Blogs: skills for subject specialists
Course information ...................................................................................................... 3
Learning outcomes ....................................................................................................... 3
Course schedule ........................................................................................................... 4
Introduction .................................................................................................................. 4
The reflective cycle .............................................................................................. 5
Introducing ourselves through a blog .......................................................................... 5
Introducing blogs ......................................................................................................... 6
Guide .................................................................................................................... 7
Discussion ............................................................................................................ 7
E-safety when using blogs ........................................................................................... 7
Copyright and blogs ..................................................................................................... 9
Discussion .......................................................................................................... 10
Exploring classroom blogs ......................................................................................... 11
Finding relevant examples and generating ideas ....................................................... 15
Discussion .......................................................................................................... 16
Planning to use a blog ................................................................................................ 16
Edublogs ............................................................................................................ 17
Blogger ............................................................................................................... 17
Setting up and using the blog for teaching and learning ............................................ 18
Reflect, evaluate and share with others...................................................................... 19
Discussion .......................................................................................................... 20
Shared learning .......................................................................................................... 21
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Evaluation and certification ....................................................................................... 21
References .................................................................................................................. 22
Acknowledgements .................................................................................................... 24
2
Course information
You will need access to:


a computer with a web browser
a class/group of students – groups could be within classes, whole classes, or
groups across classes (e.g. clubs) and schools (e.g. clusters of schools or in
collaborative projects).
Duration of the course: 20 hours over eight weeks


Online total: 12 hours
Offline total: 8 hours
o face-to-face: none
o workplace: 8 hours (setting up and using blogs with learners, making
and recording observations about their use)
Learning outcomes
Professional and reflective practitioner skills
At the completion of this course, you should be able to:

identify opportunities for the effective use of blog supported learning
activities linked to your curriculum plans
 reflect on, and discuss, the impact of the use of a blog on learning.
Practical skills
At the completion of this course, you should be able to:




set up a blog including options for comments and syndicating feeds
publish a blog entry and comment on other blogs
incorporate text and other media on a blog page
manage users (authors, reviewers etc) of a blog.
Knowledge and understanding
At the completion of this course, you should be able to demonstrate an
understanding of:

the issues involved in selecting the appropriate blog tool for your context and
intended learning purpose
 key copyright and e-safety issues when creating and sharing content on a
blog.
Cognitive skills
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At the completion of this course, you should be able to:

critically review the use of blogs in educational contexts and share these
reviews with others
 discuss different ways in which blogs might be used in learning contexts in
schools.
Course schedule
Week Course Activities
1
1-2
2-3
4-7
8
Activity 1 Getting to know others on the
course
Activity 2 What are blogs and why use
them?
Activity 3 Blogs and e-safety
Activity 4 Caring about copyright
Activity 5 Online field trip
Activity 6 Using other Web 2.0
technologies with blogs
Activity 7 Finding relevant examples
Activity 8 How might you use blogs?
Activity 9 Selecting a blog tool
Activity 10 Setting up your classroom
blog
Activity 11 Using the blog with your
students
Activity 12 Reflecting and reporting back
Activity 13 TDA Professional Standards
Activity 14 Extracting our shared
learning
Activity 15 Course evaluation and
certification
Total
Type
Approx time
needed
Online
45 minutes
Online
45 minutes
Online
Online
Online
45 minutes
45 minutes
2 hours
Online
30 minutes
Online
1 hour
Online/workplace 2 hours
Online
1 hour
Workplace
1 hour
Workplace
5 hours
Online/workplace 2 hours
Online
30 minutes
Online
1 hour
Online
1 hour
20 hours
Introduction
The course takes a reflective practice model to look at how blogs allow for
individual and shared reflection online. You will be introduced to some theory and
practice of how blogs are used in schools, plan for their use in your school and
reflect and discuss their use in learning and teaching
The course begins by looking at existing blogs with an emphasis on those used in
educational contexts.
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You will discuss the issues raised by the use of blogs in terms of e-safety and
learning and teaching.
The course will provide guidance on creating and using blogs and you will set up
your own and trial it with some students, either using a blog on your school’s
learning platform or, if this is not available, on one of the free online blog services.
Throughout the course, and especially after you have used your blog with pupils,
you will share experiences with other participants.
The reflective cycle
Vital courses are based on a cycle of professional reflective practice as shown in
the diagram below.
This cycle draws on, and develops, personal and professional knowledge bases. The
latter may be seen in the literature, resources, policies and other materials that are
used to inform practice.
Throughout the course small icons will indicate the stage of the cycle being
addressed.
NB Prof/Pers KB = Professional/Personal knowledge base
Introducing ourselves through a blog
In this part of the course we will introduce ourselves and find out about blogs by
using the course blog. We will clarify our understanding of what a blog is and why
you might use a blog in teaching and learning. Now let's find out who else is on the
course.
Activity 1 Getting to know others on the course
45 minutes during the first week of the course.
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The objectives of this course activity are to:


