Kidblog
Kidblog Review
http://kidblog.org/home/
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/kidblog/id565951433?mt=8
Grade Level: K-12
Subject: all content areas
http://kidblog.org/home/
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/kidblog/id565951433?mt=8
Grade Level: K-12
Subject: all content areas
DESCRIPTION
Kidblog is a tech tool that allows students to develop individual blogs. It is available as a website and for free through the App Store. However, you could upgrade for a low monthly cost. Kidblog allows students to publish posts, respond to others, and interact with a broader range of students. Kidblog is a secure website that teachers can monitor, yet provides students with an opportunity to write for themselves or for an audience. Teachers can set up a classroom blogging community or help create shared experiences with other classrooms within and outside of the school. This user-friendly site/app provides the opportunity for students to write for a purpose.
Here is a YouTube video for how to use Kidblog.
ACCURACY OF CONTENT
Kidblog is simple to use and can be a daily part of many subject areas. This website can be used with students all the way from kindergarden through high school. Composing blog posts and responding to classmates is simple and follows a logical progression. Icons are associated with each action (new post, comment, etc.) so that students can quickly make the connection between the action and its label. This app appears to be free of bias and accessible to nearly all learners.
The one big negative about using Kidblog is that the free version does not provide you with much storage space. You are only given 100 MB of storage space with the free version which would be used up quickly if students posted pictures. Some users suggested ways around this, such as storing pictures on another site and providing a link to that site rather than uploading the image itself. Other people suggested emailing [email protected] and they will often provide additional storage space for free.
TECHNICAL QUALITY
Get your class ready to blog today! This tool is easy to install. Simply visit the website, click "teachers," fill out the form, and your class blog page will be set up. Once the page is ready, you can add students, change privacy settings, and publish your first post. Teachers can also access this tool by going to the App Store on their iPad or iPhone and searching "Kidblog," or by following this link. Once found in the App Store, you simply click the install button. Kidblog can be uploaded to multiple devices using the cloud storage. Once this app is uploaded onto your device, you can follow the same steps as listed above to get your class ready to blog.
Upon reading reviews in the App Store and online, it does not appear that Kidblog has many bugs or issues for the user to deal with. One of the only complaints that I saw when reading through reviews was from an older student who thought that the blog looked "too baby-ish." This is in addition to the storage issue on the free version.
The homepage for this blog is not too busy to look at. Although graphics are used, they do not distract the user from the content on the site. Sections are clearly labeled and easy to navigate. Students in grades 3 and up shouldn't have trouble using this website independently after the teacher models an example. However, younger students will require more support and direction. Students are also able to edit fonts and colors to make their blog posts more personal.
Kidblog is a tech tool that allows students to develop individual blogs. It is available as a website and for free through the App Store. However, you could upgrade for a low monthly cost. Kidblog allows students to publish posts, respond to others, and interact with a broader range of students. Kidblog is a secure website that teachers can monitor, yet provides students with an opportunity to write for themselves or for an audience. Teachers can set up a classroom blogging community or help create shared experiences with other classrooms within and outside of the school. This user-friendly site/app provides the opportunity for students to write for a purpose.
Here is a YouTube video for how to use Kidblog.
ACCURACY OF CONTENT
Kidblog is simple to use and can be a daily part of many subject areas. This website can be used with students all the way from kindergarden through high school. Composing blog posts and responding to classmates is simple and follows a logical progression. Icons are associated with each action (new post, comment, etc.) so that students can quickly make the connection between the action and its label. This app appears to be free of bias and accessible to nearly all learners.
The one big negative about using Kidblog is that the free version does not provide you with much storage space. You are only given 100 MB of storage space with the free version which would be used up quickly if students posted pictures. Some users suggested ways around this, such as storing pictures on another site and providing a link to that site rather than uploading the image itself. Other people suggested emailing [email protected] and they will often provide additional storage space for free.
