Get Your Blog On

If you've decided blogging is something you'd like to explore, we want to share three blogging tools worth considering: KidBlog, Blackboard, and Blogger.

Options for Students

KidBlog is a blogging tool designed to be a safe option for students.  It's much more private than many blogging tools and can't be accessed through an RSS reader.  KidBlog's site is very user-friendly and their blog templates make creating an attractive blog easy.  Login with your google account and create a class so students can enroll.  Check out this quick video overview if you are interested in learning more about KidBlog.

If you are a BlackBoard user, there's also a blogging feature available in the Interactive Tools.  Like KidBlog, these can't be accessed through an RSS reader.  In fact, they are only available to your assigned BlackBoard users.  This makes it a great place to start if your students are beginning bloggers or if you just want a more private environment.  BlackBoard does not include templates or design, so it's also a good place to start if you want the students to focus on the writing without focusing on appearance.  Click HERE for a video tutorial.

Options for Teachers and Students

Blogger is available through your school google account and is a great way to reach a wider audience.  This LPS Connects site is an example of Blogger!  A variety of templates are available and the final products are professional and attractive.  Blogger can be accessed through RSS readers, which helps you build a following.

Click HERE for a video to get you started.

If you decide to blog, be sure to share your posts with us at #lpsconnects.  Now get your blog on!

To Blog or Not To Blog?

As you become more involved with reading the blogs of others, you might be thinking about starting your own.  Blogging is definitely an amazing example of the power of the web.  In just moments, you can share your thoughts with the world in ways that were almost impossible before computer technology.  There are some great benefits to blogging, but there are also some definite points to consider before you begin.  Here's some food for thought:

Decide on the AUTHOR!  Many teachers and administrators host their own blogs, sharing their reflections and tips for professional success.  Likewise, many teachers engage their students in the blogging process.  Engaging students in the blogging process is definitely a way to integrate some of the Common Core writing and digital standards for any content area.

Determine your PURPOSE AND AUDIENCE!  Like any other good writing, it's also important to determine the purpose and audience of your blog.  Do you want to share your class news with parents?  Do you want to reflect on your professional experiences as a teacher or administrator with educators worldwide?  Do you want your students to blog about their learning experiences to share with experts in the field?  The options are unlimited!  Visit your favorite blogs to determine what you like about their purpose and style.

Strive for FREQUENT posts!  Blogging requires more time than one might think.  Be sure to set some goals for how often you would like to post, and set a schedule to stay on track! The bottom line is that if the blog isn't updated, people will stop reading.  If you are using blogging with your students, be sure to build in plenty of time for students to brainstorm, write, and comment on one another's posts.

Be AWARE of what you can share!  While there are fair use guidelines that make it a little easier on educators, it's important to be mindful of Copyright law and Creative Commons guidelines if the work you are sharing is not your own.

Engage Students (or Peers) in a Blog Study!

Have you ever engaged in a book study where you were unhappy about paying for a book that you may or may not have loved reading?  Now that you have experience with Blogs and subscribing to RSS Feeds, why not invite your colleagues or students to partake in a Blog Study!

Consider posing a question and encourage all members of the group to go out and find blogs (or use ones you provide) to read about current thoughts wrapped around the discussion topic.  Use Today's Meet or a Twitter Hashtag as a one-stop shop for discussing what was learned through reading.

Encourage others to pose additional questions building upon the topic of discussion.  As you expand and have more participants reading a wider variety of blogs, articles, infographics, etc you may just find growth in thinking... 140 characters at a time (talk about a lesson in synthesis!)

Post your "Blog Study" thoughts on #lpsconnects!

Reading the Right Stuff: Finding Great Blogs to Follow

Once you select an RSS reader, the fun begins.  Reading educator blogs is a fantastic way to learn new ideas, keep up with research, and stay afloat in a sea of ever-changing educational trends.  Finding great blogs can be like finding the needle in a haystack, so today I'd like to share a few of my favorite blogs.  I hope this will help you add to your own collection or get started using your RSS reader.

Without further ado, here are my favorites:

Fluency 21 - Committed Sardine Blog:  The Committed Sardine blog has thousands of posts, and I love the combination of information on digital natives, brain research, and technology tools and tips.  This is a must-have blog for the 21st-century teacher.

A Principal's Reflections: Principal Eric Sheninger's award-winning blog offers big ideas on school change, great tips for capitalizing on the power of technology in school, and reflections on continual learning and growth.  Sheninger's ideas really inspire!

