Wow, finally we are talking about a topic I wanted to know more about. I have used blogs on my own for years now and have been looking for ways to get them into my classroom. My own experience with blogs has been mostly to talk about sports, newspaper articles, and personal reflections on facebook and/or myspace. Mostly on these sites people are commenting on something or they are complaining about something. I was looking to bring blogs into my classroom to discuss a reading story we were working with, a math concept that they were learning, and with science and social studies concepts, as well as with homework issues that may arise. However in the Stafford County where I work they don't allow the students to setup email addresses, so using a blogging site like this is difficult because it requires them to have an email address.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can get around this issue?
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That could be tough if the school doesnt allow for the students to make accounts. I would first try it out as a home project and maybe have the parents set up accounts. Once you have it set and blogs posted you may want to approach your school district and get a recommendation on how to make it a school project. If you ask them for a recommendation instead of permission they may take it as you want to do it but recognize that you cant do it without them.
ReplyDeleteAnother way would be for you to create a classroom email account and let the students blog on your school computers. However, you would have to have strict talks with them on acceptable use of blogging.
ReplyDeleteIt would be really cool to find a blogging software program that does not require students to make accounts. There are commercial blogs that can be purchased by schools....but in times of little available funds, this is not an option.
ReplyDeleteFairfax has the blog plugin but only makes it available at the HS level, maybe MS. Why not be an advocate for getting these blog plugins for younger students?
The free wiki program, pbwiki, has recently added a feature in which teachers can add classroom accounts and students no longer need to participate with an email account. Here's another leadership activity: Why not make a request to blogspot- which promotes itself as an educational blog site- to consider this option?
Dawn thats a great idea and I actually went to my TRT in my building and talked to him about it and we talked to the head technology guru of the cou nty and she gave us access to the blog on our school webpage, but I created more work for our TRT because now he has to go and create ID's for all my students.
ReplyDelete