1 Dec Tasks

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Teaching and Learning with blogs This is the powerpoint I have just used if you want to look at it again.

Task 1 (please do this before you do anything else): Write a post.  You can choose one or both topics.

TOPIC 1:  What issues concern you about using blogs as teaching & learning tools?  How could you resolve those issues? 

TOPIC 2:   Would you rather be an elf or a reindeer?  Why?

When you finish click “publish” on the left sidebar.  Then read and comment on posts by two other bloggers.

Optional tasks: Choose one or all.  Finish today or in your own time.

  1. Write a post with a blogging task for your current class.  Have another look at my class blog for ideas if you want.  Think about what instructions they need – do they need to comment on your post, or write their own separate post.  You could include links or pictures.
  2. Let me know if you want to play with the technical aspects of running a blog – I can change your role temporarily so you can change the “Appearance”.  You can do this in pairs if you want.
  3. Or I can talk you through what administering the student blog involves.
  4. Look at the other blogs on the “Links” post.  Write a post about what you think of them.  Would you recommend them or not?  Include a link. 
  5. Start your own blogeither  linked to this one, or on a separate site.

ENJOY!!

 

Links

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Here are the links from the Power Point, plus a few others that you might find interesting.  These are all examples of blogs.  There is also a directory on the Edublogs Community blog page with a category for ESL blogs.  Have a look at the blogs again, maybe leave a comment for them.  They will stay here as a resource.

Real world uses of blogs, eg

Political/Social Commentary:  Public address , Tumeke
Advertising & Promotion: KidsBooksNZ

Educational uses (Edublogs)

EFL teacher blogs, eg EFL 2.0-teacher talk
EFL student blogs, eg http://ourclass07.blogspot.com/
Topic-mags has an article about using blogs for EFL teaching 
 
Host Sites
Blogger.com through gmail, free
Edublogs.org has free version, excellent support.  Remember the links tab on the left sidebar has links to areas within the Edublogs site, which is very big.
wikispaces free, popular in NZ schools
 
Background on blogs generally
When I started out classroom blogging  I googled and ended up on this wikipedia page, which was a helpful overview and starting point.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog

Was Ewen MacDonald really guilty?

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The verdict for Scott Guy’s murder is out.  Ewen Macdonald  has been found not guilty.   However many New Zealanders still believe that he is guilty.
Read about the survey here:  http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/7264170/Scott-Guy-verdict-Survey-reveals-public-opinion

Tasks

  • Read the article.
  • Decide what your opinion is.
  • Write  three sentences giving three  reasons to back up your opinion.
  • Write your sentences as a comment to this post.

Your blog project

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How could you use a blog in your current classroom?  There are some ideas on edublogs – click on this link http://edublogs.org/10-ways-to-use-your-edublog-to-teach/ .  Have a look at www.pacebloggersalbany.edublogs.org for some of the things my class did last year.  Have a look at other teachers blogs when they are posted.

Think about what internet resources, eg videos, websites you could link for your students to use as stimulus or support or learning materials (as I have done here).

TASK:  Write a post on your own blog or on this blog for your class to use.  Put a link in the post if you want to.

Response

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I think blogging is good for writing, but I can see some difficulties for speaking and listening, – especially  with the IT equipment we have at the moment.  I am also concerned about the time all this would take out of class.  I think this system is much better than STREAM.  Stephanie, you explained this very clearly. 

 Pam G.

My concerns

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I think if students come into a class, it is more important that they engage in face to face communication rather than all going to the computer lab to communicate online.  If however they have homework and they are at home using blogs to keep in touch with one another this is a good idea.