TECHNICAL QUALITY
Get your class ready to blog today! This tool is easy to install. Simply visit the website, click "teachers," fill out the form, and your class blog page will be set up. Once the page is ready, you can add students, change privacy settings, and publish your first post. Teachers can also access this tool by going to the App Store on their iPad or iPhone and searching "Kidblog," or by following this link. Once found in the App Store, you simply click the install button. Kidblog can be uploaded to multiple devices using the cloud storage. Once this app is uploaded onto your device, you can follow the same steps as listed above to get your class ready to blog.
Upon reading reviews in the App Store and online, it does not appear that Kidblog has many bugs or issues for the user to deal with. One of the only complaints that I saw when reading through reviews was from an older student who thought that the blog looked "too baby-ish." This is in addition to the storage issue on the free version.
The homepage for this blog is not too busy to look at. Although graphics are used, they do not distract the user from the content on the site. Sections are clearly labeled and easy to navigate. Students in grades 3 and up shouldn't have trouble using this website independently after the teacher models an example. However, younger students will require more support and direction. Students are also able to edit fonts and colors to make their blog posts more personal.
USE OF TECHNOLOGY
Kidblog utilizes technology well to accomplish set goals. Students are able to create blog posts focused either on assigned topics or topics of their choice. The app and website both help add to the students' educational experiences. By using the tool, students are able to take their learning beyond the classroom. They can write blog posts and respond to their friends from the comfort of their own home. Since the content is saved online, students do not need to use the same device every time they want to blog. Students are also encouraged to write for a purpose when using Kidblog. They write knowing that others will be reading and commenting on their writing, so they will be more motivated to think deeply and write well.
Kidblog is great because it can be used in all content areas. Teachers can assign students a task, such as identifying the main idea in a passage or explaining how they would solve a math problem. Teachers could also allow students to express themselves a little more freely.
Kidblog also allows students to practice their typing skills. With Smarter Balanced testing occurring online, students need to become more proficient at using computers to respond and explain their thinking. By integrating blogging into the classroom, students will have more experience and feel more comfortable when it is time to take these assessments.
ROLE OF STUDENTS
Students will be motivated to write because they will know that other people will be reading their work. It is not the same when only the teacher is reviewing an assignment. Students will want other people to be interested in what they wrote and comment on their posts. Once students' confidence increases by seeing their friends responding to them, they will feel more empowered to take risks and think more deeply within their posts.
Kidblog will mostly be used in small group and individual formats, although students will have the opportunity to interact with all of their classmates. Students can collaborate with their peers and write blog posts as a group when researching or responding to something. The teacher might have to add the group as a "new student" or the students could simply write from one student's account and sign all of their names. Students could also work independently to respond to or reflect on a topic presented in class by the teacher or other students. No matter how it is used, students are presented with many opportunities to respond to one another. This allows for students who are more shy to reply to their friends from behind the comfort of their own computer screen.
Teachers can easily assess students on their blog posts. It is important to let students know the expectations, which could be shared using a rubric. It is also important to be very clear about what you are looking for. State the learning target clearly and then set parameters for the students.
Although students might be slow to start blogging on Kidblog, they will become more comfortable with each positive experience they have. Students will come to know themselves more as they are being asked to think deeply about different topics. Additionally, students may also be more prone to take risks in other areas of their daily school life when the risks they take while blogging seem to be worthwhile.
ROLE OF TEACHER
Teachers at all levels would need to model how to use Kidblog. They could do that by creating their own blog post. Doing so would allow students to see how to compose a post, where approved posts will show up on the home screen, and how to reply to a post. It would be best for everyone to use Kidblog for the first time together. That way, the teacher would be able to walk the students through the steps. Upon completion of their time at the computer lab or on laptops in the classroom, all of the students would have composed their first post. This could be repeated when teaching students how to comment after the teacher approves the initial posts.