get to know the other participants on this course
begin to clarify your ideas about blogs, through using one.
1.1 Go to the course blog and introduce yourself, telling the other course members
what you hope to get out of the course.
1.2 Go to the course blog and read what others have posted. Use the 'comment'
option to respond to others that are already there.
End of activity.
Introducing blogs
Most people have heard of blogs and many will have read them, although not
always realising that is what they are doing. The term 'blog' is shortened from the
term 'weblog' and can be thought of as a website with a set of tools that make to
easy to publish. They are called ‘logs’ because the posts are organised
chronologically like a diary.
Often, blogs are maintained by an individual person who posts a message, maybe
with images etc, online. Others can comment on these posts as you did in the
previous activity. Alternatively, multiple users can publish content in shared blogs
or a collection of individual blogs can be 'pulled together' (aggregated) to make it
easier to manage group communications.
Don't worry if this sounds a bit complicated, as you progress through the course
and see the different types of blogs and you will get to understand how the world of
blogging works.
Activity 2 What are blogs and why use them?
45 minutes over the first week of the course (online)
The objectives of this course activity are to:


develop your understanding of what a blog is
develop a rationale for including blogs in your teaching.
Watch this video (3 minutes) from Commoncraft for a brief introduction to blogs.
Blogs in plain English
If the video does not appear then there may be firewall/filtering issues. The video is
less than five minutes long and you are advised to watch it on a machine that is not
filtered if possible, or read the alternative description linked below.
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For an alternative description of a blog please see this Becta (2010a) resource.
Now read Stephen Downes’ blog post, Blogs in Education. He provides a useful
introduction to blogs and the benefits of using them in education.
Guide
You will find information on the use of forums in this Forum guide
Go to the course forum and share your initial thoughts and experiences of using
blogs. Can you see any opportunities or benefits of using blogs within your
teaching?
Discussion
Want to find out more? (optional activity)
Anne Davis provides a useful rationale behind using blogs in education. This blog
post has received over 140 comments from educators around the world!
End of discussion
End of activity.
E-safety when using blogs
E-safety is a topic of common concern with children using the internet. In this part
of the course you will think about how a blog can be used safely and ethically. You
will identify e-safety issues related to the use of blogs in schools and share your
thoughts with others. You will have an opportunity to reflect on the responsibilities
of authors and how to ethically use content developed by others.
Activity 3 Blogs and e-safety
45 minutes (online/private study) during the first week of the course.
The objective of this course activity is to begin to understand some of the options
you have to ensure safe and ethical use of a blog.
Visit and read the links to resources provided below and share your thoughts on the
course forum.
Read Byron Sets Boundaries, a Guardian article by Julie Nightingale (2008). This
report commissioned by the government talks about tackling internet and gaming
safety for children and young people. It has implications for all UK schools. The
report recommends that Ofstead makes e-safety a separate criterion.
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Now look at the e-safety section on the Becta site. What would you do as a teacher
to enhance the safe and ethical use of blogs in your classroom? Share your thoughts
on the course forum. Some safety tips are listed below.
End of activity.
Safety tips for students and teachers when using blogs (adapted from Next
Generation Learning’s Safeguarding section (2010b)):
Students:


are responsible for anything that they post
should not include personal information about themselves (including photos
and videos), other pupils, staff or family members that can allow someone
to be identified or located geographically
 should always use appropriate language and respect other peoples' opinions
when writing or responding to a post
 should check with others before posting videos or photos of other students or
staff
 need to know what to do if they are being bullied online. Who do they need
to inform at your school? Where can they go online for help?
Teachers:


