Like any other technology-based tool in use today, there are both helpful and harmful ways of using them. Here are some guidelines for staying on the helpful side of blogging.
These 3 practices are of particular importance as a teacher because the amount/kind of information you choose to share with students can be tricky. It's easy enough to make your blog private and just share the link with students and parents if it's a class blog, but if you use your own personal blog occasionally for class purposes, just be careful about what you post.
http://www.classroom20.com/profiles/blogs/best-practices-in-educational-blogging-1
When students are involved in creating the content that goes on the blog, adding an acceptable use policy to your syllabus is easy enough. But because most students won't read through the boring wording that is found in those documents, it is important to go over what is considered acceptable behavior on the class blog and what any consequences may be for not following policies.
- If you want your blog to be public, disclose only what you want everyone on the Internet to know. Otherwise, keep your blog private.
- Be careful what information you disclose such as your address, school, place of work or birthday.
- Be careful about the photos you post as they may reveal things about you that you would rather keep private.
These 3 practices are of particular importance as a teacher because the amount/kind of information you choose to share with students can be tricky. It's easy enough to make your blog private and just share the link with students and parents if it's a class blog, but if you use your own personal blog occasionally for class purposes, just be careful about what you post.
- have students and parents sign a district and/or classroom created AUP
- review Internet safety procedures
http://www.classroom20.com/profiles/blogs/best-practices-in-educational-blogging-1
When students are involved in creating the content that goes on the blog, adding an acceptable use policy to your syllabus is easy enough. But because most students won't read through the boring wording that is found in those documents, it is important to go over what is considered acceptable behavior on the class blog and what any consequences may be for not following policies.