Hi - researching blogs and wikis

I'm a teacher just about to embark on an MA. I'm looking to research the blogs and wikis in classroom settings.

This looks like a good place to start my search.

I will be looking to set up a class of 25 14-15 year olds with different English related blogging and wiki assignments and opportunities.

Any tips...I'm almost a complete newbie: I have set up individual bloggers on blogger.com for teachers using our website but not as a teaching and learning project.

Tags: Blogging

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Permalink Reply by Ed Jones on January 17, 2008 at 5:20am

Martin, if you would, check in with Carol at this ship -er, thread - passed in the night:

Also, check on Nancy Bosch's experiences with blogging and her gifted kids. She's tried a couple different approaches.

Also, in the lower right column of this page are discussions tagged by toipc. You might check Blogging.

Ed

Permalink Reply by Martin Brennan on January 17, 2008 at 12:48pm

Much thanks
Yours in Newbiedom
Martin

Permalink Reply by Carol Horner on January 17, 2008 at 7:40am

The first resource I obtained was Will Richardson's book - Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms.

I have some PowerPoint files that I'd be glad to email you. I'd rather not post them because I'm not sure where I got them from and posting them may be a copyright infraction.

I'll be glad to share other resources as I find them. I'd appreciate if you would do the same. I'm working on a project for my Ed Specialist degree on Web 2.0 tools.

You can post here or email me at chorner@wesleyanschool.org

Permalink Reply by Carol Horner on January 17, 2008 at 7:52am

Here are some web sites that may help:

http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/route21/
http://wik.ed.uiuc.edu/index.php/Web_2.0_and_Education
http://21centuryconnections.com/
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/e-learning_20.php
http://www.librarianchick.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN2I1pWXjXI&feature=userhttp://w...
http://web2tutorial.wikispaces.com/wikis

check out some links I have put on del.icio.us for blogs - http://del.icio.us/chorner/Blog

Permalink Reply by Martin Brennan on January 17, 2008 at 12:47pm

Will do thanks

Permalink Reply by Sarah Thompson on January 18, 2008 at 1:14pm

My fourth grade students have created a writing blog in which they post published pieces or works in progress. It was relatively easy to set up after I started their email accounts (which the students don't know about). Our blog site is http://talentedtexans.blogspot.com. The students also created a list of Blog Reminders and Blogetiquette rules to follow as well. They would love for you to read and comment. I'll be happy to answer any questions that you might have as well.

Permalink Reply by Thomas Cooper on January 19, 2008 at 8:48am

I have had a blog and wiki for my AP class for the past 3 years. The students seem to enjoy using them and contributing information to them. You can check them out at: (blog - http://goapes.blogspot.com and wiki - http://goapes.wikispaces.com). Hope this helps.

Permalink Reply by Julia Osteen on January 19, 2008 at 11:15am

You might want to check out my class blog. I teach 6th grade Language Arts and I have been experimenting with blogs for about 3 years now. http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=17192 For the classroom, I highly recommend Class Blogmeister. It has several safety features that allow me to keep a certain quality control on the blog as well as helping me to dismiss any fears/concerns from parents. If you would like to hear more, just let me know. I can't say enough good things about what David Warlick has done with class blogmeister to make it a truly vital tool.

Permalink Reply by Martin Brennan on January 19, 2008 at 2:19pm

Much thanks - I did join it last year to have a look around but have yet to use it with a class. What types of group activities have you done and what has the response been like. Is it different from book based writing?
Martin

Permalink Reply by Julia Osteen on January 20, 2008 at 8:37am

My class uses the blog for a mixture of different activities. I usually do give them a focus question to help their thought processes. Sometimes, they write book talks about books that they have read. Sometimes they write about their ideas and thoughts on the educational processes within our class. Sometimes they write about how themes that they have encountered through literature or video apply to their own lives. Right now on the blog you can see a VoiceThread where the students are recording their goals for this new semester and how they are going to achieve the goals. Sometimes they are simply posting a final draft of what they have written while going through the writing process. Ryan Bretag wrote this morning about know your "why." I thought I would post here what I told him about my why for using the class blog.
Why do I use a blog with my class?

-To provide for a more authentic audience for my student writers
-To provide an outlet where everyone can be heard
-To provide an easier way for students to encourage one another in the writing process
-To provide an outlet for student voice
-To motivate students

Permalink Reply by Martin Brennan on January 20, 2008 at 10:13am

Much thanks. Lots to consider. Can I ask how old your students are?

At the moment I am reading up on 'research methodology' and establish a proposal and links. So all the responses are very helpful

Permalink Reply by Julia Osteen on January 20, 2008 at 10:25am

6th grade