should be clear as to the purpose of their blog, and the intended audience
consider what password restrictions are needed – there is usually an option to
password protect a blog so that access is restricted to specified users
 consider whether you want to allow comments to posts and if you want to
moderate or approve comments before they are visible
 consider the use of anti-spam tools if they are available in the blogging
software.
Teacher voice
I gave the class a serious talking to about internet safety. One student
then dryly queried if it was wrong of him to have posted his mothers
...details ...on a website and I realised that I was being a bit heavy
handed, that they knew far more than I had been banking on and would
be fine. They spontaneously used random images for profile pictures
rather than real pics which is something I would ask a class to copy in
the future
Amanda Monk Peak, Dover Grammar School for Boys
Want to find out more? (optional activities)
Acceptable Use Policy
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If using a blog at school, it is a important that it is covered by the schools
acceptable use policy (AUP). You might want to refer to your schools AUP. What
does it say about the use of self-authoring tools such as blogs? Does it need to be
amended in light of this activity? Who might you need to talk to at your school
about this?
If your school doesn't have a relevant AUP you might want to inform the person
responsible about this Becta (2009a) publication AUPs in Context: Establishing
Safe and Responsible Online Behaviours. This resource provides a number of
prompts and action points to help schools to develop effective AUPs.
e-Safety in your local area
Your local authority will include information about e-safety. Visit the National
Education Network to see what is happening in your area.
Connecting with other e-safety educators
Safetynet is a community for anyone who wants to discuss and share information to
support the development of e-safety good practice within the education sector.
Curriculum Links
Becta (2007) Signposts to safety. This booklet contains background information,
advice and guidance for secondary teachers relating to e-safety issues. It signposts
appropriate opportunities to embed e-safety within the curriculum and relevant
resources.
Copyright and blogs
Lively discussions on forums, such as John Connell's blog demonstrate that some
teachers are still struggling with issues related to copyright and plagiarism. John's
blog provides several practical examples of how a teacher might introduce
copyright to their students.
It's good practice when authoring content to provide details about what rights are
attached to your work or a shared website, such as a blog. This makes it clear to
others, what they can and can not do with this content.
Most schools include a copyright statement on their school website, which is
useful. However if staff and students at your school believe that content (that they
have created), should be shared freely, remixed and re-used with others within the
school and wider community, then you might also want to use a copyright
license.There are several copyright licences that are suitable for school use but one
of the most popular is Creative Commons.
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It is also important to note that, when using content developed by others, it is good
practice to check the copyright permissions, reference the source and encourage
your students to do the same.
Activity 4 Caring about copyright
45 minutes (online/private study) during the first week of the course.
The objectives of this course activity are to:


develop your awareness of the responsibilities of authors
understand how to ethically use content developed by others.
Watch the K3/4 - Music: Teaching Copyright programme from Teacher’s TV
(13.43 mins). Reflect on some of the issues and strategies highlighted in this
programme.
Next play the video below.
What is Creative Commons? Wanna Work Together RG Remix
Now think about how you might address copyright on your new classroom blog.
Discussion
Want to find out more? (optional activity)
Here are some useful resources about copyright and plagiarism.
What's this resource about?
Secondary ICT: Plagiarism – A cut
and paste generation (27 mins). This
Teacher’s TV programme looks at
how staff combat plagiarism in
schools, colleges and universities.
All Right to Copy? This website,
developed in Australia by New
South Wales Department of
Education and Training, provides a
good introduction to copyright for
both students and teachers.
What to look out for...
There are some practical ideas for how to teach
students about plagiarism and to encourage
good practice across the school.
There are a series of short 'student-centered'
videos about the copyright implications when
downloading text, images, film and music from
the internet. There are also a useful definitions
of key terms such as plagiarism, copyright,
ownership, etc and a student quiz.
End of discussion
End of activity.
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Teacher voice
Copyright is a minefield – especially when it comes to taking resources
from the internet! Ideally the best way to solve this is to create your
own sounds – then you know you won’t have any problems. This isn’t
always practical though in a packed curriculum so another solution is
use sites like London Grid for Learning’s Audio Network (requires you
to contact them to confirm that you are a school) and the NEN gallery,
which both contain sound clips that are all copyright-free for
educational use.
Yorkshire and Humberside Grid for Learning, 2009
This extract was copied from a discussion about animation on the Yorkshire and
Humberside Grid for Learning.
Exploring classroom blogs
In this part of the course you will go on an online field trip and evaluate classroom
blogs using a checklist. Reflect on what you have learnt from this activity when
engaged in this task.
Blogs are already being used extensively for many different educational purposes
and more generally as a source of information and sharing on the web.
The next activity gives you a chance to explore some examples of how teachers are
using blogs and at the same time think about how they are structured.
Blogs can be made to look very different. For example they can be embedded in a
website like the BBC or they can be stand alone like the blogs we have looked at so
far. However, the principle behind them is the same. They provide an easy interface
based on form filling that enables us to publish content without the need to learn
how to write web pages.
The basic blogging process is shown by the diagram below and explained by this
video from Russell Stannard. Browse relevant sections on the menu bar.
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Figure 1 the basic blogging process
A key point to remember about blogs is that they allow for learning and sharing to
go on over time, not constrained by ‘the lesson or session’, and to go on over space
not constrained by the physical buildings.
Activity 5 Online field trip
1 hour (online) during the first two weeks of the course for each part of the activity (2 hours total)
The objectives of this course activity are to:



