Teaching and Learning in the Digital Age

Rubrics to use for student blogs

• http://docs.google.com/View?docid=df8b89sj_324h7b58tgq
• http://herricks.org/webpages/kullrich/course.cfm?subpage=13317
• http://www.rcampus.com/rubricshowc.cfm?code=E2B5B6&sp=true&nocache=1238851119226

Permission Documents

To use student work, faces, voice and videos of students or adults in vod/podcasts, you will need to get permission from the student’s parent/guardian, or the adult themselves.  In Victoria, these two forms need to be filled out and kept on file if you are using either student work or images of students, or adult’s faces and voices:

• Adult-recording-authorisation-frm
• Student-recording-authorisation-frm

Here is another good document to keep handy for when you start your blog: The purpose-driven blogging document : http://www.converstations.com/2009/09/purpose-driven-blogging-worksheet.html

Copyright and  Blogs/wikis (podcasts, vodcasts, student projects etc.)

This is a fickle subject.  Of course we need to be aware of the Copyright issues with blogs.  The easiest way to get around this is to use Royalty Free stuff with no copyright restrictions.  I have compiled a huge list with Royalty Free photos, images, clipart, sounds, music, fonts, recipes, e-books, books out of copyright restrictions due to being published long ago, Maths graph paper etc.  The link to this list is http://marynabadenhorst.globalteacher.org.au/royalty-free-stuff/

I also wrote a short piece on Copyright, which includes links to Royalty Free music sites.  Here it is: Copyright-and-authorization. Author Maryna Badenhorst

Other copyright resources for teachers:

• Copyright for educators slideshare and service where you can pose questions on the net to be answered http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2009/09/02/what-questions-do-you-have-about-copyright/
•  Guideline for Copyright and Fair Use (PDF) http://www.irvingisd.net/one2one/Cloning/fair_use_copyright_chart.pdf
• A fantastic list of resources for copyright issues in education can be found here: http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/08/10/the-best-resources-to-learn-about-copyright-issues/

Great Educational Blogs (lists)

• Anne Mirtschin’s blogging story: A backyard beginning http://slav.globalteacher.org.au/2010/04/26/a-backyard-beginning-hawkesdale-p-12/
• 18 Resources for English Language Learners to Learn via Blogs http://ow.ly/1qtjmT
• Video on how and why to blog with students Great vid on Why To Teachers Need To Blog and Why Blog With Students….http://is.gd/4mzPG
• A letter written by a teacher to her students’ parents, promoting her class blog and the kids blogs An Open Letter To My Students’ parents about our blogs
• Start your blogs!  http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2008/12/05/blogging-is-elementary/
• FelipeMoralesTop ELearning Blogs http://thedailyreviewer.com/top/eLearning
• How blogging makes me a better teacher http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/8-ways-blogging-makes-me-a-better-teacher/
• Blog applications for classrooms http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/15-free-tools-for-better-blogging-2/
• Blogging about Wikis and Nings at Toorak College Wikis and Nings in Year 7 at Toorak College http://jennylu.wordpress.com/2009/09/07/guest-post-lianas-making-wikis-with-the-help-of-year-7/ 
• Using technology in 1:1 laptop programs  list of great blogs and wikis https://drstocker.wikispaces.com/SM-Blogs
• 100 Best blogs for teachers to use: http://www.clearvieweducation.com/blog/2009/100-best-blogs-for-teachers-of-the-future/
• 100 helpful websites for new (and experienced) teachers http://www.teachingdegree.org/2009/06/21/100-helpful-websites-for-new-teachers/
• The most comprehensive list of educational blogs http://supportblogging.com/page/diff/Links+to+School+Bloggers/83381337
• Teaching with Wikis https://wiki.umn.edu/view/TeachingWithWikis/WebHome
• 50 ways to use Wikis in classrooms http://www.smartteaching.org/blog/2008/08/50-ways-to-use-wikis-for-a-more-collaborative-and-interactive-classroom/
• A list of twenty cool blogs for teachers: http://www.sywtt.com/?p=964
• Blogging competition for students http://wyatt67.edublogs.org/2009/08/22/its-about-to-start-the-student-blogging-challenge/
• Analytical tools for blogs http://www.toprankblog.com/2008/01/20-blog-analytics-tools/

