Beginning+with+Blogs


 * How many blogs are there, really?** [|Over 70 million] as of April 2007.


 * What's a blog?** Let's look at the pieces of a blog [|Cindy] started last month.

• Instructional • Informational • Reviews • Lists • Interviews • Case Studies • Profiles • Link Posts • Problem Post • Contrasting Two Options • Rant • Inspirational • Research • Collaboration • Prediction and Review • Critique • Debate • Hypothetical • Satirical • Memes and Projects
 * What type of [|content is in a post]?**

• Promotional • Informational • Persuasive • Editorial • Provocative • Collaborative [|10 Ways to use your edublog to teach] [|How you can use your edublog to start conversations]
 * What is the purpose of the blog?**

-creating online publication -homework online -carry conversation with other students in the target language -communicate with parents >> >> //classroom-focused blogs// >> [|deutschlernen] - a unversity level German class blog >> [|How Beautiful You Are] - a first grade classroom in California (caution - sound automatically plays) >> [|Kinderkids Classroom] - kindergarten blog in a New Hampshire school >> [|Kirklandneuk Primary Blog] - French class in a UK primary school >> [|Las Palabras Son Poder] - a high school Spanish teacher blog >> [|Mr. Mayo Student Weblogs] - each student has his or her own blog >> [|Songhai Concepts] - a Philadelphia information technology class blog >> [|Two Stars and a Wish] - French class blog from Newport, Isle of Wright, middle school level (more or less) >> //education-focused blogs// >> [|Moving at the Speed of Creativity] >> [|Cool Cat Teacher] >> [|David Warlick's $.02 worth] >> [|The Fischbowl] >> [|Mr. P's Blog] - a principal's blog >> [|Weblogged] >> Debrief >> One of the most powerful ideas in blogging is the comment. Choose one of the blogs you enjoyed and leave a comment.
 * We thought the following were interesting:**
 * //Your Task//**
 * What kind of content is posted?
 * What is the purpose of this blog?
 * Who is the intended audience?
 * What kind of media is embedded?
 * What did I like or dislike about this blog?

Who is your intended audience? What is the purpose of your blog? Personal? Professional? Instructional? Collaborative? What kind of media are you interested in using? What would you like your blog to be called?
 * Plan your blog**

[|Edublogs] - a free web-based blog service specifically for educators; [|video tutorials] and helpful [|support forums] make this a terrific site. Let's start a blog!

-Start a blog -Post at least two posts -Embed some media in a post or in your column(s) -Comment on someone else's blog, being sure to leave your blog's address
 * Your task**

[|divshare]** - a web-based repository for photos, videos, documents - this comes in handy if you have multiple blogs or wikis and want to use the same information in several sites.
 * Cool plugins and widgets....