10 things You Should Know About Class Blogs

Class Blogs are great! They can have real ‘class’! A class blog is created by a teacher and is often used as a platform for sharing class activities, writings, thoughts, reflections etc Here are 10 things you should know about them!

Please note: this post is in response to the first challenge in the 30 Day Blogging with Students

1. They are the best starting point for blogging with students.
2. Class blogs allow the teachers and students to learn together – how posts work, how comments work, how digital citizenship works, netiquette, appropriate digital footprints etc
3. As the teacher can have full control, any difficulties and issues that might arise can be quickly dealt with.
4. Students can gain their apprenticeship in blogging with a class blog, before getting a license to start their own blog.
5. Once the teacher is ready for students to add posts directly they can be added in as editors  or another type of user.
6. Teachable moments will arise, including blog titles, post content, commenting, adding appropriate comments, behaviour online, cyber safety, plaguarism etc.
7. Class blogs a are a great platform for connection with parents, staff and the general community
8. Pages on class blogs can feature many resources eg pages on cybersafety page, parent information page, timetable, homework etcA platform to ‘house’ links to most commonly used resources on a blog roll will allow quick access to online sites.
9. Develops into a ‘brag bag’ or digital portfolio of a class’s year .
10. Can become immersed in the classroom as a near complete learning management system, complete with lesson instructions, tutorials, resources, podcasts, reflections, feedback etc. It is available 24/7/365 for revision, lesson planning and more.

Do you have a class blog? What would you say is important to note about a class blog?

Kick Start Your Blog with the Teacher Blog Challenge

Are you interested:-

1. in getting both yourself and your students using 21st century tools like blogs?
2. in learning about some new tools you could use in your classes?
3. in being a mentor to teachers and educators who are just starting their journey with 21st century technology?
4. in improving your blogging, extending your network globally and sharing with others?

Then the teachers’ blogging challenge is for you! This challenge is being organised through edublogs. This 30 day challenge, starts on Monday January 10th, and will have two components:-

1. Two weekly challenges for those new to blogging
2. Two weekly challenges to those who are experienced in blogging

The first topic will be “30 days to kickstart your blogging” and will cover topics such as writing effective blogs posts, embedding media, and building readership. Hence the hashtag for twitter, blogging references etc is #ksyb. Sue Waters and Ronnie Burt will provide the newbie challenges, Anne Mirtschin the advanced challenges and Sue Wyatt will provide a reflective post each week.

Be part of this great challenge and read So you are joining this first challenge! Fun, networking and learning for all!

Here is the first challenge for advanced teacher bloggers – Down Blog’s Memory Lane