Teachers are allowed to alter certain setting on their class's Kidblog site. The first thing teachers should do is set the privacy settings. It would be best for only students in the class to have access to the students' blog posts until everyone is comfortable with blogging. Teachers are easily able to monitor student learning and completion of assignments by setting the option to review all posts before they are published. This serves two purposes. First, teachers need to read students' work in order for it to appear online; thus, they need to be accountable for assessing students' progress. Second, teachers can monitor students' posts to make sure they are up to quality standards and to be sure that students are posting only appropriate things. If teachers provide students with check lists or rubrics, students can monitor their own progress more easily.
There is not necessarily a manual for teachers to follow; however, the directions for setting up a class blog and beginning the blogging experience are quite simple as posted on the site and app. Teachers can follow @KidBlogDotOrg on Twitter to get updates, ask questions, or read about how other teachers are using Kidblog in their classrooms. If you do not have a Twitter account, you can read the posts from @KidBlogDotOrg's twitter feed on their website. Just click here and scroll down on their homepage until you see "Kidblog on Twitter." You can also go to the "Knowledgebase" section of their website to read through some FAQ or send an email to [email protected] to get some extra help!
CLASSROOM USAGE
Kidblog can be used in many ways in K-12 classrooms. Kidblog allows students to share their thoughts with a larger audience and respond to others' ideas. Some examples of ways to use this app in the classroom are as follows:
Kidblog can be used in many subject areas. Student grouping, parameters, and support required should be determined based on learning targets and individual student needs. All students may require extra support when first using this tool, but their comfort level and independence will increase with each subsequent use. Younger students may require additional support and modeling for a longer period of time until they become comfortable with the routines.
CRITICAL SUMMARY
Kidblog is a free, simple to use tool that allows students to communicate with others and share their thinking in an authentic way. Students can compose blog posts about a range of topics and respond to their classmates' thoughts. Teachers can monitor student progress and make sure students are using Kidblog for positive interactions by altering the privacy settings so that they approve all posts first. This tool can be incredibly motivational in the classroom and positively impact student learning.
OVERALL RATING (ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10): 9
EXPLANATION OF RATING
Kidblog is a great tool that allows students to think deeper and communicate with others in meaningful ways. Since it is a blog, it require students to express themselves in writing. Although some students are stronger in this area than others, all students' thoughts are validated by their classmates' responses. The interactions that this website/app help to develop will provide a confidence boost to even the most reluctant writer! Hopefully Kidblog will expand the storage space on their free version so students don't have to be limited on the content they post!
Image Source:
By Weaverdad (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Kidblog utilizes technology well to accomplish set goals. Students are able to create blog posts focused either on assigned topics or topics of their choice. The app and website both help add to the students' educational experiences. By using the tool, students are able to take their learning beyond the classroom. They can write blog posts and respond to their friends from the comfort of their own home. Since the content is saved online, students do not need to use the same device every time they want to blog. Students are also encouraged to write for a purpose when using Kidblog. They write knowing that others will be reading and commenting on their writing, so they will be more motivated to think deeply and write well.
Kidblog is great because it can be used in all content areas. Teachers can assign students a task, such as identifying the main idea in a passage or explaining how they would solve a math problem. Teachers could also allow students to express themselves a little more freely.
Kidblog also allows students to practice their typing skills. With Smarter Balanced testing occurring online, students need to become more proficient at using computers to respond and explain their thinking. By integrating blogging into the classroom, students will have more experience and feel more comfortable when it is time to take these assessments.
ROLE OF STUDENTS
Students will be motivated to write because they will know that other people will be reading their work. It is not the same when only the teacher is reviewing an assignment. Students will want other people to be interested in what they wrote and comment on their posts. Once students' confidence increases by seeing their friends responding to them, they will feel more empowered to take risks and think more deeply within their posts.
Kidblog will mostly be used in small group and individual formats, although students will have the opportunity to interact with all of their classmates. Students can collaborate with their peers and write blog posts as a group when researching or responding to something. The teacher might have to add the group as a "new student" or the students could simply write from one student's account and sign all of their names. Students could also work independently to respond to or reflect on a topic presented in class by the teacher or other students. No matter how it is used, students are presented with many opportunities to respond to one another. This allows for students who are more shy to reply to their friends from behind the comfort of their own computer screen.