Catlin Tucker: Blended Learning and Technology in the Classroom: Catlin Tucker is a high school ELA teacher using blended learning approaches, but she posts so many great technology ideas that could help teachers K-12 in any subject area.  She offers practical tutorials and ideas to harness the power of technology.

Dy/Dan: Don't tell my husband, but I love Dan Meyer!  Meyer is a former math teacher. He has an amazing talent for provoking wonder and curiosity, along with infusing technology in the learning process.  Dan Meyer will make you believe in the power of inquiry.  Check out his 3-act math ideas for a whole new way to think about possibly flipping your classroom.

Langwitches: Sylvia Rosenthal, a 21st century learning specialist, provides a hub of amazing resources at the Langwitches blog.  She writes on educational technology and offers a host of tips for success.  She also offers great ideas to get students blogging.

So where can you find other blogs?  Many educators that blog include the blog link as part of their Twitter bio.  That's always a great place to start.  Click HERE for an #edchat collection of bloggers.

Consider doing a blog study as a staff instead of a book study, or find blogs centered around your next unit of study that students might explore.

Please share your favorite blogs, blog posts, or something you learned from a blog article on our Twitter hashtag #lpsconnects!

Become a Readivore with your New RSS Reader

It's amazing how much information you can quickly consume when it's all in one place, right at your fingertips.  To make RSS feeds truly work for you, you will need to decide on a reader service you'd like to use.  The fancy word for it is an RSS aggregator.  There are many options of RSS readers available; this post is going to feature three RSS readers that we think you'll like.  You will probably want to choose one of the three in order to keep all of your content in one place.

Here's a quick snapshot of the three options - you'll notice they all have a bit of a different look about them.

Feedly

NewsSquares

Symbaloo

Feedly is a great option if you want a reader with more of a linear approach.  Check out this video for a more in-depth look at Feedly and a quick tutorial on getting started.



NewsSquares provides more of a visual look to your reader.  Each feed is represented as a square on your screen.  This NewsSquares video will demo the features of this reader.  Download the NewsSquares app in the Chrome webstore to get started.



While you may already be familiar with Symbaloo, did you know you can use Symbaloo as an RSS reader?  This reader also has the tiled approach of NewSquares, but they are more text heavy.  Symbaloo would be a great option if you want to share blogs with students.  Find several blogs related to your next unit of study, load them into a Symbaloo webmix, and share the webmix with students.  This tutorial will show how to add RSS feeds to a Symbaloo webmix.



Tweet to #lpsconnects and let us know which reader you select, or if you have another reader you prefer.  Tomorrow we will talk about finding great blogs to follow.

Feed Your Need: Using RSS to Simplify Your Life

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the internet?  There are so many news sites and blogs are emerging daily.  How do you remember which ones are worth a return trip?  How do you keep up without thumbing through website after website?  The solution is an RSS reader!  A year or so ago, I'm not sure I could have explained what an RSS reader does, but the concept is actually very simple.  Now I wouldn't want to work without RSS working for me!

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication.  In essence, it means the information YOU want is coming directly to you, rather than you having to go seek out the sources.  Think of it like shopping at Barnes and Noble vs. Amazon.  Rather than going out to the store, the store is coming to you!

Check out this quick video by WydeaWonders for the 4-1-1.




The first step in getting RSS to work for you is to select a reader.  In tomorrow's post, we will feature three popular readers: Feedly, NewsSquares, and Symbaloo.  After deciding on your reader, you will be quickly on your way to managing your favorite blogs and using blogs to enrich your learning and the learning of your students.

Here are my top three reasons to love RSS readers:

• Time is on your side.  It's as if you have a date with all these bloggers, but you never sit around waiting for your date to show up.  They are always at the door, and you can decide when you want to open the door and whom you want to go on a date with!  And if you want to ignore your blogs for awhile, they will never know but they will always be waiting for you!
• Personalize for your interests.  An RSS reader allows you to find and follow the blogs and news sources of your choice.  I'm always on a quest to find the blogs that give the good stuff and I'll share some of my favorites in the next couple days. 
• Stay in the loop without running around the Internet.  An RSS reader allows for one-stop shopping, which makes it easy to keep up with the latest ideas or share information with your students in a user-friendly way.

Week Three Check-in...

We are at the end of Week 3 where we used Twitter to discuss what we learned in Pinterest!  In an effort to continually improve and keep accurate records of badge achievement, we ask that you complete this quick Google Survey.

Take some time to explore this really cool ThingLink all about Personal Learning Networks.  Just click on the image and you will see tags you can interact with to learn more!



You might want to consider checking out Lisa Nielsen's Blog "The Innovative Educator".  Tons of great information! @Innovative Edu