Kidblog 101

Kidblog is an online website for blogging that is used in classrooms. Teachers set it up, monitor it, and direct students in any direction they need to go. It is a great way to get your students digitally involved!

http://eett.sylvan.k12.ca.us/wordpress/?p=879

• How to access the tool?
• Like I said, Kidblog is an online website. It is used for blogging in the classroom. You can go to the website at http://kidblog.org/home/ to set up your classroom blog. It is also easily accessible from any device and there is an app you can download from the Apple store and Adroid market. 
• Compatibility of the tool?
• Kidblog is very compatible. Students can sign on to their classroom blog from any device that has a connection through the web because it is a website. There is also an app for kidblog. Students can access/download that app to any apple or android device. If the student does not want to download the app, they can go to the web browser, type in the website, and log in from there. This is a great tool to use with students, even if your school is not1:1, but you have access to computers or the internet. 
• What does it do?
• Allows students to voice their opinion, share ideas, answer questions, write their thoughts, etc. all through blogging online. Kidblog is an opportunity for the students' learning to be inside of the classroom and move outside of the classroom walls, moving forward in this digital age. 

• "Kidblog is Different--Kidblog is built by teachers, for teachers, so students can get the most out of the writing process. Our mission is to empower teachers to embrace the benefits of the coming digital revolution in education. As students become creators - not just consumers - of information, we recognize the crucial role of teachers as discussion moderators and content curators in the classroom. With Kidblog, teachers monitor and control all activity within their classroom blogging community." (http://kidblog.org/why-kidblog/)

•  Kidblog provides teachers with tools to help their students safely navigate the digital world:
• Teachers have adminstative control over all accounts
• Students blogs are private by default; only viewable to teachers and students
• Teachers can add password-protected parentand guests accounts
• Comment privace settings block unsolicited comments
• Does not require any personal information from students
• Kidblog provides a student-friendly publishing experience:
• There is no advertising of any kind
• A student log-in menu is built in for them to select their names from a list
• Clutter-free design
• Blog directory and navigations allows students to find other students' blogs easily
• Most current conversations are in the activity feeds
• Teachers are able to review every detail of students' blog posts before they are posted. 
• Students are able to comment on others' blog posts and provide feedback. 
• Students are engaged and enjoy writing their thoughts online to share with their peers! 
• How do you use it?
• Go to the website. 
• To create a class, click "create a class."
• Fill in all information and create your class! 
• Continue by following all of the steps on the screen. 
• Then, throughout your experience, you can post blogs, assignments, and goals for the students to reply back on. 
• You can monitor blog posts through your dashboard found on the home screen. 
• Classroom Ideas
• There are many ways you can use a blog in the classroom. One way you can use it, if you are in upper elementary or highschool, is to do response to readings. This is how the students could practice their skills. For example, if you worked on summarizing a text you could blog an example and then ask the students to do that with a book they are reading. The blogs can be used as an informal assessment tool if you are doing things like checking for understanding of a skill. 
• You can also have students reply back to others' posts, giving them feeback and ideas. 
• Another way to have students use their blog is having them "live" blog the class for the day. This allows the teacher to check the students writing and critical thinking. Students can take turns doing this throughout the week. This allows parents to see what is happening in the classroom on a daily basis. 
• There are many ways to use a blog in your classroom. Here are a few more ideas:
• create classroom discussions
• learn digital citizenship
• practicing writing skills
• create an e-portfolio
• reflect on learning
• formatively assess writing

A little something to leave you with... ENJOY KIDBLOG :-)

http://onyxdigital.co.za/2012/06/web-comics-a-sign-of-our-modern-times/web-comic-kid-blog/