blogs
What is a blog?
• Watch the video and think about– How is a blog different from a “normal”
website?– How are blog posts arranged?– How do communities of bloggers work
together?
What does the research say?
• ICT is more effective when– It isn’t the only teaching strategy– There is teacher pre-training– There are multiple opportunities for learning– The student, not the teacher, is “in control”– Peer learning is optimised– Feedback is optimised
What does the research say?
• When ICT is used in writing, students– Write more– Write of a higher quality– Do more revisions– Make fewer errors– Are more engaged and motivated
Case study – New Gisborne PS
http://newgisps.globalstudent.org.au
Why use blogs?
• Gives each student their own webspace
• Writing for an audience
• Enables peer assessment
• Enables reflection
• Share other digital media (eg audio, video)
• Over time becomes a digital portfolio
• Preparation for Ultranet (24/7 learning)
Ideas for using blogs - students
• Journals • Book reports, literature circles• Creative writing assignments, short stories, poetry• Display and discussion of student art work/photography• Student portfolios • Class discussions, current events • Class archive • Role playing• Class newsletter• Collaborative projects with another class• Science experiment notebook
Ideas for using blogs - teachers
• Post class assignments, upcoming assignments, project help, calendars and more
• Class suggestion box
• Communicate with parents
• Journal for teacher researcher projects
• Tool for collaboration with colleagues anywhere
Step 1 – Go to http://globalstudent.org.au
Step 2 – Scroll down the page and find the link “register”
Step 3 – Fill in the form using a username you’ve chosen and an email address and press “next”
Step 4– Leave the blog domain as is, and give the blog a title. Choose if you want your blog to be searchable and press “next”
Step 5 – Go to the email address you entered, there should be a confirmation email there from globalstudent
Step 6 – After clicking on the confirmation email, you will receive another email with your username and password
Step 7 – Copy the password, click on the login link to take you to the login page. Enter your username and password
Step 8 – You are now at your blog’s dashboard. Begin blogging!
Sandpit time
http://testmacblog1.globalstudent.org.au
Step 1 – Go to http://testmacblog1.globalstudent.org.au
Find the link that says “log in”
Step 2 – Your username is “testmacblog1”. Your password is also “testmacblog1”. You should now see your dashboard.