Transform your Classroom with Blogger

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The image to the left is a bunch of piles.  They are sticks, but imagine that the sticks were finished student assignments.  The student picks up their pile, parts of the pile makes it home neatly in a folder.  Some of the pile makes it home, crumpled up in the student's backpack.  Other parts of the pile are never seen again.  

 Photo Credit: Ian Sane via Compfight cc

How do we get the good stuff home?  

The answer is Publishing.  Blogger, is a blogging platform that students have accounts for, attached to their Google Apps for Education accounts.  Blogging is Publishing.  
Are your students writing? Making movies? Drawing? Taking photos? Recording their voices?  These can all be added to their Blog, easily.

 If so, Let Blogger become their "one stop shop" to publish all of their work.


Blog Setup & Settings


Download the Blog Settings Cheat Sheet

Conventions





Blogging on the iPad

Blogsy

Pros: 

  • Versatile app, allows posting to many blogging websites.  
  • Integrates with Youtube, Flickr, Google+, etc, with a drag & drop interface.
  • Students can have their own blogs.
Cons:
  • Paid app
  • Somewhat difficult setup for an entire class.





EasyBlogger Jr.


Pros: 

  • Simple Blogging for young learners.
  • Allows students to post Photos, Video, & Writing.
  • Easy Setup.
Cons:
  • Built off of YOUR BLOG, not individual student blogs.
  • Posts VIDEO to YOUR YouTube Channel, Pictures to YOUR Picassa account.

Microblogging

Why not use another Platform to create a quick post to your blog!  I like using Instagram to create blog posts, to bring more traffic, & posts to my blog.  I just add a #specifichashtag to a Instagram post, & it uploads to my blog.

This requires using IFTTT.com to create.

IFTTT Recipe: Make a quick Photo Post in Blogger from Instagram connects instagram to blogger

How To

Embed a YouTube video


Add a photo

Looking for examples of students blogging? 

Check these out:



 Thinkin About... http://blogs.goaj.org/gamekid/ (12 year old)
Third Grade is Fun http://blogs.goaj.org/emscanvas/ 11 years old)
Jaden's Awesome Blog http://jadensawesomeblog.blogspot.kr/



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