Blogs & Microblogging

Use blogs and microblogs for sharing ideas chronologically and receiving feedback on your postings. Go to White House for an example of microblogging.

Old Way - Write in a secret diary.

New Way - Share your thoughts and get feedback.

Explore Tools

Hot Choice - Twitter

1. General Blogging Services - Blogger, Word Press
2. Education Blogging Services - Class Blogmeister, Edublogs
3. Subscription Blogging Services - Epals (subscription) , Gaggle (subscription)
4. Microblogging Services - Twitter - most popular microblog
5. Feed Readers - Google Reader, Bloglines

Design Projects

1. Inquiry Journals and Projects - Duck Diaries (Blog), MarsPhoenix and NASA (Microblog), White House (Microblog), Scholastic (Microblog)
2. Authentic and Fictional Diary Entries - Diary of Anne Fairweather, The Journal of Harriet Tubman, WW1: Experiences of an English Soldier, Kids and the Civil War
3. Career Shadowing and Expert Interaction - Ron Hirschi Visits Eastview Elementary, Holocaust Museum, USGS, 100 Twitter Feeds for Law Students
4. Class and Library Blogs - Mabry Middle School Library Blog and Washington Middle School Library, Seattle, The Reading Room
5. Book Reviews and Writing - The Secret Life of Bees

Microblog Examples:

• Ada Library, Casa Grande Library, Cleveland Public Library, Joyce Valenza, LIS News, School Library Journal, TwitterLit and KidderLit, Yale Science Library, YALSA
• Learn more at the Big Juicy Twitter Guide
• Learn more at All a Twitter: Want to Try Microblogging?

Blog Examples:

• Academic Reading & Writing - 9th Grade English
• The Edublogger - lots of web 2.0 examples for educators
• Seattle Public Library - favorite librarian
• Hamilton Union High School - Lookybook for book previews
• International School Bangkok
• Litchfield Middle School Library
• West Hampton Beach Elementary School Library
• Willard Middle School Library
• AASL Blog

Avoid Wrecks

1. Goal. Identify a specific goal and audience for your blog. Use Twitter Search and Google Blog Search for ideas. Also look at what other blogs are following such as eduscapes.
2. Security. Begin with closed projects involving password access. More toward more open environments.
3. Roles, Consider the role of postings and comments. Stick to project-based blogs that don't require on-going support.
4. Engagement. Involve students in all aspects of the blog.
5. Standards-based. Take a standards-based approach to assignments and assessments associated with the blog.

Need more ideas? Read 100 Twitter Tools.

Pit Stop
Create a Twitter account and check who I'm (eduscapes) following. Add a few to your list. Check out some Tweets at the NECC conference including ISTE Connects, TeachTec, PBS Digital Nation. Explore a list of Twitter NECCers.

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