Blogging, Web Pages and Social Media for Education
Blogging and social media in education have been taboo for too long. There are many new tools designed for and by educators that if used properly, provide a safe and engaging online environment for teachers and students. Here are some examples.
Blogger:
Blogger is a Google product to which you and students will have quick access when you are logged in to your Gmail accounts. If you choose to use it in class, be sure to learn how to remove the "Next Blog" link at the top of the blog. It will send you or students to a random blog which may not be pretty.
KidBlog:
KidBlog.org is a site developed by a local teacher that has gained rave reviews among educators. With KidBlog, you can have much more control over the environment to which you expose your students. It's simple to use and best of all, it's free!
EduBlogs:
Edublogs.org is a nice blend between the beauty of Blogger and the safety of KidBlog. Check it out by watching this tutorial.
Weebly:
Weebly is one of many free website creators on the web. The site you are using right now is a weebly site. You can use it to communicate with students and parents, host a blog, attach or embed videos and assignments, embed a class calendar or have your students create their own sites. Give it a whirl at www.weebly.com
Edmodo:
Edmodo has come to be known as "Facebook for Educators". It has a similar look and feel to Facebook but gives teachers more built-in control, to make sure that students are using it for good, and not for evil.
Schoology:
Similar to Edmodo, Schoology.com is free and has the look and feel of Facebook. It's both a social network and a LMS (Learning Management System) which gives you the tools to enable students to learn both independently and collaboratively.