Blogging Expectations and Procedures
Benefits for Students:
1. Authentic audience
2. Encourages pride in writing
3. Motivates students to think and question
4. Encourages students to share
5. A finding place for ideas
6. Opportunity to express ideas and opinions
7. Better communication with teacher
8. Can learn tips about reading and writing
9. Improves vocabulary
Things to keep in mind when blogging:
As we get started using our class blogs for posting our writing and ideas, it is important to fully understand the medium we are using. Many of you may be familiar with such technology if you've used sites such as MySpace or Facebook. Those, typically, are geared towards social networking and meeting friends. Our purpose here is to use a blog as a learning tool first, not a place to socialize.
1. No personal information (last names, contact information, pictures, etc...) should be included anywhere in your blog. Even e-mail addresses should not be made public on the blog.
2. Information and ideas on the blog should only be on school-related topics. These blogs are not places to socialize.
3. You should be careful and conscious about what you write because your blog exists on the internet, which is a public place. Only post what you want the world to know. This means that all writing should be school-appropriate, respectful, and free from harmful, hateful, or offensive language.
4. Students and teachers have the right to delete any comments posted by someone else on their blogs that they do not feel comfortable with.
5. Never link to something you haven’t read. While it isn’t your job to police the Internet, when you link to something, you should make sure it is something that you really want to be associated with. If a link contains material that might be creepy or make some people uncomfortable, you should probably warn them by using a parenthetical note or some other word of caution.
1. No personal information (last names, contact information, pictures, etc...) should be included anywhere in your blog. Even e-mail addresses should not be made public on the blog.
2. Information and ideas on the blog should only be on school-related topics. These blogs are not places to socialize.
3. You should be careful and conscious about what you write because your blog exists on the internet, which is a public place. Only post what you want the world to know. This means that all writing should be school-appropriate, respectful, and free from harmful, hateful, or offensive language.
4. Students and teachers have the right to delete any comments posted by someone else on their blogs that they do not feel comfortable with.
5. Never link to something you haven’t read. While it isn’t your job to police the Internet, when you link to something, you should make sure it is something that you really want to be associated with. If a link contains material that might be creepy or make some people uncomfortable, you should probably warn them by using a parenthetical note or some other word of caution.
Grading:
Criteria:
1. You must blog by the due date. If you are late it is automatically 50% off your grade.
2. You must respond to at least TWO other peers' blogs by the response date.
3. I will be grading you on your content, insights, professionalism, structure, and creativity. I am urging you to take this opportunity to encourage your classmates and give kudos when appropriate.
4. You will lose points for inappropriate comments, negative feedback, and vague writing. Give constructive criticism and ask for clarification if you do not understand. Also, you can and will disagree with other classmates. This is not only OK but a great learning opportunity to argue using facts and data to fully explaining your point of view.
5. As the year passes, you are expected to improve in your writing and responses. Grading will adjust accordingly.
6. Again, this is not a forum for socializing. Keep your discussions relevant and professional or you will not receive credit and the necessary people will be contacted about your behavior.