I am completing my EdTech Inquiry project with Gabrielle and Judy. For our project, we are researching different online platforms to use in the classroom that increase student engagement.
What is it?
Kidblog is a safe and secure platform for students to publish their writing, audio recordings, or video projects. Teachers can also use this platform to connect their students’ learning with their parents. Additionally, it can be used as a class blog to send out announcements about classroom updates and happenings. Although the platform is geared toward children, teachers, teacher librarians, or school administrators must moderate it.
Why use it?
Benefits of blogging for children:
- Helps develop confidence
- Improves self-expression
- Gain a sense of fulfillment from posting their work
- Form multicultural links
- Improved reading and writing skills
- Encourages autonomy and creativity
- Creates a sense of community
Getting started with blogging at a younger age also lays the foundation for safe internet use.
How to Use it in Your Future Classroom
Here are a few ideas that I found from reviews that elementary teachers left about Kidblog:
- Use it to extend knowledge about new topics in science (generate hypotheses, connect to the real-world, share thoughts and opinions)
- English Language Learners can explore new vocabulary, sentence structure and terms in a comfortable way. Also lets them look back on their progression.
- Independent reading strategies
- Elaborate on mathematical concepts
- Reading or viewing responses