Getting Started with Edublogs

 

The information shared here is the same information that was emailed to you on the day your Class Blog was created.

Today you received an email from the AMDSB Technology Learning Community with your Edublog login credentials, including a link to your new Class Blog, your username, and a temporary password. When you log in to Edublogs you will have access to 2 blogs: Your Class Blog (e.g., Cassell’s Class Blog), and our AMDSB Technology Learning Community (AMDSB TLC – the name just makes you feel good, doesn’t it?  :). Below you will find important information about how to access your new Class Blog, the TLC Blog, as well as information about the permission forms that must be completed prior to blogging with your students. If you require assistance using the Edublogs platform (technical support), please ask your TRA to submit a request through eBase to your school’s trainer. If you would like to discuss blogging as pedagogy (how to use the blogging platform for teaching and learning) please reach out to me (Leigh Cassell) directly anytime!

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. Attached to this email you will find a complete set of instructions explaining how to set-up your class blog: Getting Started with Edublogs. Please follow these instructions carefully.

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

It now states:

• The Board website and School/Classroom websites may on occasion contain photos and/or videos of students involved in the celebration of school/classroom activities, initiatives, special circumstances, awards or events.  School newsletters are also posted to the school’s website. In keeping with 21st century learning other third party Internet websites, social media and or teleconferencing, blogs, wikis, youtube websites are used on occasion as learning tools by the classroom teacher. Your child’s teacher may be utilizing these emerging technologies as part of the instructional process, use of the student’s image and/or a first and last name may be beneficial. We are requesting your consent or the use of the student’s image and/or first and last name on a school/classroom or Board website as well as third party websites, social media and/or teleconferencing.

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 contact me directly.

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. Please visit the AMDSB Technology Learning Community for more information! New Link

STUDENT BLOGS

When you are ready to have your Student Blogs created, please ask your TRA to complete the appropriate form in eBase. Once we receive your request your school’s IT trainer will begin creating your student blogs right away.

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 over 500 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. 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 amplify student learning and improve student outcomes. You are welcome to post to this blog and encouraged to do so!

AMDSB TECHNOLOGY LEARNING COMMUNITY BLOG: http://edublog.amdsb.ca/tlc

Every 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 is shared on my blog, including important Edublogs updates, resources for your classroom and stories about teaching and learning with technology. Please do not unsubscribe since this is my primary means of communicating with the AMDSB blogging community. 

YOUR BLOG HAS BEEN REGISTERED ON THE AMDSB CLASS BLOG LIST: 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! Please take a moment to find yourself on the list. If you don’t see your name, or if the information is out of date, please contact me with the required revisions. As well, please send me your Twitter handle to be added to your profile. 

EDUBLOG RESOURCES

When you are ready to start building your blog (which I would encourage you to do through a series of modelled lessons with your students), all of the Help and Support Documents can be found on the AMDSB Technology Learning Community blog. If you don’t find what you are looking for, please contact me!

SUPPORT

If you have any questions about using Edublogs, please visit the AMDSB Technology Learning Community Blog first. You can also search Edublogs Help and Support using keywords if you don’t find what you need on my site.

If you require tech support, please see your TRA and ask him/her to submit a request through eBase to your school IT trainer.

If you would like support integrating blogging into your classroom program please contact me anytime!

Leigh Cassell