Do you
know what blogging is?
How easy it is to start a blog?
How it can cultivate engagement in your classroom?
Prior to the commencement of this unit.. I may have read a few blogs?..
Definitely didn’t know how to create one and had no idea on the magnitude of just how adaptable they are.... or the value to me (and the seraphs) in my classes..!
Just“what is a blog and how does it work?”
We’ve established that a blog is a website which is essentially a diary of chronological info (a web Log)..
This tool (by blogger) has allowed me construct and present my thoughts, and experiences in my very own personally themed way... Which... given my inexperience with blogs is really an example of just how much you can do.... and learn in a short space of time with ease....
Any issues I had google or youtube were able to source an applicable answer to my question within seconds..... (This is a prime example of just how amazing technology really enables the expansion of our minds.... and just what the children in my class will be able to experience too... SAMR? – I think so – Ill touch on that further on!😁)
Ultimately we are all given our teaching areas, our curriculum to follow and then its up to us to do the rest...
I need to find tools which engage the students in my classes...
I need to be able to infiltrate all of the little distractions which are real... to them, and to me!!
I took this on board and consequently initially reflected on the possibility of my use of blogging as the teacher...After rifling through mounds of blogs I landed on carrieloves. Her blog to me was simple, easy to read and the formatting appealed to me so I tried to mimic much of her "styling". After reflecting on what I liked about her page - larger font, less on the screen, regular images which break up her text, precisely delivered info.. I got it...She was delivering more bang for her buck!!
Consequently in a classroom setting I am now thinking small, concise snippets of info..
This particular pedagogy will fit well with the Gen Zer’s – who are capable of consuming great amounts of info delivered to them in shorter spurts (think eight seconds).
As classroom facilitators we have small windows of opportunity to get them in....!
The ability to import pictures which I liked and upload on my HOME page really enables me to set the tone of my page.... and also to my posts.. I can aim right at the students interests (think Steiner education pedagogy). Each of my posts has embedded URL’s- or highlighted words rather, that my viewers can click on...
This tool in the classroom will be invaluable. ! Ahhhh...
I can just imagine having a blog relating to the curriculum being delivered... comments are made in relation to posts I can reply or add posts with links to tutorials or youtubes I’ve created to show practical elements... Also allowing for the ability to expose links to apps I’ve integrated into my classroom such as photomath.... giving way for a greater diversity to ICTs in the classroom.
The comment section to my blog has been valuable in this current setting (uni assign) and also will be in the future allowing me to gauge the level of engagement, if executed correctly.... I can ensure there are requirements set in each subject delivered to comment on blogs at a particular rate; having this built into my planning I can fairly well be delivered real time ongoing engagement assessment... as students comment I can really gauge their level of engagement and where they are at with their thinking overall. This type of ability to reflect and factor into my planning for the next lesson will be just tops!
I feel the commenting section also gives the ability to connect to a larger diversity of students.... I remember being at school (and even at the Res. School) and not asking questions cause it’s just not in my nature to do so.. I used to get major anxiety at the prospect of having to do any kind of task that involved people listening to me talk.... and even pulled out, then started (and completed) a post grad at a different uni because a lecturer refused to give me an option to doing a speech...! Imagine all the kids in the world that feel like that too..!.... and all of the teaching/learning opportunities missed because a subject is delivered in a particular way.. It’s quite tragic!!
I really am an absolute LOVER of blogging now and could go on and on and on; I have just a few more positives which I will condense into a bullet format for you:
Now to turn the BLOG perspective around from me using the technology to requiring the students in my class to create their very own blog babies!! 👶
With the use of blogs...each level of the SAMR model will be reached allowing the students to possess higher order thinking sooner and and at a faster rate than ever thought possible.
Hmmmmm.....SAMR??
Lets all kick the class in the ........ and take them to the next level with the integration of ICT in the classroom presenting to us as teachers unfathomable levels of teaching/learning opportunities, via:
SUBSTITUTION
The blog is purely a substitution tool... substituting a hand written pieces of work the student is required to submit a copy and pasted document for homework (as a post) relating to the previous lessons work.
AUGMENTATION
Blogging technology is used as a direct tool for substitution and functional improvements are surfacing as students are required to (on their blog) publish assessment for me to see, grading criteria encompasses an expectation to showcase their ability to embed images, presentations, videos or audio to reinforce text, and the possibility of hyperlinks. At this level the work of the students is plat formed on the blog, I am able to access their learning record in a centralized, archived and searchable format. I comment to add value to their assessment as well as invite and require other students within the classroom environment to comment (forming part of their assessment as well).
