The time has finally come for us to get our blog on! Let’s publish those drafts and spread the word 🙂
I just wanted to take a minute to review Edublogs in AMDSB. If you haven’t read the Welcome Back – Edublogs Information for Teachers 2015 please take a minute to do that now. There are new blog requirements that must be completed by all staff, as well as information about your class blog, student blogs, and more. As always, if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me.
PERMISSION FORMS
Permission for students to blog (and use the internet) is now included on the annual Emergency Contact Form sent home with all students in September.
WHEN THE EMERGENCY CONTACT FORMS ARE RETURNED, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT PARENTS HAVE GIVEN PERMISSION FOR THEIR CHILD’S IMAGE/NAME/ETC. TO BE USED PRIOR TO BLOGGING WITH YOUR CLASS AND/OR INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS. It will be up to you to contact parents who have not given permission for their child’s image/name/etc. to be used to discuss blogging as method of teaching/ learning. Several accommodations can be made to include their child in the program without the use of the child’s image and/or name. If you have any questions about the kinds of accommodations that can be made, please email into the Edublog Conference in First Class.
Blogging Information Letter (required)
The NEW! Blogging Information Letter must be sent home with all students prior to blogging as a class or with individual students. You can access the letter here: Welcome Back – Edublogs Information for Teachers 2015
CLASS BLOG
Your Class Blog is a unique space for you and your students to be creative, share your learning, collaborate with global learning partners, and reflect on your learning.
STUDENT BLOGS
When you are ready to have your Student Blogs created, please see your TRA to complete the appropriate form in eBase. Once we receive your request we will begin creating your student blogs. When your blogs are ready your students’ login credentials will be emailed to you along with resources to help you get started. More information about Student Blogs can be found here: Welcome Back – Edublogs Information for Teachers 2015
AMDSB TECHNOLOGY LEARNING COMMUNITY (TLC)
In addition to your new Class Blog you now have access to the AMDSB Technology Learning Community Blog. The AMDSB Technology Learning Community includes you, and teachers throughout our Board who are teaching with technology to increase student learning, and improve student outcomes in the areas of 6C’s and a P.
Every AMDSB teacher who is blogging has been subscribed to our AMDSB TLC blog. That means that you will receive an email notification when a new post is added. Important information, ideas, and resources are shared on our blog by AMDSB bloggers. Most importantly, the TLC blog is our primary means of communicating within the AMDSB blogging community. Please do not unsubscribe. When you receive an email, please open it and read the title and post preview, if it does not interest you then simply delete it. We hope you will join in on the conversations and share your stories of teaching and learning, as well as resources you are using in your classroom to increase student learning and improve student outcomes.
AMDSB TECHNOLOGY LEARNING COMMUNITY BLOG: http://edublog.amdsb.ca/tlc
YOUR BLOG HAS BEEN REGISTERED AS AN AMDSB CLASS BLOG: New Link
The AMDSB Class Blog List is a space where you can find other teachers in the AMDSB who are blogging. Search the list by grade and connect with teachers directly from the list!
SUPPORT
If you have any questions about using Edublogs, please visit http://help.edublogs.org/ first. If you search Edublogs Help and Support using keywords, you should be able to find the answer to your question. If you can’t find the answer you are looking for, please see you TRA and s/he will send in a request for support through eBase.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PD sessions will begin running in January. The following sessions will be offered:
- Blogging for Beginners
- Beyond Blogging Basics: Collaboration in Your Next Generation Learning Classroom
- Blogging as Literacy for School Leaders (by invitation)
The session offerings will be advertised in a System Memo in the New Year, and they will also be posted on the TLC blog. Stay tuned . . .
As always . . . happy blogging!
Leigh Cassell
Leigh Cassell Consulting 