Quick Link to this page: http://tiny.cc/bloghacks 

Information on this page is from a presentation by Carrie Rathsack at the 2012 CATIIE Conference (Creativity and Technology Integration in Innovative Education) at Toledo Central Catholic HS on June 11.

Blog "Hacks": Creative ways to use blogs for educational purposes & more!

Description: Blog: a.k.a. "Web log"... an online diary or journal by an individual, right? Yes, but it can be so much more! Since technology is supposed to make our lives easier (stop laughing!), learn ways to make blogs work for YOU and your students for purposes of learning, management/productivity, reflection, feedback, assessment, portfolios, or even as a website. Using certain settings (such as email posts) or special features that blogs have (such as chronological postings and commenting), blogs can be implemented for many unique education-related uses.

Sample blogs will be shown and explained, including a demonstration and tips on how to set one up. Participants will receive a handout (and a blog link!) that explains some key "blog hacks" and creative uses, including instructions/settings needed to recreate each.

(Note: This session focuses on Google's Blogger site, but similar strategies can be implemented on other systems.)

HANDOUT (summary of info below) - download PDF here

Blog "Characteristics" to "Hack" (aka - re-purpose!)
(via Blogger.com)

Chronological

"Time-bending"

Comments

Pages (tabs)

Email posts

Email subscriptions

Archives

Searchable (general search, tags)

Gadgets & 3rd party help... (Ex.- Odiogo)

Easy to share (just a URL or QR code)

Best of all... FREE "unlimited" storage!!!

Possible Uses & Examples

Most also found at this BLOG: http://bloghacks4educators.blogspot.com/  

Classroom/Learning:

Audience Participation (like Today's Meet or Poll Everywhere) - share ideas, comments, brainstorm... but it's not as fast/immediate as Today's Meet or Poll Everywhere, etc.!

     TIPS: use email posting; maximum of 50/day, though!

• see this example from a summer workshop/institute

Website alternative - some are moving away from traditional websites and using blogs (Blogger or Wordpress, etc.) because they now include tabs (pages) that can be static... AND have a blog as well 

• great for a quick teacher or student webpage! 
  

Presentation alternative - use instead of PowerPoint... image, post (what you'd say), and even allow comments (or questions) from other students or the teacher 

• use solo or for group projects
• if students can't create their own blogs, create a dozen or so of your own "generic" blogs that students can become "editors" (they get many powers but not all!) 

Portfolio (or Notebook/Journal alternative) - have students demonstrate their knowledge, inquiry, creativity, and more during the year with a blog

One-time events

     --> for something that has an ending (travel; vacation; conference; class you taught or took; process you went through, learning how to do something or accomplish something)

• Trips -- Dr. Lang’s China Trip - http://drsuelang.blogspot.com/ ; Principal Jeff Taylor’s Poland Trip - http://jtaylorinpoland.blogspot.com/ 
• Conference presentation - http://icandy2011.blogspot.com/ and  http://istenets.blogspot.com/
• Dissertation blog… http://21tlpti.blogspot.com/

Ongoing Events/Process (chart your hobby; reactions to local news/politics, etc.)

• Current events w/ discussion for classroom, groups, or individual student assignment
• Picture blog
• Pepsi Grant – the main purpose was as means to send people a daily reminder to vote for the Pepsi grant via the email sign-up gadget on the side

Homework – email your post each day/class – do for a classroom (one teacher) or a whole building (use tags for sorting) - see this example

Sign in via comments for an appointment or after-school reservations - see this sample...

     - anytime a comment was left, the 2 teachers received an email with the student's name and dates they would be attending that week

School Groups/Teams blog –not by one person (use members or authors to add more)… blogs are NOT just for individuals and wikis for groups!!! Just say no to the "rules" or "typical uses"!!!

Management/Productivity:

For Sale Blog - have one person be the blogmaster or provide a group the email to post their own listings

• people can sign up via an email or RSS feed; post comments if sold/more info; use email address for auto posting; delete sold items if needed/wanted)

“Dumping Ground” - A running or ongoing lesson (or life) idea list – a purge location, that is searchable!

• Can be listed as "private"... but remember that anything online is NOT REALLY PRIVATE!!!!
• Use as your "memory location"… like Evernote! (but less organized)
• Can be sent from your email (if set up) and it goes into draft mode (or live, if you want)

Sign-Ups/Notice/Auto-notifications - such as for the sign up via comments blog or via emailed or another author's posts

FAQ or tech support  - add “fixes” or tips for teachers to search (or techs) to find an answer

General Tips

• When naming blogs, think carefully about URL you use -- what exactly will you use it for and will it be reused, recycled, or not:
• is it a reoccurring thing or event? How about "BlahBlahMeeting2012" rather than just "BlahBlahConference" or "ThomasMath6" rather than "ThomasMath"
• For Emailed Postings - best if YOU (teacher), not the students, create it and the secret word so you and only you can change it -- it's OK to give them the email address to post to, but if problems occur, you can change it (see next tip...)
• For emailed posts - usually best to make it DRAFT mode, but sometimes LIVE is appropriate... remember you can change the secret word anytime if spamming/inappropriate posts occur
• Email posts in Blogger – in Settings... Mobile and Email (up to 50 per day)
• Other Authors? - Depending on blog purpose, include others (students, parents, other teachers, etc.) under Settings >> Basic >> Permissions
• Add a gadget (under Layout) that allows people to submit their email to get updates with every new post (they see the post in their email)
• Add a Favicon (little icon that shows in your bookmarks/favorites list and in web/URL window or address bar of browser) 
• Example -   from this blog (see icon in the address bar)
• Make private, if needed (under Settings >> Basic >> Privacy)
• Change dates ("time-bending") – back or forward date (Going on vacation? Make it seem like you’re not!) -- NOTE that anyone with an email subscription to your blog will get back dated items on the date you post them (for example... if you post something on March 28 that you listed as posted on March 2nd, it will show online as March 2nd, but email subscribers (if any) will get it on March 28 or 29th)
• Add spoken text or podcast via Odiogo – can be for a podcast or for accessibility issues - add an HTML gadget with the code you get from the Odiogo website, such as on this blog (click on the "Listen Now" icon at the top of any post)
• Gadgets - Add "side stuff" or on top, bottom (tools/gadgets) – such as a counter, poll question, archive, search, Twitter feed, pictures/videos, etc.