Kidblog



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** Overview **
**Functionality**

Kidblog is a classroom blogging site with a simple enough interface for virtually any teacher or student to use. Teachers can create an account which generates a unique login page with an unlimited number of classes and students. Administrator control is variable--teachers can create classes and groups with differing permissions and levels of independence. Comment and post moderation is simple, as well as the functions for adding images, video, audio and more to blog posts. The Kidblog website offers an About page that is quite informative about their philosophy of creating an educational blogging site that is "different, safe, and simple."

** Classroom Applications **

Blogging can be used in just about every setting. It is most appropriate for teachers who wish to create a collaborative, conversational classroom. Blogging can be used in place of traditional journals and written essays. It can also be used to share multimedia projects or collections of Internet-based information.

** Connection to Standards **

Blogging easily satisfies standards for writing, reading comprehension, and collaboration. Types of writing that fit easily into a blog include narrative, creative and expository, among other types. Language standards can also be satisfied with blogging exercises because students will need an accurate understanding of voice, audience, and mechanics. Beyond these ELA standards, blogging can be a great way for teachers to frame an inquiry project. Additionally, when students are reading their classmates' blogs they can be exposed to a variety of new content in an alternative setting. Distance education and online collaboration can become more frequent activities. Students also have an opportunity through blogging to instruct one another and lead their own discussions. Lastly, blogging allows students to practice 21st century skills that they will need every day in their future professional, scholastic and personal lives.

** 1. Setting up your teacher account **
Go to Kidblog and click on "Click to Create a Class" // (This is also the login screen you can return to later to access your Kidblog teacher account. However, Kiblog will create a unique login screen for each class you create so you can simplify the login process for your students.) //



On the following screen, enter your information (username, password, email address, class name, verification code) and click "Create Class"



You will be brought to your "Dashboard," where you can access your administrative control over your Kidblog site.



** 2. Settings **
Depending on the age, experience and maturity level of your students, your chosen settings may vary. Click on the "Settings" tab to view your choices:
 * General Settings
 * // Class Title //
 * // Theme //
 * // Timezone //
 * // Secure login (https rather than http) //
 * // Mobile publishing (allows access using most mobile devices) //
 * // Date format //
 * Theme
 * // Choose the appearance of your class blogs //
 * Post Settings
 * // Who may read posts? Choose from: //
 * //All visitors (no password required)//
 * //Class members and logged-in guests//
 * //Class members only//
 * //Teacher only//
 * // Post approval (allows you to require that all posts are moderated by an administrator before they are published) //
 * // Post approval notifications (allows you to send a notification by email to any moderators when a post is awaiting approval) //
 * // Enable/disable post tagging (a way to categorize your blog posts by searchable, descriptive words) //
 * Comment Settings
 * // Who may leave comments on posts? Choose from: //
 * //All visitors (no password required)//
 * //Class members and logged-in guests//
 * //Class members only//
 * //Teacher only//
 * // Comment approval (allows you to require moderation for comments) //
 * // Comment approval notifications (sends a notification by email to moderators when a comment is awaiting approval) //
 * // Enable threaded comments up to 10 levels deep //
 * // Enable rich-text comments (HTML, links, images, tags) //
 * User Settings
 * // "Teacher" role: Decide whether teachers are allowed to create and edit other teachers //
 * // "Moderator" role: Decide whether moderators are allowed to edit and approve posts and/or comments //
 * // "Student" role: Decide whether students are allowed to edit their usernames and passwords //

** 3. Managing users of your class **

 * Click "Manage Groups" to create groups of students inside your class
 * Click "Profile" to manage your profile (User name, display name, email address, visibility, class membership, password)
 * Click "Add New User" to create student profiles within your class (You can add them individually or in bulk with a CSV file. You determine their username and password as well as their role.)

** 4. How to start blogging **
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 * Adding a new post: Type the body of your entry into the box (1). Add a title (2). Choose to allow comments on your entry or not (3).
 * Save as draft (4), preview your post (5) or publish (6)
 * Adding images, video, audio: Use the tabs to upload files from your computer or enter a URL for a file you want to embed in the post (7).
 * Adding hyperlinks: Highlight the text you want to create a hyperlink from. Click the link icon (8) and paste the URL you want the text to link to.
 * Changing text color, size, type: Use the buttons and dropdown menus just like you would in a Word processing document

** 5. Blogging with your students **

 * // The importance of good moderation and teacher participation //
 * Students will look to you for boundaries and a blogging model early on. Be sure to clearly explain your expectations for them while they are blogging for your class, and enforce your rules consistently. Be a constant presence on your blogging site, especially at first, so students can begin to see your expectations in practice. You must grow your online community in the same way that you grow a classroom community: with diligence, patience, consistency, rules, and monitoring.
 * // The question of time commitment //
 * The time commitment for a teacher using blogging may vary. Like reviewing other types of student work, it depends on the number of assignments and the number and maturity level of your students. You may find that you need to spend considerable home hours monitoring your students' blogging practices, as you will want to encourage them to blog while they are away from your classroom. Be diligent in your online presence and eventually they will be able to blog in a way that is mostly independent of you. At some point, you may be able to transfer most of your paper-based assignments online and streamline your grading process. Like all grading procedures, it takes practice and the development of an organizational strategy that is unique to each teacher and classroom.
 * // The value of reading student writing and the teacher-student dialogue //
 * A disturbingly common practice for some teachers is to assign written assignments that are not read. Even in absence of comprehensive feedback, your students should know you are making their blog a priority by reading it. Mention to them casually that you enjoyed a certain point they explicated recently. Or leave short, encouraging comments for each student on a regular basis so they can assume that everything they write is valuable to you. Even when their audience is expanded and they are getting feedback from classmates as well as you, know that your thoughts and overlying presence is still most important to them in a well-crafted classroom environment. If you are consistent with your reading, you will find your relationship with each student growing in ways that are not always possible in a classroom situation.
 * //The value of student-student dialogue//
 * At some point, after your modeling has been successful and your students become more comfortable with the new medium of blogging, you will find that you can step back and merely observe. It is a different kind of observation than what you may be used to in your classroom. Hovering invisibly over your students' discussions can be fascinating and informing. Students converse in dynamic and interesting ways when they operate their blogs from afar and encounter one another in cyberspace on a regular basis. You will find students coming out of their shells who do not normally volunteer their thoughts in class. It is possible that this phenomenon will happen because these students already had well-wrought skills online that you were unaware of. Students are accustomed to talking to one another online, more so than you probably imagine; take their existing skills and refine them to suit an academic setting.

** 6. Video Tutorials **

 * A quick, concise tutorial using a video screencap that shows you how to set up and use your account:**

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 * This one is great because it features a student and teacher discussing Kidblog and how they use it in school:**