MODIFICATION
As the class skills increases higher order thinking takes place.
Within the blog students are expected to begin to explore hyperlink writing showcasing their ability to digitally write, granting me access to the processes they adopt and the connection it has with their thinking influences, relationships and processes between their posts and external resources. Evidence of a task redesign is emerging.
Global audience writing is present, peer writing forms, and students take on board comments.
REDEFINTIONN
New tasks previously inconceivable emerge👍
As a teacher I am seeing the student blogs forming and extending their communicative and learning cycle.
Learning, reflecting, sharing and the ability to receive feedback all provide me with documented evidence.
Emergence of students "ah ahhhh" moments are visible to me... the blog is the heart of learning ... it documents to me a digital footprint encompassing the organisation, building and maintenance of their own independent learning and networking.
When in the classroom as with anything we as teachers do we must be mindful of the legal, safety and ethical concerns in regards to blogging.
There are benefits working for example with Education Queensland, which adopts a strong filtering of many sites online with the use of LearningPlace.... which is essentially a secure environment... there is still however cause for concern especially with the ability to "link" to and from other web addresses; whilst this is a vital feature which makes blogging so interactive and potentially really boost engagement with an increase in teaching/learning opportunities, it has potential for endangerment...
My major concern entails the possibility of ease of access to third party web pages and of course the ease of access third party’s could potentially have access too...along with the interaction that may filter from their access.
Concern for safety and authenticity of the info...!
Safety concerns need to be addressed to protect and ensure the safety of everyone involved and can be done so with a few simple steps, such as; altering a privacy or access setting within the blog.
Whilst the author/s is the only one who can edit information the ability to comment and respond to posts via comments can potentially be very public.
Coomera Anglican College (on the Gold Coast) has implemented a guide for the students. I believe such a contract or guide with the involvement of students in the creation of such rules or the implementation of a contract so to speak would really increasing the value and relativity to the students.
Requiring thinking about the consequences of their online presence really offers multiple teaching/learning opportunities which have multiple levels, discussions contribution could take avenues contributed by Get Safe Online or Psychology Today
Coomera’s rules guides can be seen as follows:MY BLOG RULES
Being bound by legal and ethical practice, and being responsible for our own and the children in the class consideration needs to be given for the provision and enforcement of guidelines for legal and ethical practice with copyright materials.
A few things which come to mind as a Bloggers code of ethics... Things such as being honest and kind, limiting plagiarism, identifying and linking sources and minimizing interpretive error... and so on.
In addition to the various teaching contexts I have touched on..... I just want to go a little further in relation to the blogs ability to open the lines of communication between parents, teachers and the student.... if for example parents are invited to see the students posts and the actual creations of the blog the students are creating.
This is invaluable!
It has the ability to offer an opportunity for the parents to connect with their teen. There truly are so many benefits substantiated by mammoth amounts of research supporting strong parental relationships such as: better academic outcomes, lessen the likelihood that teens will exhibit problem behaviors, linked repeatedly to mental, social, and emotional well-being in adolescents and youths.... and a strong influence that the parent child relationship in child and adolescent years, will extend into adulthood.
Furthermore, the implementation of parental involvement (particularly in lower socio-economic areas) could really encourage the value of education perceived by the parent which would (optimistically) prolong the level of engagement had by the teens.. YIPEEE!
Check this out for an interesting read on Parent-Teen Relationships.
Lets all nurture parents value for education... and.... explore the possibilities of ICT in the classroom!
How easy it is to start a blog?
How it can cultivate engagement in your classroom?
Prior to the commencement of this unit.. I may have read a few blogs?..
Definitely didn’t know how to create one and had no idea on the magnitude of just how adaptable they are.... or the value to me (and the seraphs) in my classes..!
Just“what is a blog and how does it work?”
We’ve established that a blog is a website which is essentially a diary of chronological info (a web Log)..
This tool (by blogger) has allowed me construct and present my thoughts, and experiences in my very own personally themed way... Which... given my inexperience with blogs is really an example of just how much you can do.... and learn in a short space of time with ease....
Any issues I had google or youtube were able to source an applicable answer to my question within seconds..... (This is a prime example of just how amazing technology really enables the expansion of our minds.... and just what the children in my class will be able to experience too... SAMR? – I think so – Ill touch on that further on!😁)
Ultimately we are all given our teaching areas, our curriculum to follow and then its up to us to do the rest...
