Haugen’s Tech Tips Blog

As I approach a new session of my after school publishing program, I decided to use a wiki to see if I could help make the process clearer to students and give them more opportunities to work independently. My Edison Student Publishers Wiki includes information about the program, and tips to help my 3rd-5th grade students:

• Choose a Project – news, reviews, interviews, puzzles, comics, jokes, etc.
• Find News or Information – web sites, people, papers, etc.
• Find Help with Writing – news, poetry, fiction, more
• Find or Make Images – photos, drawings, online tools, more
• Make a Puzzle – links to puzzlemaker, our puzzle starters and more
• Work on Layout – under construction

I’m excited about how this program is evolving and the wonderful, creative work kids can do. I’m new to wikis and I think this may be the first one I’ve done that approaches being useful! I’d love any feedback or suggestions on improving this kind of resource.

With student publishing projects in mind, and my own projects as well, I was recently reminded of one very cool site, Lulu.com , which lets you self-publish your own books in a way that books are produced and shipped ‘as needed.’  I have a dream of putting together many of the resources I’ve developed over the years into just such a book.  One of the appeals of on-demand publishing, I think, is bridging the gap between print and digital tools.  In an on-demand environment, I can more easily update time-sensitive writing, especially on technology topics.  However, that does beg the question of what is a book, when it can change so easily!  So many (fun) new problems to solve!

• Kathy Cassidy — Blogmeister

  An excellent model of blogging with younger students. Notice how the kids type their own posts and the adult ‘editor’ adds a readable translation. She also comments on the children’s writing, encouraging more. The class posts photos, videos and more.

  (tags: ages06-09 examples trldsites blogging)

• Classroom Blogs and Wikis

  How can classroom communication and collaboration be enhanced with the usage of internet blogs? Created by Doug Caldwell

  (tags: blogging reference wikis)

• The Year of the Blog: Home

  Barclay Barrios, from the Writing Program at Rutgers University, shares ideas, tips and rationale for blogging in the classroom

  (tags: blogging reference tutorials examples)

• Steps toward a Successful Classroom Blog | Computer Writing and Research Lab

  “Tom Nelson and Mariela Hristova, discuss their own experiences with classroom blogs. Although they use blogs in different ways, Tom and Mariela suggest some basic strategies for productive classroom blogging.”
  From UTA’s Computer Writing & Research Lat

  (tags: blogging writing reference)

• Wiki | Free Wiki Websites for Online Collaboration | Wetpaint

  Wetpaint education wikis are now ad-free!

  (tags: free wikis forteachers)

• Cool Cat Teacher Blog: Ten habits of bloggers that win!

  Excellent article with really effective tips from a blogger who knows (and cares about) what they are doing.

  (tags: blogging web2.0 tips tutorials education checkit reference)

• Differentiated Instruction

  Comprehensive resource and reference on differentiated instruction, learning strategies, technology and more.

  (tags: forteachers universaldesign reference topsite differentiatedinstruction eductechnology)

From Edublogs themselves (the folks who host this blog and will host your education-oriented blog for free, too!), here are ten ways to-use your edublog to teach. From discussions to newsletters, sharing lessons, materials and assignments to posting events and dates, here are concrete ways a blog can enhance your teaching and your students’ learning experience.

Juicy Studio offers this article on Developing sites for users with Cognitive disabilities and learning difficulties:

When people think about accessibility of web content, there’s a tendency to concentrate on people with visual impairments. People with cognitive impairments and learning difficulties are often overlooked.This article by Roger Hudson, Russ Weakley, and Peter Firminger, examines the types of problems visitors may encounter when using the web, with insightful and practical suggestions on how to develop websites that are inclusive for people with cognitive impairments and learning difficulties.