My favourite Educational Blogs, visit them regularly

• A cool teacher’s blog for teachers, with stacks or resources, funnies, classroom tips etc.: http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/
• One of the most dynamic and informative educational blogs by a teacher for teachers (Check it every day!): http://langwitches.org/blog/
• If you are using Twitter for a PLN on Education, you will know about larryferlazzo.  He makes lists of ‘best educational blogs’, ‘best educators to follow on Twitter’, ‘best….(anything educational)’.  Here are links to his fab blogs and resources: http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/ , http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/larry-ferlazzos-english-website/ (click on the links and pages from this main page), and http://www.larryferlazzo.com/

Other general information on blogs

• Rules for your student blog http://www.budtheteacher.com/wiki/index.php?title=Blogging_Rules
• Blogging in a positive classroom atmosphere: Great photos and ideas http://ilearntechnology.com/
• Blog is a four letter word.  Here are some other four letter words to supercharge your blog:  http://www.getinfrontblogging.com/communication/four-letter-words-to-supercharge-your-blog-posts/
• Rank your blog http://blog.grader.com/
• How to create a Facebook page for your blog http://www.bloggodown.com/2009/08/how-to-create-facebook-page-for-your.html
• How much is your blog page worth?  Find out http://bizinformation.org/

My site is worth$94,162.76Your website value?

• How to create an online wordsearch for your blog http://quickshout.blogspot.com/2009/07/how-to-make-word-search-puzzle-for-your.html
• Survey creation for blogs http://quickshout.blogspot.com/2009/06/survey-creation-tool-for-students.html
• Create a Flicr montage using Flickerin http://quickshout.blogspot.com/2008/11/create-flickr-montage.html
• Make any webpage print friendly: http://www.printfriendly.com/
• 9 Free tools to help E Learning: http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/9-free-tools-that-help-me-build-better-e-learning/
• A great collection of teacher resources: http://www.beemyteacher.com/
• Create a simple web page using Netvibes: http://langwitches.org/blog/2009/06/06/creating-a-simple-classroom-webpage/
• Top designs for blogs and web pages http://bestwebdesignschools.com/2009/top-50-web-design-education-blogs/

Australian Netbook program for classroom netbooks and blogs

• http://netbooks.globalstudent.org.au/
• http://globalteacher.org.au/

What is the difference between a blog and a wiki?

Before you start, watch these two very informative and funny videos:

1. Wikis in Plain English
2. Blogs in Plain English

Both blogs and Wikis are examples of web pages…but what are the differences?

In short, in any setting, a blog can replace the daily buletin.  It is great for sharing new information, but all entries are made in journal style, and displayed in reverse chronological order.  You can also upload videos, documents, photos and make links to other web pages.  The new postings can only be made by people that have access to the username and password.  Older postings can be edited later on by the password holders.  Comments can be screened by people that have the username and password.  Blogs are great for starting and maintaining conversations.

In any setting, Wikis would be able to replace the files and binders.  A wiki allows visitors to add, remove, edit etc. information.  It operates like a collection of  online Word documents, and can contain uploaded documents, photos, video and web links. New information will appear where the user put it, e.g. in the middle of the previous document, or anywhere you add the information in the document (not necessarily at the end and not in reverse chronological order.)  However, any wiki can be password protected to ensure that only people with access to the password can edit, delete or add new information.  All pages of a wiki are also kept forever, so if information is accidently removed or deleted, you can always revert back to a previously saved page.  Anybody can comment on the content of a Wiki, but these comments can also be screened by password holders if need be.  Wikis are great for archiving information for easy online access.

To sum it all up, as mentioned in the blog Common Craft states in it’s post “Introduction to Stocks and Flows: Weblogs, Wikis, and RSS”, a blog is a flow of information. A wiki is a place to stock information.

(Information obtained from Wikipedia, and http://mplictechtrain.blogspot.com/2007/04/what-is-difference-between-blog-and.html)

Ideas for blogs or wikis in classrooms

Wikis as collaborative learning tools http://www.slideshare.net/librarianmer/building-collaborative-applications-with-wikis

http://bit.ly/G0zwJ 53 Useful things you can do with wikis in large class teaching

Blogging has become part and parcel of many a teacher’s classroom.  For a quick overview, look at these sites: http://www.blogged.com/directory/education/k-12-education, http://globalteacher.org.au/2009/06/06/what-students-need-to-know-in-order-to-blog/ and http://ow.ly/gxnO

Some classroom examples include:

• Live Blogging to cover political events, sport events, professional development sessions etc. http://www.coveritlive.com/
• Showcasing Grade 1 work: http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=1337, and here is the same teacher’s page with links to other fun and interesting things: http://staff.prairiesouth.ca/~cassidy.kathy/index.html
• Showcasing Grade 2 work: http://www.classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=226543
• An educator’s blog to share professional learning opportunities locally and globally: www.lisahillschoolstuff.wordpress.com/2009/03/21/classroom-20-and-our-cruel-time-zone and look at this fantastic blog of a teacher that uses Wiki and Web2.0 tools for Literacy: http://www.yoursmarticles.blogspot.com/
• A teacher’s blog highlighting their own professional learning: http://blommers.globalteacher.org.au/
• In classrooms, teachers may be using blogs for various reasons, e.g. teacher blogs to inform students of assignments or work dates, plus providing additional information about current topics and lessons.  Teachers can upload lesson plans, handouts, PowerPoints, small videos and so forth as scaffolding and support for students.  They also put relevant links on this blog page, so students have quick access to other resources they will regularly use in this unit or subject.  See  the relevant classroom links on the right hand side of this classroom blog: http://itc.blogs.com/minds/
• A teacher’s blog that celebrates student work, give fun stuff like games and birthdays, and engages the students in positive things that happen in the classroom.  Examples: http://room13at.blogspot.com/ and a blog showcasing Japanese and some info on the school: http://blogit.globalteacher.org.au
• Teacher’s blog where several questions are posed around a specific topic, and students have to comment on these questions, teacher comment back, etc.  It is a great tool for extending students and getting them to think about a specific topic.  Example: http://sarahplainandtall.blogspot.com/
• A Teacher Wiki can be used for a similar approach as in the previous dot points, for example: http://collaborative-learning.wikispaces.com/Fractions and http://collaborative-learning.wikispaces.com/Adaptations_Les2
• The teacher poses a scenario, and asks the kids to come up with questions they may want to investigate around this specific scenario.  This is a great way to start brainstorming aspects around “What we know”, “what we want to know” and later, after the experiment, reflect back by commenting on “what we know now…”.  Example: http://crayonsfloat.wikispaces.com/
• A classroom blog where student work is “showcased” through videos, short reports and photos.  Great Example: http://mrcsclassblog.blogspot.com/
• A classroom blog where the teacher as well as certain capable students can post on the one blog This is a good way to get started.  All students will be able to leave comments on each new posting and on page.  Example: http://teachers.emints.org/FY04/youngj/bookclub/
• Similar to the dot point just above, the teacher creates a classroom blog, and then also creates several “topic” pages linked to the index page, all on one blog. Now individual students or groups of students can post around a specific topic on the pages, or leave comments on each other’s work.  Parents can have access to it from home via the internet, and so online collaboration can start via this one blog.  Examples: http://itc.blogs.com/minds/ and http://weblogs.pbspaces.com/mrskolbert/2009/08/06/hello-world/
• Classroom group-blogs where there is a central blog with common comments and notes about classroom activities, and several “children” blogs attached to the central blog, where each individual student posts on his/her own blog, stemming from prompts and threads posted on the central blog. 
• Several groups’ blog pages in one classroom, where the students are put into groups around common interests or needs, and they all have to post on their group’s blog page around a common area.  Groups decide on the protocols around these postings, e.g. how long the posts may be, any other information re use of technical terms, type of language used etc. Example: http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/node/233
• Individual student blogs where each student has his/her own blog, and they post regularly as a “reflection” on their progress, upload work samples etc.  This becomes a type of digital portfolio, and can be used to inform parents during student lead conferences, or by inviting comments on student work.
• Communicating with students while you are away.  This can be an excellent way of immersing the students in whatever experiences or cultures you experience outside the classroom, e.g. one teacher communicating with students in the USA while she was on a visit to Greece: http://my-ecoach.com/blogs.php?blog=1451
• Teachers using blogs to share information with other teachers…type of online collaboration and PD.  Examples: http://langwitches.org/blog/ , http://learningandknowing.blogspot.com/ and http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/ (This is a funny site…lots of giggles in here!), useful information listed e.g. useful software for mobile learning http://leo.gaggl.com/2009/04/useful-software-for-mobile-learning/
• Live Blog for Librarians: http://librariesinteract.info/
• For more great information and examples, read these blogs: http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/eval/curriculum/ict/weblogs/ , http://blog.classroom20.com/and http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/node/233
• Video on top ten educational blogs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qaw70WL333Y

• Comment from one teacher to her students: Remember to read, read, read….Then reflect, think, contemplate, and ponder…..And write,write, write or blog, blog, blog!!!     

