The Evolution of the Blog

Grade 7 math classes have been thrust into the era of blogging for roughly three months. While I admit that there have been some hiccups along the way as there will be with any new technology, together you overcome these hurdles and move forward. I would like to share with you a few links that demonstrate how my students use and benefit from their class blogs.

From scribe posts (Scribe 1 and Scribe 2)that help sick students catch up on missed work, to students helping each other study for tests and learn from previous mistakes blogging benefits my students. Lastly blogging motivates our students to take on leadership positions, to search for new resources and ideas benefiting everyone within the classroom.

While students can earn bonus marks based upon these extra contributions to the class blog, they are never required to contribute anything more than to respond to the weekly online assignment. All of these contributions are on an optional basis, which is the beauty of blogging. Students participate in learning outside of the classroom not because they have to, but because they want to.

Links to living, breathing blogs with a focus on the elementary level

Room 208
If you have any doubts over the validity of blogging and its applicability to your classroom you NEED to check out Room 208. This Blog acts as a true extension of the classroom, from content creation by students, to information transfew from teacher to students, parents and the community, to a portal into the realm of cyberspace and all of the tools available throughout the world.




Mr Monson
The first blog that we'd like to show you. The first blog comes from an educator in Duluth Minnnesota. His grade 4 students use their class blog sites for multiple reasons. From simple weekly updates where parents and students learn what to expect for the upcomming week, to a an online journal, writing showcase and reading showcase .


Alan November
While Alan November is currently a lecturer at Seton Hall university he is regarded by his peers as one of the most influential minds in regards to educational technology.


Mr. Ball
Mr Ball is an educator in Alberta. He uses blogs for two primary purposes, first as a means of communicating with his students and their parents, secondly as a forum where students can share their thoughts and stories with their classmates and the world.


Short’s and Gonzales’ Writers
This classroom is harnessing the power of blogging in order to enrich the writing experiences of the students. Students publish their work onto the blog, but the key lies in the comments left by their fellow students as a motivational tool. Students love being able to showcase their talents to their peers and receive positive feedback from them. Now Students are able to receive comments from both their peers, and the WORLD.


TILT
This is not a classroom blog, rather this is a blog created by teachers for teachers in order to help them harness the power of technology to positively change the learning experiences of their students. Consider this a MUST VISIT and continual reference point if you truly wish to use technology to help foster change and growth in your class.


Podcasting

Don’t have a clue what “Podcasting” is? Ever heard of an apple “I-POD”. Chances are your students either know about i-pods or have one of their own. Podcasting takes an i-pod beyond simply being a passive participant by listening to created content by the major music labels, to becoming your own content creator and promotor of your own talents and ideas. Podcasting is quickly changing the way that people listen to and create their auditory environment.

OTHER LINKS

Elementary

• Grade 1


• Grade 2


• Grade 4


• Grade 6 What makes this blog amazing is the links that they have created to classrooms in other countries along with their use of podcasts

Blog Based Assignments

I've been using blog based assignments two weeks after blogs were first introduced in grade 7 math. Students are presented with a problem or assignment on either their own classroom blog, or my personal blog. They receive one week to complete these assignments, with a new assignment being presented to them on a weekly or more frequent basis.

Rational behind blog based assignments.
1- Blogs and the Internet are amazing teaching tools. The problems that I present to my students involve using the internet for research and discovery, thus transfering the discovery of information away from myself, and into the hands of my students.
2 - It allows me to reinforce concepts that I believe to be important to all my students. As some students do not attend class every single day this gives them a chance compete on assignments on the same level as every other student in their class.
3 - Encourage frequent visits to their class blog. A blog is only as successful as the students who contribute to it. By requiring my students to check the blog on a semi frequent basis I am indirectly pushing them towards participating in their online classroom.

Here are a sample of my online assignments
Polygon Assignment Polygons have not yet been introduced in class, yet students will have learned most of these polygons in years past. This assignment acts as an reintroduction of past concepts, and as a discovery for concepts that will be taught in future classes.

Blog Search Assignment This assignment opened students eyes to array of blogs that exist. I gave students a reason to search for information on something that inspired them, and used it as a teachable moment on the validity of information that they can find on a blog

I design blog assignments to be tools for discovery, not as a additional method of delivering class based work.

Math Games

Math and logic based games allow students to practice and apply what they have learned in class, along with problem solving skills that they have developed on their own in a fun and rewarding environment.

Here are some examples of games that I have shared with my students

Plastelina
Hex a Hop Unfortunatly you need to download this puzzle to your computer before you can play the multiple levels
Punt Mazes
Cubeoban
Gridlock
Troyis

Its amazing what your students will try if they have fun doing it.

Is this the Future of Blogging and the Internet

While no one can really predict where technology will take us in the future, sometimes it can be to see what other people envision for technology and communication.

The first vision is from a teacher, Alan November, who published this blog in the fall of 2005. Entitled Fearless Learners, Courageous Teachers. His thoughts focus not around teaching kids technology, but how to communicate in a global environment.

The next version of the future gives a sneak peak into the power of blogging, googleing and podcasting. If you are current with today's technology what this video presents is both exciting and a little frightening; however if you aren't current, consider this a great history lesson of the past 15 years, and a possible peak into the future.

WHAT IS EPIC

If you can't decifer where reality ends and predictions begin, remember that the piece about "reality magazine" has really happened.