Safe Blogging

Though blogging brought pleasure to life and learning, it can cause negative effect if we use it recklessly. There are some tips for safe blogging I would ask my students to pay attention to before they enjoy themselves in blogging.

l  Think about what you post: Sharing provocative photos or intimate details online, even in private emails may cause you problems later on. Even people you consider friends can use this info against you, especially if they become ex-friends.

l  Read between the “lines.” It may be fun to check out new people for friendship or romance. However, some people are nice, others act nice because they’re trying to get something. Flattering or supportive messages may be more about manipulation than friendship or romance.

l  Don’t talk about sex with strangers: Be cautious when communicating with people you don’t know in person, especially if the conversation starts to be about sex or physical details. Don’t lead them on – you don’t want to be the target of a predator’s grooming. If they persist, ask your teacher and parents for help.

l  Avoid in-person meetings: The only way someone can physically harm you is if you’re both in the same location, so – to be 100% safe – don’t meet them in person. If you really have to get together with someone you “met” online, don’t go alone. Have the meeting in a public place, tell a parent or some other solid backup, and bring some friends along.

For more information:
On-line Safety for Kids
Internet Safety News

Mod 2: Blogs in L2 Classroom

Before taking this class, I though blogs can only be used as a blackboard where I can post and share documents and ideas with my students, which is viewing blogs from a teaching perspective. Actually, there is far more than that.

According to my experiences, indeed, a blog serves as a class portal where a teacher can post syllabus, class rules, teaching, learning materials and announcement. With these recourses that available to refer to at anytime, students won’t bother the teacher with endless questions. By doing so, the communication between a teacher and students goes well because all the announcements are clearly put in words, which can avoid the ambiguity of understanding. Another advantage of posting on the blog is that we don’t need to print out everything, which is quite economical to the natural and educational recourses. When I did my teaching practicum, I noticed that my supervisor would post some words she would like to address to the class. And those words are touching and sensitive so she posted them instead of talking directly to the class. For those shy teachers, I think it’s a good way to make use of blogs to communicate with students in a different way. I think it’s due to the fact that most Asians are not used to express their feeling and emotions, so blogs are actually a good tool to facilitate the relationship between teachers and students.

From the learning perspective, I think blogs are good for students to share and present their works. First, students can work in a more organized way because they can always trace back their previous works. They can make reflections constantly and also gain a sense of achievement or ownership from their own works. Second, by presenting their works online, between students they can comment and encourage each other. By seeing how the peers do, they can also gain much inspiration and motivation toward learning. Third, blogs are convenient for parents and teachers to keep track on the student’s progress. It provided more references for parents and teachers about what kinds of assistance these students need.

After reading the first three chapters of the required textbook Blogs, Wikis,Podcats, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms by Will Richardson, I am so surprised how much can blogs do in learning and teaching. And I would definitely like to make the best of it in my future teaching.  

Here are some standards from ESL Standards for Pre-K-12 Students: Grades 9-12

Goal 1, Standard 1
To use English to communicate in social settings: Students will use English to participate in social interactions

By blogging, students make comments and exchange ideas on the Internet. This non-face-to-face communication is a new trend that our students are familiar with. They interact with not only peers but also people from all over the world from which students can  learn what they may not learn in the classroom.

Goal 2, Standard 3
To use English to achieve academically in all content areas:Students will use appropriate learning strategies to construct and apply academic knowledge

By blogging, students learn how to apply cognitive strategies to the presentation of their own works. Moreover, they learn how to self monitor academic progress by reflecting their previous work. During the process of blogging, students recognize how to seek for assistance from teachers, peers or resources such as books or on-line resources. Furthermore, students learn how to evaluate their own work by comparing and contrasting with their previous works and other's works.