The document discusses the use of blogs to enhance K-5 education through Web 2.0 technologies, emphasizing their role in improving student success and communication between teachers and parents. Benefits of blogging include fostering real-world connections, student collaboration, and responsible online interaction. It also outlines various instructional possibilities and compares different blogging platforms.

1. Traveling the Blogging Road to
Success:
Using Blogs to Enhance K-5 Instruction
Submitted by Davida Dyer & Mary Pope MEDT 7462, Summer 2012

2. Rationale of Use and Cost
• Technology is the “Wave of the Future”
• Web 2.0 Technologies are our means for reaching our
final destination- Successful Implementation of
Technology in Education
• Achieving higher student sucess, better prepared
students, Web 2.0 literate students

3. The Researchers Say………….
• « The authenticity of writing for an online audience has given meaning to
students’ work…….they are sharing, collaborating, and revisiting their
work as part of an online community» (Howard, 2011).
• « Blogs present the option for communicating directly and immediately
with both students and parents. Teachers can post class assignments,
links, schedules, and messages to parents. Parents may also choose to
comment on posts or pages and offer their feedback and encouragement.
Also teachers have a record or archive of everything posted, there are
fewer questions about assignment directions or due dates» (Frye, Trathen,
& Koppenhaver, 2010)

4. Blogging Our Way into the
Future……
Blogging………
• Provides a real world connection for students
• Allows online interaction
• Facilitates student collaboration
• Encourages open communication
between parents and teachers

5. Benefits of a Blog
Teaches students to:
• « acquire, organize, interpret, and communicate
information
• process information to investigate questions, develop
knowledge, and draw conclusions
• generate and evaluate well-informed alternate approaches
to problem-solving and decision-making
• interact responsibly with others » (Frye, Trathen, & Koppenhaver
2010)

6. Instructional Possibilities
• Formative Assessments
• Whole and small group instruction
• Performance Task Assignments
• Cross-curricular writing connections
• A forum for posting exemplary work

7. Using Edublogs

8. Cost Comparison

9. The following chart shows a comparison between the
features of the free, pro, and campus versions.

10. Other Blogging Options
• Wordpress
• Blogger
• Edmodo

11. References
• Frye, E., Trathen, W., & Koppenhaver, D. (2010). Internet workshop and
blog publishing: Meeting student (and teacher) learning needs to achieve
best practice in the twenty-first-century social studies classroom. The
Social Studies, 101(2), 46-53.
• Howard, M. (2011). Not an unfeasible "extra". Science and
Children, 49(4), 32-35.