explore existing blogs used for learning and teaching
reflect on how these blogs are being used
share thoughts about how they are being used.
5.1 Evaluating classroom blogs
Below are several examples of the use of blogs in the classroom. Select two blogs
that are of interest and relevance to you. Think about how they are being used for
learning and teaching using this Blog evaluation checklist. Post your evaluation in
the course forum.
Key Subject
stage area
Why visit the site and what to look for...
Modern
Foreign
3–4
Languages
(MFL)
Weald of Kent Grammar School MFL Blog includes student
created songs, interviews (podcasts) and use of a video tools such
as YouTube and Voki. Students create avatar vokis as a way of
learning new ICT skills and another language. To view these, and
student reflections, scroll down the page and look for 'Project 1
Avatars - student reviews'. Note: This blog has some very good
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Key Subject
stage area
3–4
Cross
Curricular
4
English
4
English,
Media
3–4
Science –
Biology
Why visit the site and what to look for...
student examples but is not easy to navigate – why not?
Belfast Model School for Girls. This blog includes information for
students and parents and an easy to use photo gallery that
celebrates events throughout the year. The school uses Moodle so
student work is password protected.
Year 10 Web 2.0. Collaboration for GCSE was set up by a teacher
at Newent Community School. This blog aims to encourage
students to write for an audience. Students write about their work
experience placement and comment on their peers contributions.
A case study of this project is available in the 'Further Reading'
section.
http://etcreviews.wordpress.com/about/, developed by a teacher at
Eastbourne Technology College, Sussex. The site enables students
to review media including books, films, adverts and games. A
case study of this project is available in the 'Further Reading'
section...
Extreme Biology, was set up by a secondary biology teacher in
America. The blog seeks contributions about 'anything biology
related'. She turned the blog over to her students in 2007 and has
been thrilled with the results.
5.2 The last criteria on the Blog evaluation checklist asked you to reflect on the
overall learning experience of the students. Go to the forum and share your
reflections on this and any other thoughts you have on the use of blogs. You should
expect to go back to the forum at least three times to take part in the discussion and
respond to others.
End of activity.
Teacher Voice
I started blogging for my students in 2006. During the first year I only
used the blog to post class information. In 2007 I decided to turn the
blog (Extreme Biology) over to my students and have been thrilled at
the results. It has greatly increased student involvement and science
literacy in my classroom.
This extract was taken from Stacy Baker's Blogging4Biology blog
During your online field trip you will have noticed that bloggers often use
additional tools andWeb 2.0 technologies within their blog posts. It is beyond the
scope of this course to cover the full-range of options in detail, but it might be
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useful to be aware of some of the tools that you might wish to explore in the future.
You may have noted some of these down when you completed the Blog evaluation
checklist.
Activity 6 Using other Web 2.0 technologies with blogs
30 minutes (online) during the first two weeks of the course.
The objective of this course activity is to develop your knowledge and
understanding of the tools and technologies that are useful in combination with
blogs.
Read the information below and follow the links to points of particular interest to
you. You may wish to ask questions about these and share ideas in the course
forum.
Commonly used tools and Web 2.0 technologies at a glance:
RSS is a widely used technology that allows us to share content over the internet
and display it in different places, in different ways. This will be of value if you
want to pull together different blog posts into one place. This means that you don't
have to visit each blog separately to read the published material. Websites often use
asymbol to indicate where an RSS 'feed' can be picked up from. For more
explanation of this (and to see an example of the symbol) read the BBC website
and search on the internet using a term like 'RSS education'.
Photo sharing is a popular activity that is easy and fun to do so many schools use
this tool. When images are uploaded they can be embedded in other blog posts
using the instructions given by the various photo sharing tools. This usually
involves copying and pasting some code. One of the best known tools is Flickr
which allows users to upload and share photos openly and make comments. You
will find other options if you search the internet.
Video sharing is arguably dominated by YouTube and in many ways also requires
a practice that is similar to blogging. Videos are uploaded and shared with the
option of commenting. By following simple instructions it is also easy to embed
video in blog posts and it brings another dimension to posts, making them more
accessible to some students.
Online presentation tools replicate some of the features of software like
PowerPoint that can be embedded in your blog posts. This can be done by copying
and pasting some code supplied and following the instructions given. Google
Presentations is a good example of this kind of tool. A web search on the term
'online presentation tools' will find many more that you might wish to explore.
Bookmarking tools such as delicious offer a simple way of sharing resources that
are published on the web and embedded in your blog posts or website. Some web
browsers also offer additional features that enable you to easily manage your
collections of resources without the need to log into the bookmarking website itself.
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Online maps can easily be embedded from a number of different tools. Apart from
the obvious GoogleMaps (which is probably one of the most commonly used online
mapping tools) there are other providers such as Bing Maps. A quick search on the
internet will reveal more examples.
End of activity.
Finding relevant examples and
generating ideas
Building on the activities in the previous part of the course, you will now need to
clarify your own ideas as to how you might use blogs in your own context. Your
task is to search on the internet and to locate relevant blogs and/or case studies that
will help you with planning your own classroom blog.
Activity 7 Finding relevant examples
1 hour (online) during weeks two and three of the course
The objectives of this course activity are to:


