| Want to start an educational blog, but not sure | | | | template and features (gadgets), including the |
| how to do it? Well, you have several options, | | | | option to add Google Ads on to your blog to |
| depending on how comfortable you are with | | | | monetize your site. (You also have access to the |
| technology. | | | | HTML code of your site which means you have |
| 1. Use your school website to publish your student | | | | more control over your site than a prepackaged |
| work online. | | | | blog offered by Edublogs or Ontario Blogs. |
| Generally speaking, this is not the most | | | | WordPress is a free blogging platform that comes |
| convenient option. First, the person who runs the | | | | in two varieties. You can either get a free blog |
| school website may not have the time to help | | | | account hosted by or download the Wordpress |
| you publish student work online (or to keep that | | | | software from WordPress.org (This is called a |
| content updated). Second, most school websites | | | | self-hosted WordPress account. See #4 below.) |
| are not powered by blogging software (see | | | | Over 3 million blogs are hosted by You have |
| below), so it can be difficult to publish new | | | | access to a variety of themes and features |
| content, as well as for visitors to leave | | | | (widgets) that are pre-installed in the software. |
| comments. Finally, if you change schools, the | | | | Unfortunately with a free WordPress account, |
| content doesn't follow you, and may get deleted | | | | you can't use the site to make money (i.e. with |
| when you move on. | | | | Google Ads) and you have limited access in terms |
| 2. Set up your blog using a prepackaged site with | | | | of extra code that you can ad to your site (i.e. |
| an online educational community like Edublogs or | | | | you don't have access to the HTML code of the |
| Ontario Blogs. | | | | site). However, this won't be a problem for most |
| Many teachers join a community of online | | | | people. |
| educators who are already blogging in the | | | | 4. Set up your own blog on your own self-hosted |
| classroom. That way, you can learn from others, | | | | website. |
| and see what's possible. | | | | Running a blog on your own website costs |
| Ontario Blogs is an online project where students | | | | money, requires some technical know-how, but |
| from Gr 4-12 in Ontario can write and read posts. | | | | offers the most flexibility and control. It's not for |
| All content is moderated by teachers as they are | | | | everyone. |
| the only ones with the authority to publish posts | | | | Let's be honest: the average teacher doesn't blog |
| and comments. | | | | in the classroom. The ones who do, probably do |
| Edublogs.org hosts hundreds of thousands of | | | | so because they're interested in technology. They |
| education blogs. You can easily create and | | | | may already manage their school website or |
| manage student blogs or teacher blogs. It's | | | | perhaps they're the computer contact teacher for |
| powered by WordPress and you can use many | | | | their school. |
| WordPress features, including the customizable | | | | Most teachers who blog in the classroom will opt |
| themes. It's easy to set up podcasting, videos, | | | | for option 2 or 3 in the list above. Setting up an |
| and photos. Because it's powered by WordPress, | | | | account with Edublogs or will have you up and |
| you have complete control over which comments | | | | blogging in a matter of minutes and at no cost to |
| and posts get published. Any visitor can leave a | | | | you. |
| comment, and you can moderate the comments | | | | There are a few people who will blog with the |
| before they go live on your site. | | | | free accounts for a while before eventually |
| 3. Set up your own blog using a free blogging | | | | realizing that they want something more. These |
| platform like Blogger or WordPress. | | | | are the people who will fork out the cash to host |
| Although there are several free blogging | | | | their blog on their own website. When you run a |
| platforms, two of the best are Blogger and | | | | self-hosted WordPress account on your own web |
| Wordpress. | | | | host, it's like unlocking all of the doors and allowing |
| Blogger is run by Google and allows you to create | | | | you to customize your site any way you like. |
| a free blog. You can choose from a variety of | | | | |