Why we should use blog with students?

Many reasons why teachers should use blog with students. I think Blogging can change the way of learning and engaging student to think critically while they creating blog, write some new post and comment to each other blog. Especially, Students will really enjoy while they creating blog and when their freinds comment on their post or say " I like your blog"

There are reasons 'Why we should use blog with students?'

1.   Increased motivation for writing – all students are happy to write and complete aspects of the post topic. Many will add to it in their own time.

2. Increased motivation for reading – my students will happily spend a lot of time browsing through fellow student posts and their global counterparts. Many have linked their friends onto their blogroll for quick access.

3. Students set the topics for posts – leads to deeper thinking activities.

Actually there are many many reasons but I just gave you three reason that I think Blog will help with my primary students.  Let's share your idea 'Why we should use blog with students?'

What is Blogging? and Why Blogging is so popular today?

What is Blogging ?

Blogging is the act of posting content on a blog (a Web log or online journal) or posting comments on someone else's blog.

 Why Blogging is so Popular?

Blogging is very popular today because it allows people to interact with each other. Blogging has also become a popular search engine optimization (SEO) tool because search engines like Google and Yahoo know that a blog is frequently updated with content or visitor comments, so their spiders visit blogs frequently looking for new content to include in their index.

Additionally, blog content can be delivered automatically via electronic RSS (Really Simple Syndication) data feeds. Visitors subscribe to a blog's feeds in order to stay up to date with content that's being posted on subjects that interest them. Blog feeds are then read by what's known as blog feed reader software, widely available for free, so users can scan for recent blog posts of interest on the blogs to which they subscribe.

Finally, blogging doesn't require that writers and contributors know a lot about HTML (Web page code). If a blogger or visitor can fill in an online form, they can blog and post comments on other blogs.

Here! There are very popular blogs.
1. The Official Google Blog - The central place we tell you about most of these is through the official Google Blog Network, where you’ll find more than 100 blogs covering all kinds of products, policy issues, technical projects and much more.
 2. Making Teachers Nerdy –  Subtitled as “Tech Integration Tips and Web Links to Increase Your Teacher Nerdiness Levels,” this unique blog is full of insightful tips for teachers on how to integrate technology into classrooms and/or how to improve their teaching methods.

How to Add the Facebook Like Button Below every Post

1. Login to your Blogger Account and go to Design > Edit HTML

 

 and click on the check box which says “Expand Widget Templates”

 

2. Look for <data:post.body/> and immediately after that place the following code.

<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == &quot;item&quot;'> 

<iframe allowTransparency='true' expr:src='&quot;http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=&quot; + data:post.url + &quot;&amp;layout=button_count&amp;show_faces=false&amp;width=100&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light&quot;' frameborder='0' scrolling='no' style='border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px; height:40px;'/>

</b:if>

This code will show the Like Button on Post pages only. If you want to display it everywhere, then remove the two lines of code in red.

3. Save the template and you should see the Like Button Below each of your posts.

src: http://www.bloggerplugins.org/2010/04/facebook-like-button-for-blogger.html

How do I add a poll to my blog?

Do you ever wonder about your visitors' opinions? Maybe you'd like to find out what your readers think about controversial subjects, or perhaps you just want a vote on whether your should change your blog's font to Verdana. Either way, it's simple to do by adding a poll to your blog.

You'll start by going to the Layout | Page Elements tab for your blog:

Click the "Add a Page Element" link that appears in the sidebar for your layout. You'll get a popup window with all the different types of page elements you can add to your blog. Look for the one called "Poll" and click on "Add to Blog."

The poll settings let you enter the question you want to ask, and the possible answers you want to allow. You can enter as few or as many possible answers as you like; if you need more than are shown, just click the "add another answer" link.

By default, polls are set to run for a week before they stop accepting new votes, but you can change this time frame by entering a new date in the settings. You can also check the option to allow people to vote for multiple answers, if appropriate.

Once you've saved your poll, it will appear on your blog. The "Vote" button will cast a vote for whatever option is selected, and will display the current tally of all votes. You can also click "Show Results" to see what votes have already been cast without making a vote of your own.

 

Why Use Blogs In Education?

Blogs are widely popular in education, as evidenced by more than 500 thousand educational blogs hosted by edublogs. Teachers have been using them to support teaching and learning about 7 years ago. Through years of practice, a common understanding has formed around the benefits of the use of blogs in education.

Blogs can be use in classroom environment for diary entry; it also can be a useful tool to link communication between study groups within a class or other classes or even schools. If use effectively, blogs can create a learning environment that extend beyond the schoolyard.

Ad     Additionally, blogs give students ownership over their own learning. You can have your students create their own Blog to… write comments, opinions, or questions on daily news items or issues of interest discuss activities they did in class and tell what they think about them

          Blogs can be used as a
      - Personal journal or diary.

               - Share information on topics that interest you.
      - Engage in discussion.
      - Share opinion and comment with other users.
      - Class project page.

How to add gadget to your blog ?

For many reasons we need to add gadgets to the blog. Here you will get step by step process to add gadgets. There is also a video tutorial below. Many of may think what Gadget is. So I will shortly describe it here.

What is a Gadget

A gadget is a small technological object (such as device or an appliance) that has a particular function, but is often thought of as a novelty. Gadgets are invariably considered to be more unusually or cleverly designed than normal technological objects at the time of their invention. -------by en.wikipedia.org

So gadget is a small application that is used to make your work more easy.

 

How to Add Gadget

Step 1: Login to Blogger and go to Layout Tab.
Step 2: Click on Add Gadgets or Add page element Tab.

Step 3: Search for HTML/Javascript . Then click on it.

Step 4: Now paste your code there. Then save it.

You are done !! : )

2010 Blog Services Review Comparisons

These are 2010 Blog Services Review Comparison for helping you to choose a blog service that best suits your need.

Today, most bloggers use either Google’s popular WordPress , TypePad , Myspace or Blogger service. These services allow users to create new blogs and blog posts by means of simple online forms; the writer does not need to know any programming or formatting.

Ref: http://blog-services-review.toptenreviews.com/

How to install a Blogger Template

1. Click in Download button and save file in PC [hard drive].

2. File that you have downloaded is .ZIP file so need to be extracted. Extract / Unzip it.

3. Log in Blogger dashboard

4. Click Design link in dashboard panel.

5. Now click in Edit HTML link in tab bar.

6. Click Browse button and look for folder that is created after extracted file that you have downloaded.

7. Folder has a XML file and TXT file or Internet shortcut, you select only XML file.

8. Click Upload button.

9. Confirm and Save.

Definition of Blog

What is a Blog?

A Blog – a shorthand term that mean “Web log” is an online, a web application which contains chronological collection of personal commentary and links. Easy to create and use from anywhere with an Internet connection.

There are many group blogs such as family blogs, community blogs, and corporate blogs , LibLogs (library blogs), and EduBlogs (targeting education).

In educational settings, University and School are using blogs to express their opinions,to promote dialogue in the discipline, and as an instructional tool, and students are increasingly using blogs both as personal commentaries and as a required part of certain courses.

What is Blog? - Video Presentataion

Watch it! Very good video to help everyone understand "What is Blog?