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Looking for ways to introduce blogging at your school? Come hear how a small green stuffed animal brought blogging to an elementary school – its students, parents, teachers, and administrators. We’ll share the story of Kyle the Crocodile, lessons learned, and how to adapt this project for your school.
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Kyle at the EU Parliament
See Kyle Blog: Using Your
School’s Mascot (Or Other Furry
Friend) to Introduce BloggingMatthew Clobridge
Sycamore Creek Elementary School
Abby ClobridgeFlurry Consulting
Kyle at the EU Parliament
• Background, Goals • The Technical Stuff:
– Kyle’s Blog v.1 – Kyle’s Blog v.2
• How we use the blog at school
• Because of the blog…
• Final thoughts• Questions?
Outline
Year-Round Elementary
SchoolStudents: 675+
Teachers: 40+
Opened July 1, 2008
TechnologyIntegration
web2.0
Teachers
Students
Parents
web2.0
Teachers
Students
Parents
web2.0 in the classroom
Blog Demonstration
Project
Year-round
scheduleUpcomin
g travel…
Creating
a sense of
school
identity
students
parents
teachers
community
teaching by
example
The Students Vote
Salamanders Crocodiles
Cyclones Chameleons
And the
Winner Is…
- Google Calendar- Google Sites- Docs & Spreadsheets
- Web Forms- Videos- Notebook- Picasa
Using Google applications when possible.
Version 1.0 Blogger
Blogger Admin Interface
Pros
- Free
- Easy
- Fast
Cons-Cumbersome posting/editing
-Limited flexibility with look and feel
- Ugly URL
http://kyles-travels.blogspot.com/
Not ideal for school environment
Links to other blogs through Blogger… (no way to control *which* blogs).
In profile, links to other profiles/blogs.
Hyperlink Issues
Note: you can edit CSS code to remove links back to Blogger at top of screen. This practice is not encouraged.
- Minimal room for “extra” content
- Challenges with moderating comments
Can’t edit comments
Automatically linked info from profile
Wanted for v2:
More flexibility (look and feel)
More control (commenting)
Better admin tools
Add-ons (plug-ins)
New URL
Easy and cheap
Wanted for v2:
More flexibility (look and feel)
More control (commenting)
Better admin tools
Add-ons (plug-ins)
New URL
Easy and cheap
Open Source?
www.movabletype.org
www.wordpress.org
www.wordpress.org
Options:
1. Create free blog on WordPress.com site.
2. Host it yourself – and use a hosting provider’s WP install.
3. Host it yourself – with full control.
www.1and1.com
Total Cost for This Year: $44.94
Hosting: $2.50/month for first six months, $4.99/month after. Includes 120 GB space, FTP access, MySQL databases, email mailboxes and forwarding.
Software: Free to install. Requires MySQL database (or alternatives).
Domain: Free for first year, $6.99 after.
Cost
Embedded Slideshows,
Video
Static Pages, Highlight Recent Comments
Comments: Easier to Manage
New Comments – Email Forwarding to Multiple Addresses
View from within email message
www.statcounter.com
Include Statistics, Log Analysis Tools
Future Plans for WordPress Blog
• Upgrade to Wordpress 2.7
– Tiered commenting
– Better admin tools, interface
• Plugins – Install cForms
• Add Feedburner subscription – subscribe to get email whenever updates
Using the Blog for Instruction
Writing in an Online Environment
Writing in an Online Environment
Geography and Culture
First Grade
Upper Elementary
- Students have a sense of ownership of the blog
-Writing (blogging, commenting) for fun
- Students learn PowerPoint
Because of the Blog…
Teachers have asked to createtheir own class blogs
Because of the Blog…
Positive Exposure for the School
Issues and Considerations
Writing the posts…
Approving comments…
Responding to comments…
Maintaining the site…
Answering emails from parents…
Scheduling logistics – who goes where when? With whom?
Coordinating with guest handlers…
kylecrocodile.com