find other uses of blogs in learning and teaching that match your interests
develop your ideas as to how you might use blogs in your own teaching and
learning context.
There are numerous examples of educational blogs (of varying quality) available
online but if you want to narrow down your search then visit Edublog Awards.
Click on the link to see the most recent winners.
Why visit the site and what to look
for?
This Becta (2009b) ‘Curriculum’ case
study explores ways of using ICT in
English. The five steps in getting a
student group started with blogging is
particularly useful.
What's this case study about?
Writing for an audience using blogs
Building Blogs (10.9 mins). This
programme on the Next Generation
Learning site follows a year 9 class at Acton
High School who work collaboratively to
develop their own blog.
Blogs and Online learning (13.45 mins).
This Teachers.tv programme looks at the
use of blogs and online collaboration in
Bury Church Secondary.
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Students work in editorial teams and
produce an 'newzine' targeted at their
peers. Writing for an audience is a key
focus.
Teachers discover how and why they
should make good use of blogs.
If you cannot find anything suitable you may need to ask for guidance in the forum.
If you know of other examples please add them to the Vital Blog. Ask for help in
the forum if you are unsure how to do this.
Discussion
Further reading (optional activity)
The National Association for Teaching English have included some useful links to
articles about the use of blogs within the English curriculum. Topics include (right
click to save.):



Blogging, but not for England: a Year 10 venture: Martin Brennan
Blogs and the National Curriculum: Mark Ellis
Using podcasting to improve close analysis of language in poetry: Carrie
McMillan
 'Explain yuself wha yu mean when yu say podcast': GCSE poetry podcasts:
Phillip Lloyd
End of discussion
End of activity.
Planning to use a blog
In this part of the course you plan the ways in which a blog might be used for
learning and teaching in your context and share your plans with others. You will
also look at a range of blog tools and select the most suitable tool for your learning
purpose.
Activity 8 How might you use blogs?
1 hour (online) and 1 hour (offline) during weeks two and three of the course (2 hours total)
The objective of this course activity is to produce a plan for the use of blogs in your
classroom using the planning sheet.
8.1 You will need to consider:



how you might you use a blog in your own teaching
the intended purposes for using the blog
the classes or groups of learners might you include.
Go to the forum to share your initial ideas with other participants.
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8.2 You need to download the blog planning sheet and, reflecting on what you have
seen and discussed so far in the course, complete to show how you will use a blog
in your classroom.
Having discussed this with others, complete the blog planning sheet. This planning
sheet is designed to help clarify your thoughts on how you might use a blog in your
own teaching. It prompts you to consider:




the context of the use of the blog
the purpose of using the blog
the learning gains or learning intentions
what evidence you will look for of this impact.
Once you have completed the planning sheet you should post it in the forum. This
provides an opportunity for course participants to offer critical feedback on your
plan.
End of activity.
Activity 9 Selecting a blogging tool
1 hour (online) during weeks two and three of the course
The objectives of this course activity are to:

develop your knowledge and understanding of the types of blogging tools
available
 select one that meets your learning purpose.
You may be able to use a blog tool as part of your school learning platform. If so,
then speak to the person at your school responsible for this and ask for guidance.
If this is not practical then there are a range of free blogging tools available on the
internet. TeachersFirst and Teaching Tips.com provide a list of some of the most
popular blogging tools for educators. Alternatively, word of mouth
recommendations are also a good source of information.
If you don't feel confident enough to make a choice, then select one of the
following blog tools and view the accompanying tutorial.
Edublogs
Tutorials: Ways to use up an Edublog,
Blogger
Tutorial: How to create a blog with Blogger
End of activity.
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Setting up and using the blog for
teaching and learning
Having developed your plan on how to use a blog in your classroom you now need
to set up a blog and implement your plan. In this part of the course you will spend
time in your school setting up and using a blog with your students. You will reflect
on the ways in which the use of the technology has changed the learning and
teaching experience of both students and teachers. At a practical level you will
observe what the learners do with the blog and record your reflections.
Please note: Activity 10 and 11 in this section will be carried out in your school.
You will be asked to report back in four weeks.
Activity 10 Setting up your classroom blog
Up to 1 hour in class during weeks four to seven of the course.
The objective of this course activity is to set up a classroom blog that meets the
needs of a group of learners within your school.
Using your chosen blog tool, set up a blog. This will require you to:



give the blog a name
decide on controls to student access e.g. passwords
write the first post and upload any supporting material, images etc.
End of activity.
Activity 11 Using the blog with your students
Up to 5 hours in class during weeks four to seven of the course.
The objectives of this course activity are to:



use a blog with learners
reflect on what happens
evaluate against the criteria in your plan for learning intentions and impact.
Your task is to implement your plan with the group or groups you have identified
and to reflect on and document your learning journey. As you do so, you should be
mindful of your learning purpose or intended gains and how you plan to document
and collect this evidence. You will need to have this to hand to reflect on for the
next activity.
It is a good idea to maintain a learning journal to help you record observations and
reflections systematically. This can be done online using your personal blog in your
shared activities, or other tools. Alternatively, simply use a notebook where you
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can collect observations down one side of a double page and your reflections on the
other.
End of activity.
Reflect, evaluate and share with others
Having planned what you were to do with a blog, and then carried this out with
learners, you will report back on your reflections of what you learnt by using blogs
in the classroom and share feedback with others.
Activity 12 Reflection and reporting back
1 hour (online) and 1 hour (offline), 2 hours total, during the eighth, and final, week of the course.
The objectives of this course activity are to:


share your reflections on the use of a blog in the classroom
give feedback to others as they reflect on their uses.
12.1 Use the key questions for evaluation below to help evaluate the
implementation of your blog plan. Use the blog planning sheet and the observations
you have captured as a source of data to help you do this.
Key questions for evaluation
What did the learners
do?
What are they
learning and how do
you know?
This is a descriptive activity that explains your action with the
learners.
This is an issue of assessment including observation,
discussion, question and answer, testing, etc
This question relates to your purposes and intended learning
gains.
Action enquiry is often done by individuals in their own work.
What did I do?
There can be a group asking themselves the same questions.
This question requires a description of your own actions.
This requires analysis of your data and reflection on your
What did I learn?
answers.
This relates to your next steps for action. This is where you
What do I intend to do
will try to do things to achieve an improvement and to make
next?
the work you do with learners more worthwhile in your terms.
Was it worthwhile?
Open University Curriculum in Action materials (1981)
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12.2 Discuss and share your reflections with others.
Go to the forum to discuss:

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the extent to which your intended learning outcomes were achieved
the evidence you have for this
key reflections emerging from the consideration of the questions in part 1 of
this activity.
End of activity.
The use of blogs in learning and teaching will provide you with evidence that may
be useful when considering the Professional Standards for Teaching. You will have
collected evidence from planning through to your notes and evaluation to
discussion in the forum. Such evidence may be useful to you when demonstrating
ways in which you have met the Standards.
Activity 13 TDA Professional Standards
30 minutes online during the eighth, and final, week of the course.
The objective of this course activity is to reflect on what you have done in relation
to the TDA Professional Standards.
Depending on the stage of your career, certain TDA standards may be more
relevant than others. Click the ‘Discussion’ button to reveal a possible set of
standards. Consider which ones are most pertinent to your role and why. Then
share this in the forum.
Discussion
C7: Evaluate their performance and be committed to improving their practice
through appropriate professional development.
C8: Have a creative and constructively critical approach towards innovation; being
prepared to adapt their practice where benefits and improvements are identified.
C17: Know how to use skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT to support their
teaching and wider professional activities.
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C27: Design opportunities for learners to develop their literacy, numeracy, ICT and
thinking and learning skills appropriate within their phase and context.
P10: Contribute to the professional development of colleagues through coaching
and mentoring, demonstrating effective practice, and providing advice and
feedback.
E2: Research and evaluate innovative curricular practices and draw on research
outcomes and other sources of external evidence to inform their own practice and
that of colleagues.
E14: Contribute to the professional development of colleagues using a broad range
of techniques and skills appropriate to their needs so that they demonstrate
enhanced and effective practice.
End of discussion
End of activity.
Shared learning
The reflective practitioner cycle is based on developing the professional knowledge
base. We have now come to the end of the personal reflection phase and are to
develop a common understanding of what we have learnt. We will share the key
learning points as a group so that these may be collated and added to the
community knowledge.
Activity 14 Extracting our shared learning
1 hour online during the eighth, and final, week of the course.
The objectives of this course activity are to discuss and agree what we have learnt
as a group
Go to the course forum and, in the Discussion called ‘Shared Learning’, post the
key learning points that have emerged for you during the course. With your
facilitator, agree on the common shared learning from the group.
End of activity.
Evaluation and certification
This final section allows for evaluation and certification.
Activity 15 Course evaluation
1 hour online during the eighth, and final, week of the course
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The objectives of this course activity are to complete an evaluation form and, if you
wish, print a course completion certificate and rate and review the course.
Your task is to complete the evaluation questionnaire, which can be found on the
course page. There are also links there to print a certificate and rate the course. The
certificate will be ‘released’ by your facilitator.
End of activity.
References
Videos
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Lefever, L. (2007). ‘Blogs in Plain English’
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=wikis+in+plain+english&aq
=1&oq=wikis. Accessed 11 March 2010
Next Generation Learning
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20101102103654/nextgenerationl
earning.org.uk/At-School/Technology/Blogs/ Accessed 15 January 2010.
Stannard, R. ‘How to Blog’
http://www.teachertrainingvideos.com/blog/index.html Accessed 14
January 2010.
Teachers.tv, ‘KS3/4 Music - Teaching Copyright’
http://www.schoolsworld.tv/videos/ks3-ks4-music-teaching-copyright
Accessed 14 January 2010.
Teachers.tv (2008) ‘Secondary ICT - Plagiarism - A Cut and Paste
Generation’ http://www.schoolsworld.tv/videos/secondary-ict-plagiarism-acut-and-paste-generation Accessed 14 January 2010.
Other references
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BBC, ‘News feeds from the BBC’
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/3223484.stm Accessed 14 January 2010.
Becta (2006) ‘Safetynet’ http://www.teachfind.com/becta/becta-localauthorities-get-involved-communities-safetynet Accessed 14 January 2010.
Becta (2007) Signposts to safety: Teaching e-safety at Key Stages 3 and 4
http://archive.teachfind.com/becta/publications.becta.org.uk/display180c.ht
ml?resID=32424&page=1835 Accessed 14 January 2010.
Becta (2009a) AUPs in context: Establishing safe and responsible online
behaviours, http://www.teachfind.com/becta/becta-local-authorities-getinvolved-communities-safetynet Accessed 14 January 2010.
Becta (2009b) ‘Writing for an audience using blogs’
http://www.teachfind.com/becta/becta-schools-curriculum-english-writingaudience-using-blogs Accessed 18 October 2010
Becta (2010a). What is a blog?
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20101102103654/nextgenerationl
earning.org.uk/At-School/Technology/Blogs/. Accessed 11 March 2010.
22
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Becta (2010b) Safeguarding learners. Next Generation Learning,
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110113101521/http:/nextgener
ationlearning.org.uk/At-Home/Internet-safety/ Accessed 18 October 2010.
Belfast Model School for Girls http://www.belfastgms.org/school-life/news/
Bing Maps http://www.bing.com/maps/
Brennan, M. (2008) Blogging, but not for England: a Year 10 venture
http://www.nate.org.uk/cmsfiles/ict/h2t/8_Blogging_Y10.pdf Accessed 15
January 2010.
Centre for Learning and Innovation, New South Wales Department of
Education and Training, All Right to Copy?
http://www.smartcopying.edu.au/scw/all-right-to-copy/index.htm Accessed
15 January 2010.
Creative Commons http://creativecommons.org/about/
Delicious http://delicious.com/
Edublog Awards http://edublogs.org/
Ellis, M. (2008) Blogs and the National Curriculum
http://www.nate.org.uk/cmsfiles/ict/h2t/9_Blogs_and_NC.pdf Accessed 15
January 2010.
Flickr http://www.flickr.com/
Google maps http://maps.google.com/
Google Presentations
https://docs.google.com/support/bin/static.py?page=guide.cs&guide=19431
Lloyd, P. (2008) ‘Explain yuself wha yu mean when yu say podcast’: GCSE
poetry podcasts
http://www.nate.org.uk/cmsfiles/ict/h2t/17_GCSE_poetry_podcasts.pdf
Accessed 15 January 2010.
McMillan, C. (2008) Using podcasting to improve close analysis of language
in poetry http://www.nate.org.uk/cmsfiles/ict/h2t/16_Podcasting_poetry.pdf
Accessed 15 January 2010.
National Association for the Teaching of English
http://www.nate.org.uk/index.php?page=43 Accessed 15 January 2010.
National Education Network http://www.nen.gov.uk/
NEN Gallery http://gallery.nen.gov.uk/ Accessed 15 January 2010.
Nightingale, J. (2008) ‘Byron sets boundaries’, The Guardian 6 May 2008,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/may/06/link.link3 Accessed 14
January 2010.
Teachers First (2007) ‘Step by Step’
http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/blog/tools.cfm
Training and Development Agency for Schools, ‘Professional Standards for
Teachers’ http://www.tda.gov.uk/teacher/developing-career/professionalstandards-guidance/professional-standards/.aspx Accessed 14 January 2010.
YouTube http://www.youtube.com/index?gl=GB&hl=en-GB
Blogs

