BLOGS FOR DUMMIES

UTFPR - CALEM

2008

DEFINITION TYPES OF BLOGS BLOGGING PLATFORMS HOW TO SET UP A BLOG WIDGETS / GADGETS TIPS FOR MANAGING LEARNER BLOG SETTINGS ADVANTAGES IDEAS FOR ACTIVITIES

Definition

The name blog is a shortened form of

weblog.

It is a website that is updated regularly. It often resembles an online journal. It is a website to which an author or authors (BLOGGERS) contribute with written postings (pictures, audio, video). It is organized chronologically according to date, and in reverse order from most recent entry backwards.

Standard feature: the opportunity for readers to respond. It requires basic access to the Internet and a minimum of technical know-how. It is one of the easiest ways to publish student writing on the web. Edublog: a blog used for educational purposes.

Types of Blogs used in LT

The Tutor Blog The Class Blog The Learner Blog (Campbell, 2003)

The Teacher Blog (Stanley, 2006)

The Tutor Blog

It is run by the teacher for the students. Content: syllabus, course information, assignments, suggestions of websites, articles, etc. Students participation: write comments to the teachers posts. Example: www.calemclaudia.blogspot.com

It is run by the teacher and students of a class. It is a shared discussion space between students and teacher. Content: extra-curricular extension of the classroom, collaborative discussion space, international classroom language exchange, etc. Examples: http://beeonline.blogspot.com http://americabrazilproject.blogspot.com

The Class Blog

The Learner Blog

It is run by individual students. The most rewarding type of blog for learners: they have their personal online space. It requires more time and effort from the teacher. Content: students interests, photos, video, audio, favorite sites, etc.

Teachers usually use a combination of Tutor or Class Blog and Learner Blogs. They are connected by hyperlinks.

The Teacher Blog

A blog for self-reflection, a learning journal, a space to record web site links and information. Examples: http://blog-efl.blogspot.com/ http://namckeand.blogspot.com/

How to set up a blog

Choose a blogging platform. Blog services on the web: charge a fee free different services different pricing
Examples:Blogger, Word Press, MSN Spaces, Livejournal, Edublogs, Typepad, Blogmeister,etc.

Blogger
One

of the best known and most reliable and simple blogging tools to use with students. Only three steps: 1st Create an account (E-mail address, display name and acceptance of terms. Take note of your username and password.)

2nd Name your blog The name you choose will appear on your published blog, on your dashboard and in your profile. You also have to choose an address. This is the address your students will type to access the blog. It is always htt://nameoftheblogyo uchoose.blogspot.com *Do not use or ~.

3rd Choose a template If it is your first blog it is better to choose one of the templates given. You can easily change the template later, or even create your own custom template design once your blog is set up.

Your blog is ready!

Now you just have to start posting. Click on the Posting tab. Every blog entry is made up of two basic parts: a title and the text. The name of the person who posted the entry and the time and date are added automatically. The text-entry window is like a simple word processor: you can choose from a small selection of fonts, you can use bold and italics, set the color of the font, etc and you can add pictures, video and create hyperlinks.

Before you publish your posting you can click on the Preview link and if you like it click on Publish Post. If you want to change something, click on Hide preview to go back to the text-entry box. Your posts can be changed even after published, whenever you want to change something. There are three tabs: Posting Settings Layout

Settings: Basic, Formatting, Publishing, etc Layout: It is here that you add and arrange the page elements of your blog. There are several options: a blog list, a slideshow, a poll, a link list, etc. Here you personalize your blog to differentiate it from the others.

Dashboard: it is where you manage your blog(s). Remember: you always have the Help button. Blogger Buzz: here you read news from the Blogger team and keep up with their latest features.