I need to find tools which engage the students in my classes...
I need to be able to infiltrate all of the little distractions which are real... to them, and to me!!
I took this on board and consequently initially reflected on the possibility of my use of blogging as the teacher...After rifling through mounds of blogs I landed on carrieloves. Her blog to me was simple, easy to read and the formatting appealed to me so I tried to mimic much of her "styling". After reflecting on what I liked about her page - larger font, less on the screen, regular images which break up her text, precisely delivered info.. I got it...She was delivering more bang for her buck!!
Consequently in a classroom setting I am now thinking small, concise snippets of info..
This particular pedagogy will fit well with the Gen Zer’s – who are capable of consuming great amounts of info delivered to them in shorter spurts (think eight seconds).
As classroom facilitators we have small windows of opportunity to get them in....!
The ability to import pictures which I liked and upload on my HOME page really enables me to set the tone of my page.... and also to my posts.. I can aim right at the students interests (think Steiner education pedagogy). Each of my posts has embedded URL’s- or highlighted words rather, that my viewers can click on...
This tool in the classroom will be invaluable. ! Ahhhh...
I can just imagine having a blog relating to the curriculum being delivered... comments are made in relation to posts I can reply or add posts with links to tutorials or youtubes I’ve created to show practical elements... Also allowing for the ability to expose links to apps I’ve integrated into my classroom such as photomath.... giving way for a greater diversity to ICTs in the classroom.
The comment section to my blog has been valuable in this current setting (uni assign) and also will be in the future allowing me to gauge the level of engagement, if executed correctly.... I can ensure there are requirements set in each subject delivered to comment on blogs at a particular rate; having this built into my planning I can fairly well be delivered real time ongoing engagement assessment... as students comment I can really gauge their level of engagement and where they are at with their thinking overall. This type of ability to reflect and factor into my planning for the next lesson will be just tops!
I feel the commenting section also gives the ability to connect to a larger diversity of students.... I remember being at school (and even at the Res. School) and not asking questions cause it’s just not in my nature to do so.. I used to get major anxiety at the prospect of having to do any kind of task that involved people listening to me talk.... and even pulled out, then started (and completed) a post grad at a different uni because a lecturer refused to give me an option to doing a speech...! Imagine all the kids in the world that feel like that too..!.... and all of the teaching/learning opportunities missed because a subject is delivered in a particular way.. It’s quite tragic!!
I really am an absolute LOVER of blogging now and could go on and on and on; I have just a few more positives which I will condense into a bullet format for you:
- The capacity to connect with a greater audience really is just amazing and with that comes so many benefits.. its enables diversity to be explored and considered, different people’s views and beliefs, their cultures 👌👌 How awesome it would be to be able to connect with students from a completely different environment... Even just within Australia - we could go from Mackay.... west to remote places in far North QLD. The perspectives offered is invaluable.
- One simple ID process has been invaluable and delivers me notifications straight to my phone which has my gmail account notifications switched on – you could be completely available to your class if need be! Although I realize this is not everyone’s idea of a good thing!! Haha😅
- I love the capacity to access the info I have in my blog anywhere, wherever I am.. For example; I have each of the reflection tasks given to me as I go along saved as a copy in my blog..... then when I have a spare hour or whilst taking my little boy to soccer I can access whatever I need right there from my phone... Allowing me to research for my next post in tiny little increments... and further save relevant info to that draft... In a classroom setting this could provide me with a further opportunity to access whatever I like whenever I need... (This can also be accessed via GOOGLE DOCs).. In addition real time support could be provided to those in need.
With the use of blogs...each level of the SAMR model will be reached allowing the students to possess higher order thinking sooner and and at a faster rate than ever thought possible.
Hmmmmm.....SAMR??
Lets all kick the class in the ........ and take them to the next level with the integration of ICT in the classroom presenting to us as teachers unfathomable levels of teaching/learning opportunities, via:
SUBSTITUTION
The blog is purely a substitution tool... substituting a hand written pieces of work the student is required to submit a copy and pasted document for homework (as a post) relating to the previous lessons work.
AUGMENTATION
Blogging technology is used as a direct tool for substitution and functional improvements are surfacing as students are required to (on their blog) publish assessment for me to see, grading criteria encompasses an expectation to showcase their ability to embed images, presentations, videos or audio to reinforce text, and the possibility of hyperlinks. At this level the work of the students is plat formed on the blog, I am able to access their learning record in a centralized, archived and searchable format. I comment to add value to their assessment as well as invite and require other students within the classroom environment to comment (forming part of their assessment as well).
