March+8+Student+Blogs+&+Digital+Storytelling+sites

**Tell me a story! Tour of Sites for Student Blogs and Digital Storytelling ** Facilitator: Jill Bromenschenkel Connect with me:

=Join our collaborative space for chatting on the Meeting Words Etherpad=

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Jeffrey Shoemaker's **list as to why student blogging is important:** //1. Blogging allows students to write for a real audience. Without a real audience why write? (I know journals and diaries are different.)// //2. Blogging gives students a feeling of accomplishment when someone reads their writing and makes a comment about it. It gives them the feeling that they are connecting with others.// //3. Blogging allows students the opportunity to put into writing some of their interests and hobbies.// //4. Blogging gives students the chance to write for something other than what a teacher assigns or for an exam. It can be for entertainment.// //5. Blogging can give students the chance to have an identity. They can be a food, book or movie critic; or a sportscaster posting the latest commentary on the baseball, basketball, or football game for ESPN; or a story-teller of science or historical fiction in blog posts of events that have happened or will happen. The roles are endless.// //6. A lot of times when students know that others will read their work they will work harder at making sure what they write is their best work.// //7. Blogging can bring out the creativity in some students. They can experiment with different kinds of writing styles, and can experiment with using first or third person, and other writing elements they may be taught in their writing class.// Click to the rest of his post!

The Case for Student Blogging by the Nerdy Teacher
Excerpts: "If you are a teacher, you are a teacher of literacy. Struggling students can only be helped if every teacher helps the students become literate. Blogging can do more than just help literacy in students... it is time to switch the focus from books, pen and paper to mobile devices, blogs and tweets. There is a new type of literacy out there and blogging is a way to help our students become literate 21st century learners.... Student engagement will increase as they strive to recap the days events for the class blog. Parents will be engaged in the on goings of every class period every day from a student's perspective. Embracing the tools students use provide validation to their generation. Blogging and Tweeting have limitless potential. Video blogs (vlogs), Skype, movies, discussion boards, cross curriculum projects; these are all possible with these tools. Literacy is no longer an English/Language Arts problem. It is an education problem. These free services can help create literate 21st Century Citizens"

"Blogs in Plan English"
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Check out KidBlog: simple, free and safe for classroom blogging!

 * ==Class example of KidBlogs==
 * ==4th Grade Class using Kidblog==
 * ==Mrs. Peter's 2nd grade Kidblogs==
 * ==Student's 'common craft' video / Kidblogs==

Weebly as a site for student blogs

 * ==A class website using Weebly==
 * ==Blog post and tutorial for using Weebly in the classroom==

Glogsters- interactive poster blogs for education

 * ==Glogster edu sample==
 * ==Glogster examples==
 * ==All about Glogster wikispace! ==
 * ==A 2nd grade class Glog==

Edmodo- comprehensive site for student networking and blogs

 * ==Everything Edmodo! ==

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=Weaving the Story of Learning - Digital Storytelling=

The Center for Digital Storytelling
Animoto- Create Digital stories using photos and video

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Slide- create stories using slideshows of photos Smilebox- create personalized slideshows

http://electronicportfolios.com/digistory/howto.html

Voicethread

 * ==students share literature circles with Voicethread==
 * ==1oo ways to use Voicethread in education==

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 * ~ D ||  ||   ||

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Students share tips for quality comments on blogs
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