Blogs &Wikis

Paula Sandridge, Technology Services

Joe Spina and Michael Leader, Northwest Middle

http://www.innosight.com/blog/uploads/blogshakespearecomic.bmp

Topics Covered Today:

• What are Blogs and Wikis?

• What’s the difference between them?

• How do the Technology Literacy Standards for students and teachers align with their use?

• Which one would meet my instructional needs?

• What is the approval process to use one in my classroom?

What is a Blog?

The video is from Common Craft and available for use under a Creative Commons license

Common Craft website

What is a Blog?Short for "Web Log," this term refers to a list of journal entries posted on a Web page. Anybody who knows how to create and publish a Web page can publish their own blog for others to read or comment. Some Web hosts have made it even easier by creating an interface where users can simply type a text entry and hit "publish" to publish their blog.From TechTerms.com

Others can comment

I’m the blogger.

What are some common blog elements?

http://weblogg-ed.com/• Banner• Multiple pages• Posts

– Date, time, comments, tags– Images, video, hyperlinks

• Categories• Archive• Many more!

What are some instructional uses of Blogs?

• Upload lesson resources• Post prompts for writing • Publish student work (writing, photos, video, etc.)• Promote discussions

Examples of Classroom Blogs

http://blogs.carrollk12.org/jaspina/

http://missbakersbiologyclass.com/blog/

http://kimcofino.com/blog/

http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/032007/the-computer-demands-a-blog.gif

Instructional Resources

http://historytech.wordpress.com/

http://www.assortedstuff.com/ One of the top-rated blogs for K-12 education.

http://speakingofhistory.blogspot.com/ Blogger is 8th grade teacher from Missouri

http://blog.teachthecivilwar.com/

Blog Rules for the Classroom – this site has some good ideas for establishing some rules for student contributions to your classroom blog

What is a Wiki?

The video is from Common Craft and available for use under a Creative Commons license

Common Craft website

What is a Wiki?

A wiki is a Web site that allows users to add and update content on the site using their own Web browser. This is made possible by Wiki software that runs on the Web server. Wikis end up being created mainly by a collaborative effort of the site visitors.From TechTerms.com

We work together on

our wiki.

What are some common Wiki elements?

A basic wiki

• Content pages can be quickly revised• HTML editor• Discussion tab• May include hyperlinks to other wikis or webpages• Includes page history• May be open for anyone to edit or closed to allow only

members to edit

What are the best instructional uses of Wikis?

• Group assignments and collaborative research

• Group authoring andproject development

Examples of Instructional Wikis

Link to Michael’s wiki needed

http://moton-project-ccps.pbworks.com/ This wiki served as our wiki pilot last year.

http://missbakersbiologyclasswiki.wikispaces.com/ Note that the students each have a page and post their work. They also leave comments on other student pages. Visit Blog Project and Credible sources for other examples of using and evaluating technology resources.

http://salksperiodictable.wikispaces.com/Periodic+Table – Student editors and critics build a periodic table. Teacher has well constructed directions.

More about Wikis

Visit this wiki to learn more about them! http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/wiki/

Cool Cat Teacher – Here’s a blog entry about teaching with wikis. Lots of other teaching ideas using wikis! Cool Cat Teacher has a ton of other technology ideas for classroom use.

Here’s a wiki that I helped develop with Jenn Chloupek that was used at a past MICCA conference – it’s all about wikis, of course! http://wikimicca08.wikispaces.com/

Resources

• http://cffsocialstudies.wikispaces.com/

• https://edorigami.wikispaces.com/ Look for rubrics and how-to’s on making a wiki

Considerations for using a blog or wiki with students….• Student Safety• Instructional goals• Inform your parents of your use of the tools – invite them to contribute!

•Blogs and wikis are optional resources, you have to spend time learning to use them.

•Wikispaces: - look for Help icon in upper right side of page•Edublogs: http://help.edublogs.org/

Rules for Blog/Wiki Usein CCPS• Must get administrator and supervisor approval if using these tools with students

• Complete applications for both found on CCPS website

• Additional Blogging Resources for CCPS: http://ccpshqpd.wikispaces.com/BloggingGuidelines

• Additional Wiki Resources and Resources for CCPS:•http://ccpshqpd.wikispaces.com/Wiki+Guidelines

http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/032007/the-computer-demands-a-blog.gif