Teachers can easily assess students on their blog posts. It is important to let students know the expectations, which could be shared using a rubric. It is also important to be very clear about what you are looking for. State the learning target clearly and then set parameters for the students.
Although students might be slow to start blogging on Kidblog, they will become more comfortable with each positive experience they have. Students will come to know themselves more as they are being asked to think deeply about different topics. Additionally, students may also be more prone to take risks in other areas of their daily school life when the risks they take while blogging seem to be worthwhile.
ROLE OF TEACHER
Teachers at all levels would need to model how to use Kidblog. They could do that by creating their own blog post. Doing so would allow students to see how to compose a post, where approved posts will show up on the home screen, and how to reply to a post. It would be best for everyone to use Kidblog for the first time together. That way, the teacher would be able to walk the students through the steps. Upon completion of their time at the computer lab or on laptops in the classroom, all of the students would have composed their first post. This could be repeated when teaching students how to comment after the teacher approves the initial posts.
Teachers are allowed to alter certain setting on their class's Kidblog site. The first thing teachers should do is set the privacy settings. It would be best for only students in the class to have access to the students' blog posts until everyone is comfortable with blogging. Teachers are easily able to monitor student learning and completion of assignments by setting the option to review all posts before they are published. This serves two purposes. First, teachers need to read students' work in order for it to appear online; thus, they need to be accountable for assessing students' progress. Second, teachers can monitor students' posts to make sure they are up to quality standards and to be sure that students are posting only appropriate things. If teachers provide students with check lists or rubrics, students can monitor their own progress more easily.
There is not necessarily a manual for teachers to follow; however, the directions for setting up a class blog and beginning the blogging experience are quite simple as posted on the site and app. Teachers can follow @KidBlogDotOrg on Twitter to get updates, ask questions, or read about how other teachers are using Kidblog in their classrooms. If you do not have a Twitter account, you can read the posts from @KidBlogDotOrg's twitter feed on their website. Just click here and scroll down on their homepage until you see "Kidblog on Twitter." You can also go to the "Knowledgebase" section of their website to read through some FAQ or send an email to [email protected] to get some extra help!
CLASSROOM USAGE
Kidblog can be used in many ways in K-12 classrooms. Kidblog allows students to share their thoughts with a larger audience and respond to others' ideas. Some examples of ways to use this app in the classroom are as follows:
- Write about a story they read (after a read aloud or a literature circle response)
- Share new learning on a specific topic
- Share problem-solving steps
- Create classroom discussions
- Analyze an article
- Learn about digital citizenship
Kidblog can be used in many subject areas. Student grouping, parameters, and support required should be determined based on learning targets and individual student needs. All students may require extra support when first using this tool, but their comfort level and independence will increase with each subsequent use. Younger students may require additional support and modeling for a longer period of time until they become comfortable with the routines.
CRITICAL SUMMARY
Kidblog is a free, simple to use tool that allows students to communicate with others and share their thinking in an authentic way. Students can compose blog posts about a range of topics and respond to their classmates' thoughts. Teachers can monitor student progress and make sure students are using Kidblog for positive interactions by altering the privacy settings so that they approve all posts first. This tool can be incredibly motivational in the classroom and positively impact student learning.
OVERALL RATING (ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10): 9
EXPLANATION OF RATING
Kidblog is a great tool that allows students to think deeper and communicate with others in meaningful ways. Since it is a blog, it require students to express themselves in writing. Although some students are stronger in this area than others, all students' thoughts are validated by their classmates' responses. The interactions that this website/app help to develop will provide a confidence boost to even the most reluctant writer! Hopefully Kidblog will expand the storage space on their free version so students don't have to be limited on the content they post!
Image Source:
By Weaverdad (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons