I'd like to hear about elementary teachers' and teacher-librarians' experiences with student blogging this year. How did it help with the development of digital citizenship in ten year olds?
You pose a great question. I would also like to know if elementary students were encouraged to blog this year. When I was principal at Drexel Elementary a few year back we had one of our 5th grade classrooms emailed students in another state. Of course, we were not allowed to have student emails so the teacher had to send them through her email. It was part of teaching letter writing lessons and students appreciated getting responses quicker than receiving them through the mail. Blogging of course takes it to a new level.
Starting last month I began a class blog. So far the students have only blogged with others in our school but it has been great. The students are extremely excited to blog and they visit the blog any chance they get. I introduced the blog and reminded the students that they have to be safe when posting. They can not use their last names or include any personal information. I use edublogs.org and one of the features that I love is that I have to approve each post before it can me viewed on the blog...so if students write anything that they shouldn't, I can keep it from being seen by others.
The posts have been about what we are learning in class. I include a link to a webiste that my students have to read in order to answer the blogs' question. The students are reading and writing but don't complain about it...they are learning without even realizing it because I have make it fun and meaningful. The questions are thought provoking and require my students' to use critical thinking skills.
They wanted to blog during spring break (that is how excited they are) and so I have a post about the recent events in Japan. It is wonderful to see what my students are writing. Many of them post several times and comment on other classmates posts.
My students and I love the class blog!
Sounds great. Does it take much time to approve posts? I hope we can give this a try as soon as we get the OK. Do you choose the topic/website based on things you are studying in class, current events, or are they student generated?
I think it is great that you started blogging using edublogs.org. I have heard of it and have started one and posted a link on my classroom website but that is as far as I have gotten. I’ve even posted a few questions but have not gotten any responses and that is mainly due to me not opening up class time for students to post responses. I don’t teach fifth grade so I don’t have the access to the laptops as easily as they do so I have to use my classroom computers. But finding the time to allow students to post responses just has not happened. But I have to stop making the excuses of “no time”. I know that once I start it will take more time and effort but eventually the students will be able to blog without too much assistance from me. I think of the reading and writing skills that come with blogging and online chats. Also it does teach the students how to have discussions with each other without other students butting in or taking their idea. I know for me, writing my response gives me the time to think and phrase my responses in a much more meaningful way. I hope the district quickly authorizes a site teachers can start using before the end of the year to give us time to practice so we are ready for our student to have online discussions next year.
I hear you, Mary Ann, on the "no time" excuse. I too have posed questions, musings, etc on my class website, but only a few respond due to computer access. I have visions of these great, on-line discussions & debates, and then it falls flat. haha
I'm going to reference an earlier forun discussion here - "computer lab". That would help with the "no time/ no access" problem other grade levels are having right now.
Do students have to have an email account? I know that I tried using calculation nation which required students to have an email account and it was a disaster.
Is there a way to keep track of who blogs when for grading purposes? How can I use blogging to gauge individual learning?
I am with Ava. I am very curious to see what you have to say about it.
OK. Now I need to add one more PD topic for me. I need to know more about blogging. This type of PD can be done at the building level for those who need it. Can this be done in a short lesson of 15-20 minutes for most people? Or less?
Geniece, I'm interested in hearing more about how you set up/manage your class blog. We have recently started a new chapter book in reading. I would love to post discussion questions on a blog that my reading students could respond to! Since you have had a lot of success, perhaps you could share more about how you got started
At the beginning of the year, I created a class website which is used for blogs, announcements, and photo albums compiled from academic and athletic events, as well as field trips and other special events. The kids love the website, and the blogging has been an integral aspect. Typically I will post a discussion question about once a week, and invite the students to answer the question, and sometimes even pose their own questions to my question. My experience with the blog has been nothing but positive, it honestly seems to bring out the best in my students. Blog entries are always kind and respectful, compliments are always in the mix. Only occasionally do I find the “sup” comments, which are still harmless. In terms of digital citizenship, I think the blogs are outstanding. The fact that they are public (between students and parents) creates a situation where students want to represent themselves in the best way possible, which I believe will lead to positive digital habits.
The only drawback to this system is the fact that many of my students still don’t have internet access away from school. The option that was given to them, was to come in and get on our class website before school, at lunch, or after school. Although some students do utilize this option, some don’t. The students who have internet access at home are definitely the kids who visit the class website most frequently.
Reading through all of the response from the 5th grade teachers is truly inspiring! It gives me great hope for these students as they enter 6th grade and will have a full year of being able to use their laptops. Sharing what has alredy been done gives our 6th grade teachers a heads up and a great challenge to build project and problem based learning that integrates all the technology tools into their instruction. Hats off to all the 5th grade teachers in the district for wading through this year and helping to launch a transformative model that will change the face of Sunnyside forever!
The students in my classroom did not participate in blogging this year. Many students still do not have internet access. This is a goal for me for next year.
As a phase one school, we were advised to wait before implementing blogging with our students. Looking over the comments of schools who have started blogging, I am looking forward to trying it next year.
unfortunately our students haven't had an opportunity to blog this year.
I am a bit confused by some of the comments I've read. We were told to wait until the district created an in district place to blog. This would guarantee a safe place for our fifth grader to blog. Research shows that blogging extends learning and kicks it up to using higher order thinking skills.
Although, at our school, I have not observed the the Fifth Grade stuedents blogging, I have noticed that the teachers incooperated technology using student engagement. Our goal is to create the ideal situation where students will be teaching eachother and the teacher will facilitate the learning. A student centered curriculum will allow students to work with peers utilizing blogs, wikis, websites for their lessons and presentations. We are in the beginning stages but headed in a positive direction.
This is a great goal for our teachers to utilize next year. I do know that our librarian used it with some 5th grade classes and found it to be successful. I know that my daughter has participated in 3 forums this school year. She is in 3rd grade and she had three different assignments where she had to discuss the different structures of rocks, facts that she had learned about their new class pet, talking with her reading groups about the book "Wrinkle in Time." Her teacher made it very clear that the students were to stay on topic and not use the time to chat to their friends. As a parent, I saw a huge value in this in that my daughter was talking with her classmates after school hours, asked questions and received feedback on some of her statements. Not only did she learn more about each topic, but she also learned internet etiquette and internet safety. As a parent, I felt it was my responsibility to sit with her and guide her through the process if she came upon any questions.
I look forward to more of our students using this next year.
I love the idea of using blogs as a teaching tool for safety and etiquette, etc. as well as an instructional tool. This is something that parents, teachers, afterschool programs, etc. could take an active role in. Both of my daughters, in middle and high schools have had teachers that have used blogs as critical parts of their coursework. The energy they put into the blogs is definitely more than "regular" homework. Their schools had extended hours on campus and places to go during lunch for students who didn't have internet at home. I think blogs have so many dimensions for learning with our students.
It is great to hear how students are able to use these types of technology tools for collaborative discussions and internet etiquette and safety. I think the more professional development that is provided to teachers about using these tools, the more teachers will think of ways to incorporate them into instruction.
tried this on my class webpage but not too successful. I don't think I really understood the webpage and how I was to use it. I hope to be more successful next year. I would like my students to use it often to ask questions and practice writing. I am excited to see if I can make it happen.
As an Arts teachers It will interesting to see how this unfolds. I would like to see how other Arts teachers would use blogging. I do agree that we need to incorporate it into everything that is technology in our schools, and we need to give the trust to them to use it properly.
