Blogging at Btown

1. Blogging at Btown

2. How might I use a blog? • As a Do-Now starter activity • To build a vocabulary or other collaborative list • To cross class and/or grade levels for an activity • As an alternative to written homework

3. Starting your blog • Log in to your Schoolwires site • Enter the Site Manager Area • Click on New Page • Choose Blog • Give this new page a name • Now it will appear in your “current pages” list in site manager • ***You may want to make this inactive while you are working to perfect the page • Click on the newly created page • Click New Posting and add a title & the first post • Click on comments tab • Decide to allow comments to this page or not • If Yes, determine the groups and give permissions • ***Be sure you have your comments moderated and approved by you before they are displayed • Save these changes • Return to site manager “current pages” list • Find your new blog page • To the right of this page you will see an options button • Click options and determine which groups you want to be able to view your blog page • Mark your page as active and let others know it is available!

4. Blogging-Student Info • Open the Internet • At the address line, type www.burgettstown.k12.pa.us • Click on “sign in” in the upper right hand corner of the district’s home page • If a message box appears asking you if you want this viewed over the Internet, click “yes” • Click on the drop-down menu for Select a School in the upper left corner • Click on the teacher tab • Click on the name of the teacher • Find the name of the blog in the menu on the left side of the teacher’s page • Read the comment(s) and scroll down to the bottom of the blog • Here you can click to post your own comment • Type your comment into the text box • Click “Post comment” • Your request to post a comment will be sent to the moderator of the blog. He or she will review your comment before determining if it will be approved and posted to the blog. • When you are finished, be sure to sign out of the district’s pages.

5. To edit previously approved comments: • Go to your site manager • At Manage Pages, select your blog • Click on moderate • Click on approved comments so they display for you (unapproved are the default) • Click on edit next to the comment you wish to adjust • Edit as you need to and approve the comment • Click save, and you should be done!

6. Blogging Guidelines • Websites, including blog pages, are considered a district publication. As such, your principal has final say concerning what can and cannot be posted. Please check with your building principal, if you are thinking of posting something that might be of a questionable nature.

7. Blogging Guidelines • The building principal must be invited to be a member of all blogs whether public or private. • Blogs must meet the guidelines of the Acceptable Use Policy.

8. Blogging Guidelines • All student blogs will be teacher “Moderated.” This means that the teacher must read the student comment(s) and approve the comment, before the comment is posted.

9. Blogging Guidelines • Student comments are not to be “Personal in Nature.” Student’s comments should contribute to the educational topic being discussed. As a moderator, it is your job to filter inappropriate comments and to redirect student focus.

10. Blogging Guidelines • Blogs on School Wires are considered an “Educational Activity.” As such, teachers and students are to: • Use correct English grammar and spelling • Avoid the use of slang • Avoid the use of symbols

11. What about grading? • In my class, I chose to use it as participation. • They earned a possible 3 points: • 1 for posting a relevant, appropriate comment, 1 for responding constructively to another posting, and 1 for posting a possible connection between the group’s postings