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//** Dear Families, ** // **Technology is the way of the future.**

Our classroom is designed to help students develop their technological skills and understandings by interacting with technology in different ways. We plan to incorporate computer based tools for instruction and support activities. By integrating technology into instruction we want to provide students with theory and hands-on experiences. We will be asking for signed permission for students to engage in online social activities. We will send the permission slip home in an information package with each student. Please read carefully over all of the information provided. We hope you will see the importance online social activities can have on your student's learning.

**What Is A Weblog?** The //Oxford English Dictionary// defines a Weblog as "a frequently updates website consisting of personal observations, excerpts from other sources, etc. typically run by a single person, and usually with hyperlinks to other sites; sometimes an online journal or diary."

Technically, the most widely used blog, //Wikipedia//, defines a Blog as "a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. The word blog can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog."

"Thousands of teachers and students have already incorporated Weblogs into their classrooms and into their practice. Blogs as they are known are easily created, easily updateable Websites that allow an author (or authors) to publish instantly to the Internet from any Internet connection. They can also be interactive, allowing teachers and students to begin conversations or add to the information published there. Weblogs are the most widely adopted tool of the Read/Write Web so far." (Richardson, 9)

For more information on blogs and blogging:
 * [] - This is a list of the top 100 education blogs-separated by topic.
 * [] - Blogging Basics: Creating Student Journals on the Web.
 * [] - How can children stay safe using blogs?
 * [] - Blogging Rubric
 * [] - Wikipedia: Blog

**Blogging in the Classroom** Blogging can be a fun and engaging way to motivate student learning! There are so many different ways to use blogging to support learning, but these are just some of the ways blogs will be used in our classroom:

 **3.** **Get students responding**: Setting up a class blog can be a good way to let students reflect on the content presented in class at home. If a student cannot think of a response on the spot, in class, a blog will allow that student to respond when an idea strikes. Many students feel more comfortable typing on a keyboard than writing with a pen--they can get answers out quickly and easily. Also, if the students are struck with curiosity while blogging, they can post questions for the class to meditate and then practice their research skills to find the answer to questions.
 * 1.** **Host online discussions**: Students can respond to blog posts and discuss topics we decide on. These discussions can continue class discussions and also be a place for students to reflect and question the content discussed in class.
 * 2.** **Post materials and resources:** Teachers and students can upload or copy and paste materials onto the blog and the class will be able to access them from anywhere they have Internet access. We can easily monitor who gets access to the site with a password.
 * 4. Integrate multimedia into lessons:** Blogs allow teachers to embed video clips found online, multimedia presentations, slide shows, podcasts. The teacher would not need to bring a cd or usb flash drive to class and the information will still be accessible. Blogs can be a great way to illustrate lessons and motivate and engage students.
 * 5. Publish classwork:** The class can use a blog to create newspapers, magazines, even short stories. The students can be added as authors, editors, contributers etc. This is one way to take the traditional newspaper and publish it online in a professional way.
 * 6. Create a classroom newsletter:** Instead of making handouts to update the class on news and assignments, the teacher can use a blog to post class information, news and school events etc. for the class to view.
 * 7. Post feedback:** Using a blog is an easy way to make information accessible, post feedback for project ideas, drafts of essays and even as a place for students and even parents to post comments, feedback or other issues that come up.
 * 8. Create websites:** The students can create websites with multiple pages for portfolios, projects, archiving information etc. Some blogging sites have so many tools and options the site doesn't look like a blog.
 * 9. Organize work:** Teachers and students can use blogs to organize assignments, activites and other events--kind of like a calendar planner and an online folder.
 * 10. Share lessons:** The teachers will blog too! Teachers can reflect, plan, share ideas and work together to modify lessons.


 * Here is an example of how blogging can help a group work together on an assignment without meeting:**

These are the discussions my partners and I had while completing this website. This is just a simple way students can use blogging to enhance their learning in the classroom.

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 * Why let students blog?**

**Security** We recognize the importance of discussing safety issues with the class, "this is about more than not publishing children's names and pictures on the Internet or permitting students to access obscene content online...Safety is now about responsibility, appropriateness, and common sense as well...it's our obligation to teach them what is acceptable and safe and what isn't." (Richardson, 11) We plan to prepare students for the risks that come along with using the Internet by providing them with the knowledge they need to stay safe and by planning with them.


 * We will be interacting with the Web in class "to teach students the skills they need to navigate the darker sides of the Web safely and effectively" because lets face it, sometimes inappropriate content slips through the filters required by the Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA).
 * Students will only identify themselves by first name.
 * There will be no mention of our school name or location.
 * We will closely monitor the blog and its posts. At all times we will be aware and knowledgeable of what the students are posting or reading.
 * Only those who are invited to the blog will have access. We plan to grant permission to students, teachers, and school administration.
 * Guardians will only be granted access upon special request. We feel including guardian access opens to many windows of opportunities for outsiders. However, if there are any specific concerns please feel free to contact school for special permission.
 * “Cyberbullying” is a concern that will be addressed and taken seriosuly. “Cyberbullying” occurs when a child is threatened, harassed, humiliated or targeted by another using the internet or other forms of interactive technologies. We will educate the students about “cyberbullying” and the proper ethics that should be upheld both in and out of the cyber world. Our close monitoring of the blogs will help in prevention and eliminating any in school “cyberbullying.” Students will be made aware of the consequences if they should partake. However, we are only responsible and can control what occurs in school during school hours.


 * Terms And Conditions **

The following terms and conditions will apply to all students who agree to participate in the blog.
 * 1) Students are expected to follow all of the security guidelines that we have proposed. This means that students agree not to give out any personal information, including but not limited to: their last name, or the last name of any other student, their password or username, e-mail address, home address, school name, city, state, or country. Students may share interests, ideas, and preferences.
 * 2) Students agree not to share their username or password with anyone except their teachers or their parents and under no circumstances should a student ever sign in under another student’s username.
 * 3) Inappropriate posts will not be tolerated. This blogging space is to be treated as a classroom space and any language or discussion that is not appropriate for the classroom is not appropriate for your blog. Students are encouraged to engage in debate and conversation however, any student who makes a comment that is inappropriate or hurtful to other students will have their blogging privileges taken away from them for an amount of time deemed appropriate by their teachers and the school administration.
 * 4) Student blogging is meant as a learning tool as well as a forum for student expression. As such, student’s comments and posts should be relevant to classroom learning. Posts will sometimes be constrained by the various rules and requirements of the classroom teachers.
 * 5) Student’s blogs will be a vehicle for sharing writing and ideas with other students. Students should only leave comments that are helpful and respectful. If a student should ever receive a comment that is deemed disrespectful or inappropriate by the student or that makes them feel uncomfortable in any way, they should not respond to this comment but instead report it to their teacher immediately.
 * 6) Students agree to be respectful of the school computers and as always should take care not to download or install any software onto the computers. Students should not click on any ads or competitions and should only use the internet for the purposes deemed appropriate by their teachers.
 * 7) Any student who doses not abide by these terms and conditions may lose their privileges on the blogging site and/or on the school computers for an indefinite period of time. All punishments and consequences for inappropriate use will be discussed with the student’s parents and will be agreed upon by the student’s teacher and the school administration.

I have read and understood the blogging terms and conditions set forth above and agree to uphold and abide by them.
 * Consent **

Student's signature: Parent's or guardian's signature:

This page was last updated on January 14, 2010.