Day+One

=Blogging: Effective Strategies for Teachers = **Audience:** Advanced Users **Presenter:** Stephanie DeMarco

**Introduction and Overview:** media type="custom" key="20582852"

1. Educators will identify qualities of an effective academic blog 2. Educators will demonstrate effective techniques and strategies using an academic blog 3. Educators will construct open ended, thought provoking questions for blog prompts
 * Objectives: **

Lets take a look at what impact blogging can have on student learning and why we want to integrate this technology into our classrooms:

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There are four types of blogs commonly used in academics. Please view this presentation of the four types and examples of each.

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Click on the "Types of Blogs" post in the discussion area and participate in the discussion. In addition to your response, also comment on a response of one your colleagues.

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Now that we have discussed why blogs can be so powerful in the classroom, and taken a look at the types of blogs out there, lets take a look at a few more blogs. Select one of the links below to view a current classroom blog. Click on the third link and select any of the blogs listed on that site that look interesting. We want to look closely at these blogs. We want to take note of how they are used, how students are using them, the design of the blog and more. Look at the Blog Review form below to guide your assessment of the two blogs you select to review. Once you have completed your Blog Reviews, please share your insight with your colleagues in the Discussion Area below.

Select one of the following: http://jmsalsich.edublogs.org/ http://teacher102.edublogs.org/

Select any blog that interests you from this list: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">http://theedublogger.com/check-out-these-class-blogs/

= = =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Blog Review = <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As you review blogs throughout the presentation, as well as blogs you locate through searches, these are some main points to keep in mind as you navigate and read.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Purpose

 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What is it set up to accomplish?
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How well does it seem to focus on this purpose?
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Does the blog fulfill its expressed goal?

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Layout / Usability

 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Is the look and feel of the site pleasing?
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How is the flow?
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Does the site seem organized or does it seem crowded and chaotic?
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Are common elements like the archives, about page and contact link easy to locate?

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Content

 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Is the content relevant to the curriculum?
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Are the posts constructed with easy readability in mind?
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Are the posts written with proper grammar and spelling?
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Are the questions open ended and thought provoking?

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Activity
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Any information, ideas or features you would like to make note of for your blog: (Remember, you can note pitfalls you would like to avoid).
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How often are posts added?
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Are there many comments?
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Are comments actively encouraged or even allowed?
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Does the author respond to comments?
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Does the author facilitate discussion on posts?

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Click on the "Blog Review" post in the Discussion Area and participate in the discussion. In addition to your response, comment on at least one of your colleague's responses.

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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now that we have looked through some blogs and discussed what we liked and did not like, what we found useful, and what was not useful, let us think about how we can help our students use our classroom blogs most effectively. In order for students to use any tool effectively, the tool must be introduced, modeled and the instructor must set rules and expectations for students. Please click on the prompts in the Discussion Area titled "Rules" and "Expectations" and participate in the discussions. In addition to your two responses, comment on at least one of your colleague's responses as well.

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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now, lets begin to think about how we can apply blog use into our classroom. Select a content area you teach and brainstorm some possible blog topics. Once you have a list of possible topics, expand your thinking to come up with specific thought-provoking questions you could post to engage your students in critical thinking. Use this outline to help organize your thoughts:



<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Possible Blog Use
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Content Area:

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Possible Blog Topics: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5)

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sample Blog Prompts: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3)

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Click on the post titled "Blog Use" in the Discussion Area and participate in the discussion. In addition to your response, please comment on one of your colleague's responses as well.

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**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Evaluation: **
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Evaluation Form
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Training Session Title:

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We appreciate your help in evaluating this program. Your feedback is important to us. Please indicate your rating of the presentation in the categories below by circling the number representing your evaluation using a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high). <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This program met the stated objectives. || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> 1 2 3 4 5 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. Were knowledgeable in content areas.
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Objectives: **
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Presenters: **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. Content was consistent with stated objectives.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. Helpful and appropriate responses to questions. || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 2 3 4 5

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 2 3 4 5 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 2 3 4 5 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. Appropriate for intended audience.
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Content: **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. Consistent with stated objectives. || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 2 3 4 5

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 2 3 4 5 || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. Visual aids, presentations, handouts and oral presentations clarified the content.
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Teaching Methods: **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. Teaching methods were appropriate for subject matter. || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 2 3 4 5

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 2 3 4 5 ||

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What I liked most about the training:

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What I liked least about the training:

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Any suggestions, comments or changes:

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Please click on the "Evaluation" post in the Discussion Area to share your feedback.

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