Global Teacher Journey

There is no obligation when you join Global Teacher to use a blog in a set, prescriptive way. There are a multitude of ways in which blogs can be used. The myth that blogs are a vehicle for the self indulgent to keep very public diaries of their daily round has long been dispelled. Global Teacher blogs are being used as an alternative to newsletters, as a place to publish newsletters, as an alternative to a traditional web site, as directories filled with resources, as classrooms, as containers for special projects, as a place for professional reflection, as digital portfolios and so much more. Members use blogs to record travel experiences, to present projects and to build collaborative, supportive networks. A user is really only limited by their own imagination.

Here are 101 examples of how blogs are being used in Global Teacher and Global Student.

Blogs as a directory, a resource  for teachers and students.

The Global Mouseion is a blog that was established in the early days of Global Teacher. Now the Global Teacher site itself is providing a directory for teachers and students seeking resources.

Blogs as a container for a Web 2.0 learning through play library project

As a result of SLAV’s work with their Learning Through Play program librarians around the state accepted the challenge and undertook a project where they used blogs as a container to display skills that they learned. Make sure to look at the Participants blogs. There is no doubt when you look at participants blogs that this is an activity that could be replicated successfully with students, especially those undertaking the Netbook Trial. A Girls Own Adventure in Blogland and Cas10mbc are two examples of how proficient users became and shows what a ’student’ blog might look like.

Blogs as a platform to publish student work and school activities and to keep parents informed.

Some schools are not ready to engage students in a world wide web environment and they choose to use blogs to publish samples of exciting work that is happening in their schools. In this context the blogs are like Anthologies, Newsletters or a School Magazine. Collaboration is not the main aim. The main purpose is to celebrate work and to enable parents and members of the community to see what is happening.

The following are samples of blogs that have been used to celebrate student work.

Miss Rodda – Gus the Goat This blog features the adventures of Gus and shows Prep/1 students engaged in learning activities.
Grade 3/4 M at Toorak Primary School also have a blog where their teacher is communicating and publishing samples of student work.
Visual Arts at Taylors Lake Primary celebrates artistic achievements within the school.
2KM at Leopold Primary, along with their teacher, Kathleen McGeady, are sharing the great things that are happening in their class. Check out her TPL blog as well.
The Year 9 Co-ordinator at Corryong College is using a blog to keep students, teachers and parents updated on Year 9 and 10 activities.

Blogs as a platform for Professional and Student Learning Reflection.

A number of teachers have been using blogs as a means to reflect and share resources with other teachers. This is the best place for any teacher to begin. Before bringing a class into an online environment, an environment which by its very nature demands careful management, teachers can learn all they need to know by maintaining a professional blog and establishing a digital portfolio of their professional development.

Brave New World is the professional blog of Tania Sheko
Teaching and Learning in the Digital Age is the professional blog of Maryna Badenhorst who is also a Global Teacher Columnist.
Kathleen McGeady talks about Integrating Technology into a Primary Classroom.
Andrew Douch uses his blog to discuss teaching and learning and to showcase samples of work. He has a significant readership and his posts regularly attract comment.
Doncaster Secondary College, ITC manager, Dianne Beever uses her blog to highlight how to engage students using technology.
Helen Otway has been maintaining a professional blog as  a place to reflect on her journey as a teacher and learner using 21st Century technologies and pedagogy.
Louise Duncan explores the day in the life of a 21st Century Classroom and explores the use of ipods.
Lisa Hill is the Director of Curriculum, and the teacher-librarian at Mossgiel Park PS, Endeavour Hills, an outer suburb of south-eastern Melbourne
Jenny Luca is the Head of Information Services at Toorak College in Mt.Eliza.
Judith Way from Preston Girls runs the Bright Ideas blog for SLAV.
Peter Olm from North Fitzroy Primary is looking at thinking, literacy and education
Lauren O’Grady offers musings about learning in an emerging technological world
Down the Rabbit Hole is about teaching practice using internet technolgoy
Jess McCullock explores applications for technology in the classroom
Anne McDonald is a teacher from Wodonga
Marie Salinger is an Art and Media Teacher at Whitefriars College.
Tristan Mether explores technology applications

Blogs as a platform for subject teachers to promote curriculum that they are passionate about.

Jeff Trevakis is quite clearly passionate about the teaching of maths and other maths teachers will be inspired by the suggestions he makes.
Britt Gow is an inspired Science Teacher at Hawskesdale P-12 and her Techno Science blog is filled with rich resources.
Andrew Williamson from North Fitzroy Primary is Split Three Ways and uses his blog to, amongst other things, showcase exciting work his students are undertaking.
VCE Environmental Science is a vibrant VCE resource.
Digital Stories and Come Blog With Us traces digital story work done by Gail Casey and provides links to Global Projects that were undertaken.

