Exploring Blogs
Smart Footprint: Think about how you advertise yourself online
We often share personal information when we are online. The people we share with could be our friends and family or people we don't know. We need to make smart decisions about what personal information we share online. Identify multiple opportunities for learners to explore, share and talk about the information and content they notice on blogs. This is about being authentic, consequently there is value in connecting with blogs from their peers, school and cluster to help learners connect with what it means to create their digital footprint.
Preparation
How will you engage learners with the blogs?
Create a selection of blogs for your learners to explore and share links to these blogs on your learning site. Consider your learners when you select these blogs i.e.
Will your learners be able to connect with the blog authors and the information shared?
The blog setup and template Is this a quality example which enables your learners to connect with being Cybersmart? e.g. includes header with school, blog profile, gadgets
Does the blog content reflect our Cybersmart Curriculum and Learn Create Share pedagogy? Examples below.
Manaiakalani bloggers enjoy sharing their learning. Explore some of their blogs. While you explore notice:
What personal information have the bloggers shared on their blog profiles?
What other information are Manaiakalani learners sharing on their blogs?
What do you know about these bloggers?
What do these blog profiles have in common?
Who is visiting their blogs? Explore the Recent Comments gadget and the Live Traffic Feed and World Map on each blog to see which countries visitors are from.
Explore a blog together or access blogs from their device. Share and compare with a buddy or small group (3 people max)
Listen for key words and ideas to help focus the conversations and make connections with Being Cybersmart and curriculum learning.
Record ideas on a Google Doc embedded on your site for learners to reference as a wordbank to build vocabulary
Use Google Draw to create a poster that displays the types of information Manaiakalani bloggers share.
Let's explore some blogs
What information are these bloggers sharing about themselves online?
What content are bloggers sharing online?
What do these blog profiles have in common with each other?
Recommendation: Consider participating in Tuhi Mai, Tuhi Atu. An authentic opportunity to engage your learners with blogging through making connections with other learners from across New Zealand.
Exploring Blogs to understand what information or features should be visible on a blog.
Blog Bingo
Make a copy of the Blog bingo template.
Complete as many squares on the template as you can to get as many "Bingos" possible.
Blog Check
Open the Blog check spreadsheet.
Find your name.
Colour the cell either Green or Red depending if your blog is updated correctly.
Share
Share your Blog Bingo on your blog with a relevant description