Widgets / Gadgets

A widget is a piece of reusable code that you can plug into virtually any website. A gadget acts just like a widget, often fulfilling the same purpose, but it is proprietary. It only works on a certain website or a specific set of websites. For example, Google Gadgets can look and act like widgets. But they only work on Google pages. A widget, on the other hand, works on any page that lets you add an HTML block. You can put them on your blog, or your personalized start page, or your personal website. (http://webtrends.about.com/od/widgets/a/widgetgad get.htm )

Suggestions
a clock a sitemeter a local weather indicator http://www.classtools.net/ http://bunnyherolabs.com/adopt/ (a pet) http://www.voki.com/ (a speaking character) http://www.widgetbox.com/ http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ http://www.eyejot.com/features/eyejotthis.html http://odeo.com/inbox

Tips for managing the Learner Blog

Settings Permissions add yourself as Administrator of the Learner blog sometimes students forget usernames or passwords and it can also help if inappropriate posts are published. Settings Comments turn the comments feature on. This will allow the others to respond to things the students write on their Learner blogs. Settings Comments - Comment notification email whenever a student publishes you will receive an email.

Advantages
Blogs provide a real audience for student writing. are interactive. expose learners to authentic uses of the language, stimulating and challenging them in ways that classroom experiences cannot. provide extra reading practice for students. guide students to online resources appropriate for their level. increase the sense of community in a class. encourage shy students to participate. stimulate out-of-class discussion. encourage a process-writing approach. work as online portfolio of student written work. help build a closer relationship between students in large classes. can involve students in international cross-cultural projects. can be useful to teachers implementing a system of formative assessment with their students. foster learner autonomy because students take more responsibility for their own learning. can be used to practice the four skills.

Ideas for activities

(Stanley, 2006)

Teachers tell students to check the class blog to find out about homework instead of telling them about it in class. Teachers post preclass activities for students on the class blog. Students who cannot attend class send their excuses and apologies to the class blog. When teachers respond to individual learner posts they should end with a question, thus encouraging students to reply. Teachers should exploit the fun factor. For example, ask students to bring something blue to class. It is a good way of checking to see who has read the blog before coming to class.

(Stanley, 2005) Mystery guest invite another teacher or someone from another country as a mystery guest to your blog. Ask the students to engage him / her in dialogue and guess their identity. Project work develop a project with other classes or classes from different countries. International link-ups contact another school to see if they are interested in a joint blogging project. Photoblog Any suggestions?

Ideas for activities

Some final comments

First become familiar with blog capabilities before using them with students. Start a tutor blog and post to it regularly in order to understant what it really means to do so. Start small. Begin with just one class blog. Dont use blogs with all your classes. Its almost impossible to respond to all students. It helps if the blog is an integral part of the course and students receive credit for blogging. Always respond promptly to learner posts. Write comments regularly and encourage others to do so too.

BLOOD, R. 2000 Weblogs: A history and perspective. Rebeccas pocket. Retrieved June 11, 2008 from http://www.rebeccablood.net/essays/weblog_history.html CAMPBELL, A. P. 2003. Weblogs for use with ESL classes. The Internet TESL Journal 9 (2). Retrieved June 11, 2008 http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Campbell-Weblogs.html SHARMA, Pete; BARRETT, Barney. 2007. Blended Learning Using technology in and beyond the language classroom. Oxford: Macmillan Education. STANLEY, G. 2005. Blogging for ELT. Retrieved July 6,2008 from http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/articles/bloggingelt STANLEY, G. 2006. Redefining the Blog: From Composition Class to Flexible Learning. In: HANSON-SMITH. E., RILLING, S. (edited by). Learning Languages through Technology. Alexandria: TESOL. p.187 200. WARD, J. 2004. Blog Assisted Language Learning (BALL): Push button publishing for the pupils. TEFL Web Journal 3 (1). Retrieved February 5, 2007 http://www.teflwebj.org/v3n1/blog_ward.pdf

References

UNIVERSIDADE TECNOLGICA FEDERAL DO PARAN

Campus Curitiba

UTFPR - Universidade Tecnolgica Federal do Paran. Av. Sete de Setembro, 3165 - CALEM 80930-201 - Curitiba, PR - Brasil Telefone: (41) 33104597 Fax: (41) 33104597 Homepage: www.utfpr.edu.br claudiab@utfpr.edu.br cbars@utfpr.edu.br
CALEM 2008