MODIFICATION
As the class skills increases higher order thinking takes place.
Within the blog students are expected to begin to explore hyperlink writing showcasing their ability to digitally write, granting me access to the processes they adopt and the connection it has with their thinking influences, relationships and processes between their posts and external resources. Evidence of a task redesign is emerging.
Global audience writing is present, peer writing forms, and students take on board comments.
REDEFINTIONN
New tasks previously inconceivable emerge👍
As a teacher I am seeing the student blogs forming and extending their communicative and learning cycle.
Learning, reflecting, sharing and the ability to receive feedback all provide me with documented evidence.
Emergence of students "ah ahhhh" moments are visible to me... the blog is the heart of learning ... it documents to me a digital footprint encompassing the organisation, building and maintenance of their own independent learning and networking.
When in the classroom as with anything we as teachers do we must be mindful of the legal, safety and ethical concerns in regards to blogging.
There are benefits working for example with Education Queensland, which adopts a strong filtering of many sites online with the use of LearningPlace.... which is essentially a secure environment... there is still however cause for concern especially with the ability to "link" to and from other web addresses; whilst this is a vital feature which makes blogging so interactive and potentially really boost engagement with an increase in teaching/learning opportunities, it has potential for endangerment...
My major concern entails the possibility of ease of access to third party web pages and of course the ease of access third party’s could potentially have access too...along with the interaction that may filter from their access.
Concern for safety and authenticity of the info...!
Safety concerns need to be addressed to protect and ensure the safety of everyone involved and can be done so with a few simple steps, such as; altering a privacy or access setting within the blog.
Whilst the author/s is the only one who can edit information the ability to comment and respond to posts via comments can potentially be very public.
Coomera Anglican College (on the Gold Coast) has implemented a guide for the students. I believe such a contract or guide with the involvement of students in the creation of such rules or the implementation of a contract so to speak would really increasing the value and relativity to the students.
Requiring thinking about the consequences of their online presence really offers multiple teaching/learning opportunities which have multiple levels, discussions contribution could take avenues contributed by Get Safe Online or Psychology Today
Coomera’s rules guides can be seen as follows:MY BLOG RULES
Being bound by legal and ethical practice, and being responsible for our own and the children in the class consideration needs to be given for the provision and enforcement of guidelines for legal and ethical practice with copyright materials.
A few things which come to mind as a Bloggers code of ethics... Things such as being honest and kind, limiting plagiarism, identifying and linking sources and minimizing interpretive error... and so on.
In addition to the various teaching contexts I have touched on..... I just want to go a little further in relation to the blogs ability to open the lines of communication between parents, teachers and the student.... if for example parents are invited to see the students posts and the actual creations of the blog the students are creating.
This is invaluable!
It has the ability to offer an opportunity for the parents to connect with their teen. There truly are so many benefits substantiated by mammoth amounts of research supporting strong parental relationships such as: better academic outcomes, lessen the likelihood that teens will exhibit problem behaviors, linked repeatedly to mental, social, and emotional well-being in adolescents and youths.... and a strong influence that the parent child relationship in child and adolescent years, will extend into adulthood.
Furthermore, the implementation of parental involvement (particularly in lower socio-economic areas) could really encourage the value of education perceived by the parent which would (optimistically) prolong the level of engagement had by the teens.. YIPEEE!
Check this out for an interesting read on Parent-Teen Relationships.
Lets all nurture parents value for education... and.... explore the possibilities of ICT in the classroom!
Great reflections!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Adam
DeleteI like how you've gone into parent communication with blogging. It could be a valuable tool for building relationships.
ReplyDeleteThanks guys.
DeleteBec: it really can be! It's so funny to observe parental behaviours. Preppies... Parents hovering ten minutes prior to school finished... Graduate to stop, drop and go pretty quickly at the ripe old age of about year two.. By the time high school commences parents generally are dropping the kids on the school perimeter to avoid traffic.. I understand that children need to build a sense of self and independence... But as a parent you lose the ability to frequently touch base with teachers
Hi missannaloosmore,
ReplyDeleteI felt a sense of relief reading your blog, with respect to not knowing much a bout a blog. I'm glad I'm not the only one in your situation. All the best with the rest of the semester I hope it gets easier.
Regards,
Joel