Blogs as a classroom where authentic learning is visible.

This is the class blog of 7E English at Rowville Secondary College, a secondary college in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. All class work is placed on this blog which gives students a permanent base to check on tasks, activities, deadlines. There are also links to each student’s individual blog.
Up the Creek is a busy Art Classroom where students work is show, activities and challenges are presented, comments are  made, communication is happening between teacher and student and there are links to student blogs.
Urban Legend depicts the life of a Grade 4 class. Apart from curriculum activities it has become a place for students to keep track of the footy pool results and we learn about the classic albums they are listening to of a Friday.
E Journey’s With Techno Kids is the work of Anne Mirtschin from Hawkesdale P-12. This blog vividly depicts her school life and the life of students who are working on diverse global projects.
Burners Blog is a blog which engages students from Prep to Grade Four and encourages them to interact and communicate using the comment tool.
Check out Technology in Miss Wyatt’s class. You will find that it is an interactive site with links to students work. Also view a class discussion on her Grade 8 History blog and the way in which Middle School Students are being encouraged to interact.
Miss Alderton’s Grade 5/6 Class at Mossgiel Primary School reveals a diverse array of classroom activities.
The Green Team at Toorak Primary are working hard exploring everything green.
Christine Purcell is working with Grade 3/4. One delight is the class joke page. Make sure to visit and see how comments are being used.
Join in this vibrant ITC class at Glen Waverly Primary.
Portland  North Primary School are learning about technology and learning about Space.
A password protected class blog but you can see comments from students about school camp
Meet 3/4M at Mossgiel Primary School
Mrs Miles at Mount Waverly Primary School is einspired and so are her students

Special Project Blogs feature projects as they are being undertaken. The life of a blog like this may be limited. The ones here provide people with ideas about what they might do with a blog in a classroom.

Oscar Bear was one of the early blogs that was used to record the adventures of a Teddy Bear in a lower primary school classroom.
Priscilla, like Captain Cook, set out with a secret mission. Note that there are multiple users posting on this blog
Class Pet
Poles Apart is a specific project set in Antarctica.
The Magic Garden presents a unit of work that can be completed.
Teddy Bear Exchange Project at Leopold Primary

Curriculum Specific Blogs.

Library Resource Centres
Read This from Camberwell Senior Libary
Mill Park Secondary College Reading Cafe
Bookstars
Wild Library
Celestial Navigation
Preston Girls Secondary College Book Cafe
LOTE
Japanese Studies
German Fairy Tale Forum
Frenchie
Indonesian
TechnoLote
French
ART
Up The Creek
Visual Art at Taylors Lake
Art Beat
SOSE
Super Sose
Pyschology
Splendid Psychology
Science
Sensational Science
Cool Chemistry
Phenomenal Physics
Mrs Parrington Loves Science
Learning with SAP
Music
Split Three Ways
Maths
Web Maths
Maths Pig
History
History is Here
ITC
ITC at Mount Waverly Primary School
Photography
Traralgon College

Blogs as a School Web Site

Schools are finding that they can establish more vibrant, interactive web sites using blogs as compared to traditional web site design

Labertouche Primary School note the links to the school calendar, newsletter, documents, internet safety etc.
Berwick Lodge Primary School
Doncaster Secondary College
Hawkesdale P-12 A Global Techno College
Mossegiel Primary School
Toorak Primary School
North Fitzroy Primary School
Manor Lakes College
Myrniong Primary School Note how they are using a Wiki as a school web site to publish newsletters.

Sharing an Adventure

When you randomly go through the Global Teacher Data Base you can stumble upon some fascinating blogs.  Are We There Yet captures the adventures of a family of four who are ‘doing the block’ travelling around Australia. Follow this blog and you will learn about running repairs and so much more of this families daily life. It will also give you ideas about how you might use a blog and encourage others to use them.
Jason O’Callaghan undertakes a Web 2.0 project with Knowledge Bank.
Moorefield GHS History and Reunion Information

Blogging as a genuine context for student learning. Visible learning can be seen in blogs included here.

Peter Olm from North Fitzroy Primary discusses blogging being a genuine context for student learning
Jess McCullock provides expansive, genuine learning activities for her students.
Five Reasons Why Educators should use Emerging Technologies
PCV Scientists is an example of authentic student engagement in a virtual setting
Bringing Us Together is a blog that encourages classes from around the globe to engage in one place.