Baker, S. (2009) Using blogs in science education
http://blogging4biology.edublogs.org/ Accessed 15 January 2010.
 Connell, J. John Connell: The Blog
http://www.johnconnell.co.uk/blog/?p=601
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Davis, A. (2007) ‘Rationale for educational blogging’, EduBlog Insights
http://anne.teachesme.com/2007/01/17/rationale-for-educational-blogging/
Accessed 4 December 2009.
Downes, S. (2009) ‘Blogs in Education’, Half an Hour
http://halfanhour.blogspot.com/2009/04/blogs-in-education.html Accessed 4
December 2009.
ETC English and Media Review Blog
http://etcreviews.wordpress.com/about/
Extreme Biology http://missbakersbiologyclass.com/blog/
Teaching Tips.com (2008) ‘50 Useful Blogging Tools for Teachers’
http://www.teachingtips.com/blog/2008/07/21/50-useful-blogging-tools-forteachers/ Accessed 14 January 2010.
Weald of Kent Grammar School MFL Blog
http://www.wok20mfl.blogspot.com/
Year 10Web 2.0.0 Collaboration for GCSE
http://newentenglish.edublogs.org/about/
Yorkshire and Humber Grid for Learning (2009) Yhgfl Workshops –
Animation http://shareit.yhgfl.net/enews/?tag=animation (accessed 15
January 2010).
Acknowledgements
‘Blogging, but not for England: a Year 10 Venture', Martin Brennan, Eastbourne
Technology College, East Sussex, taken from 'Making hard topics in English easier
with ICT' © NATE 2008 (find project at www.nate.org.uk/htt)
'Blogs and the National Curriculum', Mark Ellis, Newent Community School,
Gloucestershire, from 'Making hard topics in English easier with ICT' © NATE,
2008 (find project at www.nate.org.uk/htt)
'Explain yuself wha yu mean when yu say podcast – GCSE poetry podcasts', Phillip
Lloyd, Laisterdyke Business and Enterprise College, Bradford, from 'Making hard
topics in English easier with ICT' © NATE, 2008 (find project at
www.nate.org.uk/htt)
'Using podcasting to improve close analysis of language in poetry', Carrie
McMillan, Kingsmead Community School, Somerset, from 'Making hard topics in
English easier with ICT', © NATE, 2008 (find project at www.nate.org.uk/htt)
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