   

Student Blogs

• Little Bear Hug: http://del0059.globalstudent.org.au/
• Head in the clouds: http://mur0004.globalstudent.org.au/
• A dog’s blog: http://est0001.globalstudent.org.au/
• Time magazine: 25 Best Blogs: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,1879276,00.html

Videos about blogs used in schools

• Why do we let our students blog? http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=838
• Blogging in Plain English: http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=15427
• Blogging on Wordpress: http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=92816&title=Blogging_on_Wordpress
• Blogging in EduBlogs: http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=87886&title=Edublogging_in_1074EBL___Episode_1___Sign_up_to_Edublogs
• Blogging in the Elementary School http://teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=99517&title=Blogs_in_the_elementary_classroom
• A page with numerous blogging videos on TeacherTube: http://www.teachertube.com/videoList.php?pg=videonew&tags=blogging

Create your own Wiki

• www.wetpaint.com
• http://www.wikispaces.com/
• http://www.nexdo.com/
• 50 Ways to use Wikis in your classroom: http://www.smartteaching.org/blog/2008/08/50-ways-to-use-wikis-for-a-more-collaborative-and-interactive-classroom/
• A wiki listing the characteristics of students using wikis and blogs: http://digiteen09-2.flatclassroomproject.org/Net+Gen+Norms
• How to embed HTML code in any Wiki

Wiki example: School library calendar http://raypalin.info/smhs/library-calendar

• 100+ resources for Wikis http://mashable.com/2008/12/31/wiki-resources/

 If you still wonder: “How to get started?”

• Follow the link “Getting started with Edublogs” on the page http://johnp.wordpress.com/tutorials/
• These tutorials may be helpful: Getting started with Wetpaint, Edublogs, KidPix, recording via the Interactive Whiteboard, Zoho, Flicr:  http://public.box.net//My_Other_Blog
• Still wondering how to get started with blogging in your classroom?  Check out this site for links on what a blog is, what it could be used for, how to upload images and videos, do a screen dump, etc.  http://www.adrianbruce.com/blogging/blogging.htm

• Visit this wiki page which has a list of Victorian blogs worthwhile looking at: http://netbooktrial.wikispaces.com/Blogs+Worth+A+Look

• Here is an interesting web site that allows you to make a blog page for your class, you can choose to have a blog page for the whole class where the students can contribute their messages to the one page, and then you can also choose to have a blog page for each individual student.  It is fairly safe if you stay the administrator, you can edit the content of the blog pages.  Name of the web site:  http://globalstudent.org.au/

• Showcase for Elegant Blog designs: http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/04/28/showcase-of-elegant-and-original-blog-designs/

•  Blogging and Wiki sites, Classroom blog examples, Tips for teachers: http://my-ecoach.com/online/webresourcelist.php?rlid=4992

• Getting started with Wiki: http://scemints.pbworks.com/
• How a general Wiki looks (it is just an example to look at, you can’t actually post on it) http://emintswhatisit.wetpaint.com/?t=anon
  

  Free stuff to use on your websites: http://www.webweaver.nu/.  Also refer to the pages Royalty Free Stuff and Web2 tools 4 Classroom

Other cool blogs to look at

• 365 photos from Flicr in one year: http://pamelarvo-visualrecord.blogspot.com/
• A world bank blog on ICT in education: http://blogs.worldbank.org/edutech/
• A cool teacher’s blogs with stacks or resources: http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/
• Cool blog for posting and hosting student work (including a Literacy Cycle including the use of ICT): http://littlevoiceslittlescholars.blogspot.com/
• 23 Elements of Sharable Blogs: http://ow.ly/cSL7
• One of the most dynamic and informative educational blogs (Check it every day!): http://langwitches.org/blog/
• A list of twenty cool blogs for teachers: http://www.sywtt.com/?p=964
• A great collection of teacher resources: http://www.beemyteacher.com/
• Webinars: http://campaign-archive.com/?u=53a1e972a043d1264ed082a5b&id=54a5fc9151

