Blogs as Digital Portfolios

Blogs in Plain English

Why Blog?

• Blogging develops and enhances literacy skills
• Using a blog makes learning independent of time and place
• Blogging engages students and motivates them to read and write
• It fosters the development of writing and research skills
• Blogging develops New Literacy skills
• It promotes the development of their communication and collaboration skills
• Just like other asynchronous media, blogs give students time to reflect
• Blogging makes teaching student centred
• It emphasizes ” learning by doing” strategies
• Blogging strengthens the relationship between teachers and students
• Students who are often reluctant to participate now have their own unique space to share their ideas and have their voices heard
• Blogging gives students a voice
• Parents are actively involved in their child’s learning and updated about their child’s progress in real-time
• Blogging is all about community and building relationships
• It gives students an AUTHENTIC and potentially worldwide audience for their work
• Blogging gives students ownership over their own learning and an authentic voice allowing them to articulate their needs and inform their learning
• It helps students develop their own identity
• Blogging helps teachers develop professionally

Ways Teachers are Using Blogs in their Classrooms

• Connect with other students, experts, and global learning partners to collaborate on projects
• Use as a space to reflect on our learning
• Start conversations with students to further student inquiries
• Write and post about content investigated in class, and pose questions to their audience
• Teach students new purposes for writing: blog posts, comments, and replies
• Encourage collaboration between students and their potentially global audience
• Use blogs to create networks of learners who support each other and learn together
• Share classroom news and provide information for parents
• Use blogs for classroom projects where students can include videos, audio recordings, text and images
• Create specific pages on blogs for website links, resources, and other interesting content online.
• Use activities, games, puzzles to enrich students learning experiences
• Use blogs to conduct online surveys with students and include parents in the surveys
• Post  your classroom agreements, school code of conduct, or other important information
• Post learning goals, and success criteria for students and parents to refer to
• Challenge your students to write, record and post videos about new learning that excites them
• Post weekly challenges such as a riddle or brainteaser that requires your students to think critically and creatively.  Ask students to post their answers on the blog then discuss the solutions with the whole class at the end of the week.
• Use your blog as a communicative tool both with your students and their parents

How to Comment on a Blog

Blogging is about reading, writing, thinking, and responding. Receiving a comment on your blog is exciting – like finding a card in your mailbox amongst all the bills! There are some important things to consider when commenting on blogs and replying to comments left on a blog. Here are some of the guidelines that our students have developed based on their research and experience giving and receiving comments:

Guidelines

• Make your comment worth reading
• Be positive, interested, and encouraging. Start with a compliment or an appreciation statement
• Start a conversation, share new information or ask a question
• Write the comment like a letter (greeting, body, closing, signature)
• Connect with the post: stay on topic
• If you disagree, disagree with the idea and not the person *be polite and respectful
• Aim for correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar
• Don’t use chat or texting language like lol, i, or u
• No “Hi! Visit my blog! Bye!” comments. Be thoughtful
• Include your blog url so people can comment back, and use our email address
• Keep your privacy: no personal or identifying information about you, your family, or your friends. Don’t give out last names, school name, phone numbers, user names, or places and dates where you can be found
• Re-read your comment before you hit submit–think before you send!

Examples of Blog Comments

Grade 1
Ginger’s Blog  L. Cassell
Josh’s Blog  L. Cassell

Grade 2
Josiah’s Blog  L. Cassell
Makayla’s Blog  L. Cassell
Quentin’s Blog  L. Cassell
Kaden’s Blog  H. Rempel
Mila’s Blog  R. Versteeg
Mikey’s Blog  R. Versteeg
Sydney’s Blog  J. Regier
Kailey’s Blog  J. Regier

Grade 3
James’ Blog  H Rempel
Olivia’s Blog  J. Cook
Joe’s Blog  J. Cook
Bishop’s Blog  K. Hill-Keil
Carly’s Blog  K. Hill-Keil
Grade 3 Dietrich  B. Dietrich
Kamar’s Blog  B. Dietrich

Grade 4
Devon’s Blog  K. Liddle
Owen’s Blog  S. Steven

Grade 5
Abby’s Blog  S. Steven

Grade 6
Avon PS Blog  J.Yantzi
Thomas’ Blog  J.Yantzi
Jakira’s Blog  D. Mascolo

Grade 8
Aizlea’s Blog  L. Shepherd
Zoe’s Blog  L. Shepherd

Additional Information and Resources

Become a Digital Volunteer

Common Sense Media Education

MediaSmarts – Media Literacy in Canada

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