This is a PowerPoint presentation on how to start a Weblog, and some possible uses of Blogs in classroom settings

1. Technological Aid
to
Collaborative Learning
By: Alex Mahony

2. A Weblog is an interactive Website in which

the author can publish/post information to the
Internet from any connection
Other teachers and students can respond or

add on to any posting on the Blog
They are easily created and updated

They are the most popular Read/Write

application on the Web

3. Enables the utilization of the Internet as a pool of

knowledge
Enables your students to connect with other students

from other schools, states, even countries
Facilitates reflection on lessons

Can serve as a record-keeping device on what lessons

were covered and when
Supports different learning styles among students


5. Post class-related information (calendars,

syllabus, homework assignments)
Provide examples of classwork

Gather/organize internet resources to help

find deeper meaning of the content
Allow students to post ideas, helpful hints,

or keep as a journal
Allow parents to be involved in what is

going on in class

7. Keep a log of experiences from lesson to lesson

Describe what works/doesn’t work for specific

lessons
Explain insights gained from class experience

Post activities, assessments, other resources,

etc.

8. Go to www.blogger.com
When you are ready, click on
Create a Blog

9. Follow the simple step-by-step process
at the end of the page
Press

10. Be CREATIVE and RELEVANT
at the end of the page
Press

12. Now set your blog up however you like…

13. From the Dashboard tab, you can…
•add a new post
•edit an existing post
•change your settings
•change your layout

14. You can add a post by clicking on New

Post
To edit or remove a post, click on Edit

Post

15. Under the SETTINGS tab, and then
PERMISSIONS, you can choose to:
•Add or remove authors within your blog
•Allow or restrict readers of your blog

16. Change the template, add pictures, headings, …
Customize the look of your blog

17. “Play around” with the tabs and functions not

only to make your page attractive and user-
friendly, but also to make sure you can explain
all of the necessary operations to your students
Remember, they will probably know more than

you in this subject. BE RECEPTIVE to their
ideas. After all, we are doing this for THEM.

18. Enjoy Blogging!!!

19. Alternative Assessment: Have students research and post

possible occupations, real-life situations, uses, etc. for the different
lessons that are taught. This will not only alleviate the common
question, “When will I ever need to use this in my life?” but may
also help students begin to think about different career choices.
This could be a periodic assignment for your students.
NJCCCS: 4.3C – Use functions to model real-world phenomena
Designate one student each night to post homework solutions,

class notes, etc. on the blog to keep any student who was absent
“up to date” with the rest of the class. If you do not designate the
student ahead of time, it should ensure that each student will take
good notes and pay close attention to what is going on in class
each day.

20. Designate a student to post any important formula from class, and

then apply the formula to a couple of example problems. This will
provide a class log of work that was covered, as well as provide
extra notes for students to study from.
NJCCCS: 4.3A - Use models and algebraic formulas to represent and
analyze sequences and series
Create a social bookmarking section in your blog and have

students find and post interesting and relevant websites that can
be used to help explain the topics that are covered in class. This
will heighten awareness and uses of the subject matter that we
teach them, as well as offer other ways to view the material.

21. Allow the students to post questions from class discussions on the

Weblog. The teacher can choose to allow other students to post
answers, explanations, and examples to these questions. If a
student answer isn’t posted within a certain time limit, then the
teacher can give the answer (extra credit can be given for quality
answers given by students)
Offer the Weblog for other students not in your class, maybe as an

SAT question bank. Set up a section in which students can post
specific SAT questions that they cannot solve, and allow other
students to offer up suggestions and answers.

22. Richardson, Will (2009). Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts,

and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms 2nd
ed. California: Corwin Press