Mini Blogging

• Twitter - blogging in 140 words at a time

• Twitter in Plain English
• Twitter Handbook for Teachers: http://www.scribd.com/doc/14062777/Twitter-Handbook-for-Teachers
• Become a Twitter teacher in 23 steps or less http://www.kapilbhatia.com/2009/03/07/how-to-become-twitter-teachertt-in-23-steps-or-less/
• Green overlay for Twitter Avatar: http://helpiranelection.com/
• Suggestions for using Twitter: http://quality-instruction.blogspot.com/2009/06/twitter-as-instructional-strategy-and.html
• Twitter wiki for teachers: http://twitterforteachers.wetpaint.com/
• Can Twitter help your teaching? http://classtools.net/twitter/tweet.php?message=Can%2520Tweeting%2520Help%2520Your%2520Teaching%253F&url=http://www.nea.org/home/32641.htm%3futm_medium=email
• A roundup of Twitter tracking tools: http://www.socialmediatoday.com/SMC/100158
• File sharing via Twitter: http://mashable.com/2009/06/02/twitdoc/
• Nine reasons why educator should twitter: http://www.techlearning.com/article/17340
• Embracing the Twitter Classroom: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jessica-gross/embracing-the-twitter-cla_b_204463.html
• Twitter in the classroom: http://maricopatech.blogspot.com/2009/05/little-known-facts-about-twitter-in.html
• Setting up Twitter to use via Text messages:

Using Text Messaging with Twitter from soul4real on Vimeo.

• Saywire puts the power of social learning into the hands of educators, with safe and secure technology that makes it effortless to inspire students and to create knowledge together.
    and  http://www.techlearning.com/article/21260
• Saywire puts the power of social learning into the hands of educators, with safe and secure technology that makes it effortless to inspire students and to create knowledge together.  https://saywire.com/ 
• Foller Me tells you about a Twitterer in a snapshot http://mashable.com/2009/09/18/foller-me/
• Wiki with teachers, students and schools using Twitter http://macmomma.blogspot.com/2009/07/twitter-in-schools-what-does-it-really.html
• 25 Ways to teach using Twitter: http://www.techlearning.com/article/20896
• 5 top Twitter songs on YouTube http://mashable.com/2009/07/18/twitter-songs/
• Starting out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV32Dav0ktk&feature=related
• Uploading a picture to Twitter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9d0bDGsUyc
• Hashtags in Twitter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5BnYYD9uag
• How to ReTweet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-PgDDpni_w
• Manage multiple accounts: http://mashable.com/2009/05/18/twitter-apps-manage-multiple-accounts/
• Make money using ClickBank: http://www.the-cb-code.com/main1.html
• 130 Fantastic Educators to follow on Twitter: http://zaidlearn.blogspot.com/2009/04/juiciest-learning-professionals-on.html
• Get your blog on Kindle: http://mashable.com/2009/05/13/blogs-amazon-kindle/
• How Twitter can make you a better writer: http://www.copyblogger.com/twitter-writing/
• How one teacher uses Twitter in classroom: http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/how_one_teacher_uses_twitter_in_the_classroom.php
• Twitter Searching in plain English: http://educationaltechnology.ca/couros/1480
• Can Tweeting help your teaching: http://tinyurl.com/moq96j
• Is Twittering making us stupid? http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/brain-bootcamp/200908/is-texting-making-us-stupid
• Twuffer:  tweet hourly/daily/monthly announcements , appointment/milestone reminders , run a time-based scavenger hunt , notify subscribers about upcoming podcast or video episodes , appear to never sleep http://classtools.net/twitter/tweet.php?message=Twuffer%2520allows%2520for%2520the%2520scheduling%2520of%2520Tweets%2520%2528e.g.%2520time-based%2520scavenger%2520hunt%2529&url=http://twuffer.com/
• Send DM to anyone that does not follow you: http://dmplusplus.com/
• Back up and search your Twitter posts with Storyltr http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/08/01/storytlr-is-fantastic/
• Make any webpage print friendly: http://www.printfriendly.com/
• 9 Free tools to help E Learning: http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/9-free-tools-that-help-me-build-better-e-learning/

Fantastic blogs (Top ten blogs in 2008/2009):

1. Men With Pens: James Chartrand and Harry McLeod are the dynamic duo who continue to deliver rich content and community discussion.
2. Freelance Writing Jobs: Founded by Deb Ng, this site is the first stop for freelance writers seeking new work and great articles (and it remains a top winner since this contest began).
3. Write to Done: This blog delivers a steady stream of excellent articles for all writers and is the product of top blogger Leo Babauta.
4. Confident Writing: Looking for encouragement? Joanna Young will help you take your writing to the next level.
5. The Renegade Writer: Linda Formichelli and Diana Burell, authors of a book by the same name, help freelance journalists find inspiration.
6. Remarkable Communication: One part writing, one part marketing and one part selling, this excellent blog by Sonia Simone will help any writer succeed.
7. Writing Journey: Looking for a great stop on your writing journey? Bob Younce’s blog will refresh and energize you.
8. Freelance Parent: Two moms, Lorna Doone Brewer and Tamara Berry, provide excellent perspective on writing while balancing time with little ones.
9. Urban Muse: Susan Johnston covers a wide range of topics