Available Blogging sites and their Alexas

Yahoo! 360° -- http://360.yahoo.com/ -- Alexa 1
MSN Spaces (Microsoft) -- http://spaces.msn.com/ -- Alexa 3
MySpace.com -- http://www.myspace.com/ -- Alexa 5
Blogger.com -- http://www.blogger.com/ -- Alexa 18
Xanga -- http://www.xanga.com/ -- Alexa 36
LiveJournal -- http://www.livejournal.com/ -- Alexa 63
GeekLog -- http://geeklog.sourceforge.net/ -- Alexa 100
TypePad -- http://www.typepad.com/ -- Alexa 142
Fotolog -- Fotolog.net Free foto-blogs, comments, mail a friend. -- Alexa
169
Jeeran Blogs -- http://www.jeeran.com/blogs/ -- Alexa 579 (arabic)
Salon.com Blogs -- www.salon.com/blogs -- Alexa 650
WordPress -- http://wordpress.org/ -- Alexa 806
WordPress -- http://www.wordpress.com/ -- Alexa 834
Multiply -- http://multiply.com/ -- Alexa 934

Blogs as a classroom media tool.

Okay, this is what I looked like when I made this blog. So if something isn't quite comprehensible at least you will understand why.

Now to the topic: blogs as an educational tool. I am going to list below some of the ideas I have had and seen using blogs in a classroom setting.


• As a presentation springboard (i.e. what I am doing right now)
• As a communication publication between parents and classroom. Linked below are some examples of this. This type of blog takes the place of earlier non-interactive websites

• http://hydergoodrich.blogspot.com/

• http://mrcsclassblog.blogspot.com

• http://aessnapp.blogspot.com/

• As a homework center

• http://web.mac.com/dbuse64

• As a book report book review center

• http://www.kissthebook.blogspot.com/

• As a persuasive writing tool and precursor to the UBSCT.
• As a take home/out of class test or essay forum for students

• http://cougarlmc.blogspot.com/2009/01/financial-literacy-b2-what-have-i.html

• Probably the best tool is actually having the students to create their own weblog as assignments. This will push the students to the high order thinking levels that we so need to promote. Possible blog assignments include:

• Create a business blog to promote a product.

• Create a blog to present a biography of a scientist, mathematician, author, etc.

• Create a blog that introduces a math concept.

• Create a blog that tests a science hypothesis.

• Create a student poetry blog

With all these examples you have to be careful and wise be sure to caution students of web dangers and to protect there identities. Before posting student comments you should have parental permission. This should be part of your class disclosures.

Okay now it is your turn...Please post to the comment link below. Tell me your ideas. How can you use blogging as a tool in your own classroom.

Time for Technology

Technology is growing at such an alarming rate that it is hard to keep up with all that is available. Some people invest hours daily to stay on top of all their electronics. They have to make sure that their cell phones, PDAs, mP3 players are all charged and the files updated. They have to keep their Facebook or other social networking accounts current. Emails and texts have to be answered. Where do you stand with respect to technology? Are you addicted? How do you justify the time you spend on technology?

Student Heroes

I have met a lot of students over the years and it never fails to amaze me how resilient they are. I remember one from many years ago that came from a single-parent low socio-economic home. She was incredible. She dressed top notch, got great grades, lived a principled and upright life. She ended up improving her status immensely and was a successful college student.

There was one that could not read. He would memorize the same set of words over and over again only to forget them in a few hours. He was persistent and eventual got a job and has done well in society. He does better that a lot of his more capable cohorts.

Recently, I have been impressed with a number of students who have set a goal to lose weight and become more physically fit. Some of them don't even look like the same individual.

There are those that have made bad choices then realizing their errors get back on course. They have left drugs or alcohol and have moved forward with their lives. There are those who have left bad relationships and are now focusing on improving themselves and not being dependent on others.

Yet, there are still others that have very few obvious struggles and they just continue everyday being the great individuals that they started being.

This school, this city, this state, this country, this world is full of great people.