Maywood Weblogs Administration: Blogging Basics for CUESD Staff

Professional blogging by teachers and selected staff of the Corning Union Elementary School District (CUESD) can be an excellent way of effectively communicating with students, parents, community members, and colleagues.

The terms weblogs and blogs are used interchangeably; as are blog and weblog. When you write something and publish it on your blog this is called posting to your blog.

Most professional blogs are authored by individual teachers and other support professionals; although it is possible to configure a blog so that two or more teachers are joint authors of a blog.

Most CUESD bloggers use Typepad, Blogger, or Word Press software on their web browser (Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox) to author their blogs.

A complete list of CUESD bloggers is available to everyone.

CUESD bloggers must, of course, continue to observe all of our CUESD Internet Policies and Procedures as well as all SIRNET policies and procedures.

The first CUESD teachers to author blogs were Steve Dillon, Peter Finkle, and Linda Lucero in 2007. The first CUESD administrator to blog was Dr. Beckie Bouchard in 2009. The first CUESD classified staff member to blog was Mike Garofalo in 2005.

Over the past few years we have used some Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) grant funds to purchase books about authoring and using blogs. These are kept at the Maywood library in Mike's office, and can be loaned out to teachers and staff.

Educational Technology in the CUESD

Computer Technology in the CUESD

CUESD Technology Plan, 2005-2010

Here are some informative links about professional blogging:

Net-Etiquette

Guidelines and Resources for Internet Safety in Schools

Internet Plagiarism: A Teacher's Combat Guide

10 Rules for Responsible Blogging

Tips for Better Blogging

Here are some issues, reminders, and suggestions to consider when professional blogging:

1. Anyone with Internet access can read or look at what is posted to your blog including comments. Every time that you post to your blog it is automatically sent by RSS to the major search engines like Google. (Blogs can be configured to be non-public and comments disallowed.)

2. Your blog represents you as a professional, your school, your school district, and your community. You are responsible for the content on you blog because only you have the password access to post and edit posts on your blog.

3. The topics of your posts should generally be positive, upbeat, constructive, practical, useful, professional, businesslike, and on topic.

4. Blog authors need to respect copyright and academic rules and customs. They need to use citations when quoting, and give full credits to sources.

5. Stay on topic! Our CUESD Mission is "To give all students the opportunity to reach established academic goals at all grade levels, to encourage self esteem, to promote pride in their schools and community, and to instill an appreciation for lifelong learning." Typically, teachers post about classroom reading assignments, links to good web pages, information on upcoming events or trips, questions, information about upcoming classroom topics, test dates, special assignments, calendars, contact information, classroom projects, classroom or school fundraisers, sporting events, community service projects, school news, study tips, character education, creative classroom projects, kudos and attaboys, pep talks, character development stories, suggestions for good books to read, awards and achievements, parent education, and related professional activities.

6. You can post text, links, graphics, photographs, audio and video files to your blog. However, we must be careful about loading large pictures, audio (podcast) or video files on the Typepad server. If you have a large file, please talk with Mike Garofalo (3110) about options. Pictures size should be under 350 pixels in width.

7. Many active bloggers do their writing in a word processor such as Microsoft Word. They compose, edit, and spell check in their favorite word processor. When they are satisfied with the quality of their writing then the cut and paste the text into their blog composer while online. You can, of course, write directly into the blog composer and post. Pictures and graphics are inserted when in the blog composer. After you have posted to your blog, then READ what you have posted. Owners can edit previous posts. After you have decided on the Title of your post, never change the Title to that post or the Permanent Links will not work.

A complete list of CUESD bloggers is available to everyone.

Posted by Mike Garofalo