I have just had a couple of emails from Heather Govier over at NAACE to ask if I could contribute an article to there Focus magazine on Personalised Learning about the results and progress of the Wiki I have started and the class blogging. I think that this will be a good opportunity to highlight the whole process of blogging from it’s start. I think that a diary type style would be useful – probably just similar to the entries I will add in this blog. Should be fun.
Category: Blogging
Suggestions already!!
Thanks to Barbara Ainscough there have been 2 new ideas on the Wiki already. Wow that was fast!
A Wiki about classroom blogging
I have created a Wikispace to collate my ideas and uses of the classroom blog and emailed the NAACE mailing list to ask for contributions from its members.
“Dear all,
This year I am to develop a classroom blog with my children at school. So what can I actually use a classroom blog for? I have often wondered about the answers to that question. I understand that many people may feel that blogging is about the freedom to express yourself through writing and being prescriptive is not the way, but as a newcomer I want to make the most of this new tool. That is why I ask the question.
So I have created a Wiki space to collate and develop possible ideas and successes in the use of a classroom blog, and I would invite colleagues to go to it and add to the page where possible. I will add to it my own experiences throughout the year.
http://classroomblogging.wikispaces.com/
I would hope that this page becomes a useful resource for teachers about to embark on their own class blog and that we may hear of more and more creative ways to use them.
I look forward to your help”
It will hopefully grow into a list that perhaps a teacher in a few months time can read and think that the ideas inspire them to start a blog with their class.
The Wiki is called classroomblogging and is at http://classroomblogging.wikispaces.com/
Why not visit and post some of your ideas.
World Wide Weblogs
Over the last few weeks I have been doing my research into the world of blogging in education and a couple of things strike me.
- There are not many classroom blogs like Sandaig Otters in the UK. Or is it I just haven’t found them! Sandaig is the only blog I see linked to in other blogs.
- There are many, many blogs by teachers and professionals talking about what they do.
Considering the last point, it seems to me that there is a massive collective wisdom regarding the use of blogging in education and perhaps there is no better time to for teachers to embrace this technology and make the most of it. I really enjoy the simplicity of blogging and to that end, I think that as a tool it should be making a big impact on writing in schools. There is not really anything too complex about typing and clicking to publish. But as with any wondorus new tool that should make an “impact” it is only as good as what teachers use it for. But the profession is expert at doing just that, utilising a simple tool in the most creative and imaginatve ways.
Something is missing from this collective expertise. A really simple list of all of the wonderful things that can be done using a blog. This may sound prescribed and all of the blog purists out there will take a sharp intake of breath, but teachers with early blogs, or sprogs, may need a guiding hand. They should learn from what others do, what mistakes and successes there have been in the past.
TiddlyWiki
Heard about this non-linear WIKI space via the NAACE mailing list. It is called TiddlyWiki and it seems on the outset much like a blog using fairly smart dynamic keyword links. I need to explore it more.
I have just spent a bit of time exploring the TiddlyWiki site and tutorial trying to understand a little more about the uses of that type of communication. It is very dynamic and seems to be based on the premise that everything is contained within one HTML file. But it has to be located on a server for it to be seen on the web. The actual build of the blog (I personally think that it is a blog) is far more flexible though. You can literally build whatever you like in terms of page using the keyword links. You just click on a link and the Tiddler pops up on the screen under your last blog. I suppose this just breaks down the linear barriers of a normal blog or web site. You basically build what you see by taking it in any direction you want just from clicking on words. This could be an interesting project if stored on a school server and viewed as a local file.