It was exciting to hear about our elementary student's blogging. Surprisingly or maybe not surprisingly, the experience is similar to what is occurring at the secondary level. One of our most tech savvy teachers had students participate in a blog forum as part of their final. The teacher and students were both pleased with the result. One student commented- "this was the most fun final I have ever taken." It is also bound to be quite a change as these younger students arrive hungry for these experiences, and we work to provide them in high school. ,
In our classroom we use schoology to blog. A friendly, safe place for students to collaborate with school mates and teachers. As for blogs, the essential questions are used to start class discussions. Students are really engaged and are always reminding me that we need to blog. It allows students to take ownership of what they learned, and gives them the opportunity to reflect on their classmates responses. They are really into it.
I have read most of the posts about blogging. I see many of the problems are access to internet. If we can get all of our students on during school hours a blog could be used as the bellwork for the class. Instead of writing in a journal about what you read in the book yesterday have a blog question where students write the answer to a question about the book. Once we get projectors the blog could be projected onto the screen and the teacher have some students read their posts. While it would not be perfect it would be a great way for teachers to get their feet wet and help them start thinking about other ways it could be incorporated. It would be ideal for students to be able to reflect at home but with the availablity of internet so scarce, until that is addressed I would try to keep it in the classroom so that all students have the opportunity.
I did indeed practice blogging with our 5th graders as a part of our internet safety and ethics lesson. I used a Sunnyside classroom and we practiced posting and creating appropriate screen names together as part of our lesson-it showed me an immediate understanding on the students' part of what was appropriate-inappropriate, and the fact that I projected it on the screen and could actually delete a post if necessary (only one) brought the lesson home.
The great thing about the blog is that it gives you that immediate response, just as clickers do, and there's no hiding or passivity-if the laptop wasn't working (many weren't at the time-it was still early implementation), I could still send students over to a desktop to log-in and post.
Students can also do their own blogs in the Sunnyside classroom, if you want them to. They're still learning the netiquette. Wassup is a favorite salutation.
No one is blogging at my school. I want our 5th grade students to start blogging, but don't they need email accounts? Some of the 5th grade teachers are asking when we are going to be getting email for our students. Reading most of your responses, it seems to me that some schools already have email accounts. If so, how do we get accounts for my school?
However, now that moodle is established in our district, our students can start blogging! The first step is training our teachers on how to use moodle. Secondly, getting the teachers to create a course and assignments. Thirdly, training our students on how to use moodle. Lastly, start blogging!
Sandra, that sounds like an excellent plan of action once AIMS is over. Let's spend the remainder of the year teaching and encouraging students to blog.Could the school be open one evening a week from 3:00-5:00 with the tech facilitator acting as teacher? Train the teachers first. Maybe there is nutrition money for a healthy snack? Perhaps the tech facilitator could flex her time on that day, by coming in two hours later. Once the teachers are ready, the evening time is open for students and parents.Bring in a volunteer from Reading Seed or Oasis to promote literacy with the little ones that will come with their siblings.
Sandra, here is a great site where students don't need e-mail and it's moderated by you. I've seen several teachers use this site. I haven't tried it yet, but plan on it in the very near future. I've been checking it out and playing around with it. Good luck!
Sharon, great idea about the tech facilitator flexing their time and holding PD...
Thank you for the blogging site. I was wondering as well about the blogging and e-mails. I am so glad it enables you to use the blog without student e-mails. I look forward to using it in the future. I don't believe anyone at my school is blogging and I see how it could be a great resource.
I would really like to see the how we could safely use the soical media for our students. I have been doing Flat Stanley exchange with other schools around the world for years. They are now starting to go to e-mail Stanley's and I think it would be great if my students could talk with other students in other countries. Please let me know if the district has a way to set up some safe e-mail accounts for the students.
I've done several successful projects using Edublogs over the past two years. You can check out some of the stuff that my class has done at www.mrmccormick.edublogs.org
In addition to all of it's great interal controls, edublogs also has a great community of teachers who are always willing to help share ideas and resources. I'm currently in the process of putting together a training for teachers who are looking for ways to "internationalize" their curriculum by connecting with English speaking classrooms all over the world.
Anyone who might be interested, please let me know and I can make sure to direct resources your way.
I would really like info on the international connections. Any chance it will be available soon?