Blogs

**What Is a Blog**
A blog is a web space where people can share their thoughts, opinions, and ideas to readers. It is essentially an online journal or "webblog" Blogs are more than just a space for writing your thoughts, they have become interactive and now include pictures, sounds, videos, comments, discussions, and widgets.

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**How Blogs Support Learning**

 * Supports critical thinking as it requires students to think and reflect before writing
 * Motivates and engages students
 * Provides students with an authentic audience and therefore encourages students to write responsibly
 * Provides a forum for feedback, collaboration, and discussion
 * Fosters a community of learners
 * Allows students an opportunity to discover their writing voice
 * Blogging encourages global conversations about learning–conversations not previously possible in our classrooms.
 * Allows students to network with experts

**Tips for Educators**

 * Explore how other educators are implementing blogs before starting your own
 * Give students formal hands on training session on how to interact with your blog
 * Subscribe to students blogs
 * Comment on others blogs
 * Subscribe to other blogs related to topic
 * Read Will Richardson's [|Rationale For Blogging]
 * Suggested student [|Blogging Guidelines] by Kim Cofino

Getting Started
Decide on what blogging service you want to use for your weblogs. Some suggestions are listed below. [|Blogger:] easy to navigate and use, requires google account [|Wordpress:] [|Kidblog]Excellent for younger students

**Sample Blogs**
[|Arts Smart Grant __Giving Tree__ Reflections Blog]
 * [|Free Technology for Teachers]**
 * [|Free Resources from the Net for Every Learner]**