Blogging Terminology

Blog

• An abbreviation for “Web Log”

• Blogs are dynamic websites that are updated frequently.

Avatar – A graphical representation of a person

Blogosphere – The blogging community

Blog Roll – A list of recommended blogs

Comment Moderation – Allows the blog owner to approve or reject comments

Comment Spam – Uninvited and unrelated blog comments

CSS – Cascading Style Sheets describe the presentation of a document in a markup language.

Ping – Lets search engines know you’ve updated your blog

Podcast – An audio recording made available on the Internet

RSS – Really Simple Syndication is a format for delivering regularly changing web content.

Vodcast – A video recording made available on the Internet

Widget – Displays information or allows the user to interact with the application (i.e. # of hits, calendar, search forms, etc.)

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Blogging for Student and Staff Success

Julie Holland Alvarado ISD

Advantages of Blogging

• Some will communicate that would otherwise not speak out in a group setting

• Gives thought time before responding

• Chance for students to practice writing skills

• Ability to approve comments before they become public

Blog Features

• Can create photo album

• Can attach files to posts

• Most critical feature – ALL comments are moderated (must be approved by teacher before they appear on website)

Math Improvement Center

• Administered by assistant principal

• Teachers at high school and junior high collaborate and share ideas

Continuous Improvement

• Administered by assistant principal

• AJH Book Study• Teachers were

already assigned to read specific parts of book at certain time – now they blog thoughts and answers to questions

AIS Staff Blog

• Administered by intermediate school principal & assistant principal

• Teachers & staff post – Ideas for staff

development– Comments on book

studies

Elementary Teacher Blog Pages

• Administered by elementary teachers

• Use blog site to post information in place of teacher web pages

Thanks for the Technology

• Adminstered by 4th grade teacher

• 4th graders post from time to time about – How they are using

technology– What they like/don’t

like about using technology

– Their ideas for how they could use technology

Thanks for the Technology (cont’d)

• GREAT way to show administrators how much students are using technology and that they appreciate it

• Students are asking computer teacher if they can post during computer time

• Teacher adding grammar/spelling requirement for posts for them to be approved

Student in Hospital

• Administered by Instructional Technology/Asst. Principal

• Student in extended hospital stay – says what he misses most are his friends

• Students and teachers can blog messages with him

Mrs. Morris’ Blog for Young Historians

• Administered by high school social studies teacher

• Teacher poses questions for student response

Mrs. Shiver’s6th Grade Social Studies

• Administered by intermediate social studies teacher

• Teacher expectations• Updates on Lost Boy

of Sudan who visited the students

6th Grade Language Arts

• Administered by 6th grade Language Arts teacher

• Students posted answers to 4 questions in order to develop an essay about their personal dreams

Elementary Bilingual/ESL

• Administered by ELL teacher

• Teacher and students blog in English and Spanish

8th Grade Language Arts

• Administered by 8th grade LA teacher

• Students post:– Original poetry– Responses to thought

questions based on book they’re reading

– Personal Dreams assignment – essay building

Flat Stanley Blog

• Administered by 2nd grade teacher

• Sent Flat Stanley out tradition way and through our geocache

• Flat Stanley hosts had option to blog his adventures in place of written journals

GPS Geocoin Blog• Administered by

Instructional Technology

• Students placed wooden coins imprinted with blog site in geocaches

• Each coin had name & goal

• Those that found the geocoins were asked to blog their travels.

GPS Camp Daily Blog

• Administered by Instructional Technology

• Question or “thought provoker” posted each day

• Students post before leaving each day

4th/5th Grade Blog

• Administered by Instructional Technology (may hand off this year!)

• Designed to alleviate fear of new campus

• 4th grade students post questions they have about going to intermediate campus

• Selected 5th graders respond to 4th graders’ posts

Blogging serves as an alternative mode for student expression:

BE CREATIVE!!

Julie Holland: jholland@alvaradoisd.net