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Learning to Achieve. Blogging as a Window to the World for Early Years Establishments February 2014 Malcolm Wilson ICT Curriculum Development Officer Falkirk Council Education Services. Learning Intention.
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Learning to Achieve Blogging as a Window to the World for Early Years Establishments February 2014 Malcolm Wilson ICT Curriculum Development Officer Falkirk Council Education Services
Learning Intention • Developing an understanding of the use of a blog by early years establishments, in Falkirk and elsewhere, as a way of sharing information with parents, carers and the wider community
Success Criteria • I can identify ways to use a blog share the learning which goes on every day in my early years establishment • I can explain appropriate safeguards to take in sharing information, photographs and videos online • I can work with others to edit, and add content to, a blog
Content • This is an introduction to the use of a blog as a way of sharing information with parents, carers and the wider community. • This will show how early years establishments use a blog to share, with appropriate safeguards, photographs and videos of activities, and the impact on engagement. • As well as illustrating how blogs are being used in Falkirk and elsewhere there will also be a demonstration of how to edit, and add content to, a blog
Example Early Years Blogs • Heathrigg Nursery - Sunbeam Room, Slamannan • http://glo.li/1hM5Nkm • Glow blogs use same staff Glow usernames and passwords as for access to all of Glow resources • Glow blogs use Wordpress • Glow blogs have range of customisable templates from which to choose
Example Early Years Blogs • Falkirk Early Years Collaborative • http://glo.li/18nBiAW • Blogs can include: • Images • Text • Video/Audio • Links • Pages • Posts • Feed from other blogs • Twitter feed
Example Early Years Blogs • Heathrigg Nursery - Rainbow Room, Slamannan • http://glo.li/1iwt1ez • Blogs can easily embed video from YouTube
Example Early Years Blogs • Woodburn Nursery • http://glo.li/1iwvmWX • Blogs let viewers browse by category, keywords (tags), date of posting, pages, comments, and can search by word or phrase
Example Early Years Blogs • Westquarter Primary School Nursery • http://glo.li/1iwHGqf • Created using Primary Blogger • Requires usernames and passwords specific to users of this blog • Also runs using Wordpress • Has choice of templates
Example Early Years Blogs • St Bernadette's RC Primary School Nursery • http://glo.li/1khg6RF • Created using Primary Blogger • includes Nursery Twitter feed on blog
Link to establishment website • The website is where parents, carers and the wider community would expect to visit for information about the establishment • Add a link to your establishment's blog onto the establishment's website • Add a link from the blog to the establishment website • A blog generates a feed of the latest posts (called RSS feed) - so this can be added to a website
Safeguards - names/photographs • Same guidelines apply to establishment's blog as they do for establishment's website in relation to photographs and videos of activities • Normally pupils would not be named online - if named should be first name only • Photographs of pupils would only be included where parent/carer permission has been given • Where photographs of children are included they would normally only be of groups, and individuals would not be identified with anything other than their first name • IF IN DOUBT - LEAVE IT OUT! Many times the focus of photographs can be of the activity - avoiding showing anything which would identify an individual • Recommended to have "About" section explaining that in order to safeguard pupils the establishment will not name individual children in photographs unless parental permission has been given, and then will not use full name
Safeguards - comments • Comments should be acknowledged and welcomed - this will help engender involvement by parents/carers and wider community • Share received comments with children to increase involvement and enjoyment in the activities they've experienced and which have been shared on the blog • Request that parents/carers and others not identify children in any comments they may make on the blog • Comments are only made public by a staff member as blog administrator - on set up this option needs enabled to ensure comments don't go live right away • Where negative comments arise (which would be rare) it's important not to escalate by replying negatively - they can be acknowledged and noted - they do not, however, need to be published/made public by the staff blog administrator • Where issues arise encourage dialogue with the establishment through another route (such as face-to-face visit, telephone or email) so that individual issues can be more appropriately addressed outwith the glare of a public comments box on the blog
Safeguards - Guidance & Policies • Falkirk Council Service Circulars relevant to an establishment's blog: • SC22 (Photography and Video Recording in Schools) • SC30 (ICT Acceptable Use Policy for Pupils) • SC45 (parental Involvement Strategy) • SC50 (Data Protection abd Registering Personal Details on Websites • http://underground.falkirk.gov.uk/corporate/services/education/policies_strategies/numerical_index.aspx • Short link to above: http://glo.li/1ivNdxc • Falkirk Council ICT Policies which apply to employees of Falkirk Council relevant to the use of an establishment blog • Acceptable Use Policy • Data protection guidelines • Information Security Policy • Social media Guidelines • http://underground.falkirk.gov.uk/work/ict_services/council_policies.aspx • Short link to above:http://glo.li/1kgyYQC
Resources • Class Blogging as a Classroom Window to the World • https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/fa/ICTFalkirkPrimaries/2011/08/18/class-blogging-window-to-the-world/ • Short link to the above: • http://glo.li/qMeQl3
Adding & Editing Content • Falkirk Nurseries blog - add content and edit • https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/fa/FalkirkNurseries/ • Short link to above: http://glo.li/1iwPng4 • Here's a "How to" video: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WINtVdG5vVg
So, ready to get started? • If you'd like support in getting started with a Glow blog for your Early Years establishment then get in touch: malcolm.wilson@falkirk.gov.uk • Just provide: • the name you'd want your blog to be called • staff names (they'll become joint administrators) • a couple of images (which could be used for header banner, background image) • colour choice (may be uniform or badge colour) for colour scheme for blog background and buttons