21st Century Communication Using Blogs

21 st Century Communication using Blogs Julia Osteen Technology Instructional Lead Teacher Greater Atlanta Christian School

Benefits of using blogs
The weblog can be a powerful tool for reflection, communication, and community building.
Citizen journalism
Forum for publishing your views or expertise
Reader feedback

Professional Practice
What makes a blog article good?
http://www.speedofcreativity.org/
http://www.infinitethinking.org/
http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/
http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/
http://oedb.org/library/features/top-100-education-blogs

Class Blogs
http://students2oh.org/2007/12/16/teaching-brevity/
http://itc.blogs.com/patrick/2005/02/5th_grade.html
http://duckdiaries.edublogs.org/2006/04/20/2nd-graders-write-about-our-missing-duck/

Blog solutions for classrooms
Class Blogmeister
http://classblogmeister.com/
Edublogs
http://edublogs.org/
21 Classes
http://www.21classes.com/

What are kids saying about blogging?
When asked to reflect on a question in class, the response was “why don’t we blog about that?”
Two blogging classes have a cyber-pal relationship. When a visitor to one class mentions he is from Europe, the first graders ask “is that near Moose Jaw Canada?” Their point of reference was for the location of the buddy class.

When a school in Maine experienced severe flooding 3 times last spring, 200 kids went online, chatting to each other, sharing photos of the flood and spreading the word that school was closed.

Responses from 1 st graders:
What do you like about blogging? “all of it”
“ it helps you with writing because you have to sound out the letters”
“ I like it because you get to write.”
“ it makes you a better writer”
“ Two people commented on my blog!”

The Bottom Line
Provides an authentic audience for writing – not just an audience of one
Uses tools that digital natives are in tune with
Provides an avenue for student voice
Kids are blogging anyway, let’s teach them productive uses for the technology!

21st Century Communication Using Blogs

by josteen on Feb 16, 2009

Accessibility

Categories

Tags

Upload Details

Usage Rights

1 Embed 3

Statistics

21st Century Communication Using Blogs — Presentation Transcript