This document outlines the benefits of blogging for educators and provides guidance on getting started with blogging. It discusses how blogs have become an important tool in education for reflection, collaboration, and building professional learning communities. The presentation provides examples of educational blogs and convinces attendees that blogging is simple and important enough for educators to try. Advice includes choosing a blogging platform, including key elements like headlines and comments, and using tools to organize content and drive traffic. The overall goal is to inspire educators to start their own blog by the end of the summer.

1. THE
POWER
OF
BLOGGING
FOR
EDUCATORS
LESCN * APRIL 1, 2013
Bill Carozza • Principal – Harold Martin School • wcarozza@mac.com
Twitter: @wcarozza • Blog: billcarozza.com

2. BIG PICTURE GOAL
in One Hour
• Start a personal blog by the end of the
summer

3. SPECIFIC goals for
today:
• Learn the place blogs hold in the education
field.
• Be convinced that blogging is simple enough
and important enough to take a crack at it.
• Leave in one hour having enough inspiration
and knowledge to meet your big picture goal
of starting a blog by September 1, 2013.

4. What Can’t We Do
Today?
• We don’t have time to actually set the blog
up...but plenty of resources to help.
• Will Richardson: (paraphrased): We
shouldn’t have workshops on how to make a
blog.We should make sure the blog is set up
ahead of the workshop.

5. Agenda
• Setting the Scene-Web 2.0
• Blog Examples
• Why Blog?
• What Can I Blog Enough?
• Getting Started
• Main Elements of a Blog
• Tools
• Q and A

6. TodaysMeet
http://todaysmeet.com/lescnblogging

7. Technology Credo
• Technology
initiatives
have
to
improve
upon
the
instructional,
curricular,
or
assessment
practices
we
already
value.

9. Again…Will Richardson
• The most sweeping change in our
relationship with the Internet may not be as
much with the ability to publish as it is the
ability to share and connect and
create with many, many others of
like minds and interests.

10. You think the world has
changed?
1989 Radio Shack Cell Phone Commercial

11. What is Web 2.0?

12. Web 1.0
• Static web pages
• Using search engines
• Surfing the web

13. Web 2.0
• Web applications (as opposed to client or desktop
based apps.)
• User interaction
• Facebook, Blogs, Twitter, Wikis
• Users focus on ideas, creativity, collaboration
• Technical know how-not as important
• No need to know computer programming, e.g.
HTML

14. In the Pre-Web 2.0 Age

16. Examples of Blogs

17. • Cool Cat Teachers Blog
• Free Technology for Teachers
• The Principal of Change
• Connected Principals
• Principal Reflections
• HMS Sunday Blast

18. The State of Educational
Blogging (Edublog Survey ) 2012
• How are blogs being used?
• 39% class blog, 39% personal blog
• For student blogging:
• 43% for global collaboration and
authentic audience
• 1/4 using iPads for blogging

19. Blogs have been used
by educators for years

20. Why Blog?
• Writing requires reflection and greater understanding.
• Blogging begins the cycle of collaboration and builds your
PLC.
• Blogging encourages students to do the same.
• A blog helps to build your school’s “brand”.
• For students: motivational, authentic, increases student
expectations

21. BLOG TO DEVELOP YOUR PLN (Personal
Learning Network)
Learn from other administrators
Links to blogs, articles
Find collaborative solutions
Backchanneling at conferences

22. Collaboration
through Blog
commenting

23. WHAT CAN I BLOG
ABOUT?

24. What You’re Dealing With

25. What You Learn

26. Personal Stories

27. Upcoming Events

28. Important News

29. Communication to
Parents

30. Sensitive Topics

31. The Arts as they Relate
to Education

32. How do I get started?
• Pick a platform and set up your blog.
• Utilize all of the elements of a blog.
• Utilize tools to gather ideas and organize
• Consider a template.

33. Pick a Platform
Edublogs, Blogger,WordPress.com

34. Getting your blog going in one day: BLOGGER
Link to setting it up at billcarozza.com

35. Main elements of a blog

36. Tools:
Collecting Info and Organize
Using Evernote and/or
Social Bookmarking

37. B T
l e
o m
g p
g l
i a
n t
g e

38. How to Get More
Traffic on your Blog

39. • Write great headline
• Write content worth sharing
• Consistent schedule
• Own your domain name
• Share blog address everywhere
• Make it easy to subscribe
• Use Social Media
• Engage the conversation

40. Q &A

41. Resources
All resources can be found at billcarozza.com, click tab:
“Workshop Resources”
Email: wcarozza@mac.com
Twitter: @wcarozza