The latest Pods and Blogs podcast from Radio 5 Live features a number of engaging soundbites from delegates at the recent PodCampUK unconference including one from Podnosh journalist Nick Booth who describes how he has been encouraging pupils in local Birmingham schools to take the mike and start podcasting.
Nick who came to my session on blogging and podcasting was particularly interested in my blog rules and how for example, I insist pupils don’t use text chat when writing their comments on the Nodehill French blog and how I translate them back into standard English, if they do forget to ‘follow the rules’.
As I explain in the short interview we recorded after the session on Nick’s Zoom H4, I believe that a blog is like a virtual classroom and as a result, it is essential that as teachers we need to establish the expected netiquette suitable for such a public environment such as first names only and no email addresses. Moreover, by moderating comments, we can ensure pupils' safety without denying them the 'buzz' of having their ideas published on the web.
To hear the interview in full, go to the post Blog rules for schools and young people - to txt speak or not? and click on the Pod Press plugin. Easy.
Thank you for this post. I've been struggling with this myself as I set up a ning (private for security) network for our primary school. The children absolutely love it and use it almost as a safe chatroom. (Parents like the communication with the school and ability to check on homework/classwork/download letters and dinner menus etc.) But I have had to insist on no text chat as well. We have talked in class about appropriate use of registar and language and agreed 'txt' should be for private communication and is inappropriate on web/blog/ning where messages/posts can be seen by all, including speakers of EFL.
Posted by: Jorhys-jones | 13/09/2007 at 10:44