Student Blogging Student Blogging ChallengeChallenge

Presented by

Sue Wyatt: @tasteach

with help from

Tracy Watanabe: @tracywatanabe

Linda Yollis: @lindayollis

Kathleen Morris: @kathleen_morris

Thanks also to Sue Waters and Ronnie Burt from Edublogs for all their help todayand with running the student challenge.

My blogging My blogging historyhistory

• Met Sue Waters online – can’t remember Met Sue Waters online – can’t remember how January 2008how January 2008

• Began reading blogs recommended by Began reading blogs recommended by SueSue

• End of January – began a personal blogEnd of January – began a personal blog• Early February – began a class blogEarly February – began a class blog• March – joined TwitterMarch – joined Twitter

Why start with a class blog?Why start with a class blog?

• Had started visiting other class blogsHad started visiting other class blogs

• Introduce internet safety in a practical wayIntroduce internet safety in a practical way

• Teach students about basic bloggingTeach students about basic blogging

• Students leave comments on teacher postsStudents leave comments on teacher posts

• Students write posts for class blogStudents write posts for class blog

• Students earn the right to have their own Students earn the right to have their own individual blog by end of Mayindividual blog by end of May

Why create a challenge?Why create a challenge?

• By late July, I realised I was connecting By late July, I realised I was connecting globally with teachers through Twitter, globally with teachers through Twitter, why couldn’t my students also do the why couldn’t my students also do the same through their blogssame through their blogs

Value of a Value of a PLNPLN

• Realised why I had joined Twitter 6 months earlierRealised why I had joined Twitter 6 months earlier• Mentored and supported by Sue WatersMentored and supported by Sue Waters• Only teacher in my school (and state of Only teacher in my school (and state of

Tasmania) attempting blogging at that stageTasmania) attempting blogging at that stage• In regular contact with Jan Smith (Huzzah) from In regular contact with Jan Smith (Huzzah) from

Canada, Inez Pinto (Inpi) from Portugal and Paul Canada, Inez Pinto (Inpi) from Portugal and Paul Bogush from CT, USABogush from CT, USA

• Have a competition in our classes to find the Have a competition in our classes to find the most improved blogger and the most global most improved blogger and the most global bloggerblogger

The challenge is off and The challenge is off and runningrunning

DateDate ClassesClasses StudentsStudents CountriesCountries

Sept ‘08Sept ‘08 2626 250250 1010

March ‘09March ‘09 7979 240240Many on class blogrollsMany on class blogrolls

1313

Sept ‘09Sept ‘09 101101 513513 1515

March ‘10March ‘10 7474 735735 1313

Sept ‘10Sept ‘10 136136 943943 1717

March ’11March ’11 108108 14401440 1919

Sept ’11Sept ’11 124124 11281128 2020

March ‘12March ‘12 150150 13311331 2525

Activities in the Activities in the challengeschallenges

•   Welcome – activities include ‘About me’ page, avatar Welcome – activities include ‘About me’ page, avatar and post about why join the challengeand post about why join the challenge

• Week 1 – includes commenting guidelines, writing Week 1 – includes commenting guidelines, writing comments, clustrmap and global audience widgetscomments, clustrmap and global audience widgets

• Week 2 - includes blogroll and post categoriesWeek 2 - includes blogroll and post categories• Week 3 – includes comparing comments, are you Week 3 – includes comparing comments, are you

responding?responding?• Week 4 – translator and widgets about your area, Week 4 – translator and widgets about your area,

international blogsinternational blogs• Week 5 – adding links and images to postsWeek 5 – adding links and images to posts• Week 6 – BAD 2009, climate changeWeek 6 – BAD 2009, climate change• Week 7 – holidays and vacationsWeek 7 – holidays and vacations• Week 8 – positive digital footprint, count out three for Week 8 – positive digital footprint, count out three for

commentscomments• Week 9 – write a challenge, look at international blogWeek 9 – write a challenge, look at international blog• Week 10  - topics and questions for next yearWeek 10  - topics and questions for next year

Final challengeFinal challenge

Students were asked to complete an audit of Students were asked to complete an audit of theirtheir

blog and then ask other teachers, parents orblog and then ask other teachers, parents or

students to comment. students to comment.

• What do you people think of my blog?What do you people think of my blog?

• What were your first impressions of this blog? What were your first impressions of this blog?

• What captured your attention? What captured your attention?

• What distracted you on the blog? What distracted you on the blog?

• What suggestions can you give me to improve my What suggestions can you give me to improve my blog?blog?

Not everyone enjoys all aspects of blogging, though.

Badges Badges etcetc

• For all participants and For all participants and helpers, Edublogs (thanks, helpers, Edublogs (thanks, Sue Waters) creates badges Sue Waters) creates badges for sidebars each yearfor sidebars each year

Where to find the challengeWhere to find the challenge

• The first three challenges have been The first three challenges have been on my class blog on my class blog (wyatt67.edublogs.org) under (wyatt67.edublogs.org) under categories stubc08 and challenge09categories stubc08 and challenge09

• Starting March 2010, the challenge Starting March 2010, the challenge began with its own blog began with its own blog (studentchallenge.edublogs.org)(studentchallenge.edublogs.org)

The makeover of the new The makeover of the new blogblog

This year Edublogs (Sue Waters, Ronnie and Tammy) did a makeover of the student challenge blog

Feel free to visit and leave comments or ask questions.

http://studentchallenge.edublogs.org