Introduction to Blogs

What's a blog?

Wikipedia: 

 

A blog (an abridgment of the term web log) is a website, usually maintained by an individual, with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

 

Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (artlog), photographs (photoblog), sketchblog, videos (vlog), music (MP3 blog), audio (podcasting) are part of a wider network of social media. Micro-blogging is another type of blogging which consists of blogs with very short posts. As of December 2007, blog search engine Technorati was tracking more than 112 million blogs.^[1] With the advent of video blogging, the word blog has taken on an even looser meaning of any bit of media wherein the subject expresses his opinion or simply talks about something.

 

Blogs in Plain English

 

 

 

Why blog?

 

• To Share
• To Express
• To Learn
• To Develop Skills
• To Motivate
• For a Dynamic Record of Learning and Progress!

 

Mrs. Smith's Bloggers

 

Blog Examples

• Free Resources from the Net for (Special) Education

• Teaching Learners with Multiple Special Needs
• EdTech Solutions: Teaching Every Student
• SpeEdChange
• Huzzah (Mrs. Smith's Class - Comox)
• Ripple Effect (Mrs. Braidwood's Class - Courtenay)
• Mrs. Cassidy's Classroom Blog
• Voices of the World
• DemoGirl
• EdTechTalk (podcast blog)
• Rocketboom (video blog or 'vlog')
• Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day
• Free Resources for Education
• Teachers Love SMARTBoards
• Ideas and Thoughts from and EdTech
• Learning is Messy
• Mrs. C's Class Blog
  

• International Edubloggers Directory

  (links to hundreds blogs by educators from around the world)

 

List of Class Blogs (updated March 3, 2010)

 

Blog Hosts

 

• edublogs.org

• Blogger

• Landmark Class Blogmeister

   

Blog Subscription--Really Simple Syndication (RSS)

RSS in Plain English

 

 

Blog "Readers"

• Bloglines
• Google Reader

 

Google Reader - Getting Started

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Blogs as Web Based Portfolios