Monday, November 25, 2013

Getting Started with Blogger

A web log or "blog" is a great tool in education for introducing content, sharing workflow, disseminating information, facilitating classroom discussion and/or feedback, etc. In fact the list of applications is generally limited only by self-imposed limits you make for yourself.

I use a blog (in this case Blogger) for all of the above mentioned applications. Everything I am doing with it is modeled on someone else's use. Their use has been re-appropriated, repackaged and reused for my own purposes.

I was a big fan of School Fusion and made heavy use of most of the functions of our school website, but found when we switched to 1:1 tech at the high school, the site was lacking compatibility with the student iPads. I made the switch to blogger and have not looked back.

While technically a "blog"site, I use Blogger in the same manner in which you might use a web-site. I post most of my classroom content, calendars, videos, audio-clips, links, etc. The advantage is the archival aspect of the blog. All my content, announcements, assignments, etc. are managed and archived within the blog for easy access, and reference.

Our goals today:

  • Blogger overview
  • Access Blogger
  • View sample uses of Blogger
  • Create our own "blog" post
  • Play with some features