Teaching+Safe+Use+Of+Blogs

__Lesson__: Using Blogs Safely in School

__Objective:__ Students will be able explain how they can use blogs safely in school and why taking safety measures is important.

__Technology That Will Be Used__: Blogs, Internet

My students will each create a blog where they will record their findings when they complete their labs and investigation projects. While they used to do this in a journal, this familiar assignment will now be completed on their own personal blogs. This lesson will be an introductory lesson on safely using their blogs before we begin using them.

Students will be expected to know what precautions to take when creating their online blogs and will be able to explain why these precautions are so important.

__ Instructional Steps: __ 1. In order to gain attention of the students, I will take one of the students lab and investigation journals form their desk and throw it into the trash can. When the student asks why I did that, I will explain to the class that we are moving forward with the technology that is available to us and we are going high tech with our lab and investigation reports. I will explain that we are going create individual blogs where they will be posting their lab and investigation summaries and findings where they will be online and can be shared with the rest of the class as well as parents and other teachers.

2. I will ask the students what they think some of the advantages might be to switching from journals to blogs. After discussing the advantages, I will then ask them what they think might be potential disadvantages. After some discussion, I will then ask the students to consider safety and privacy and then tell me some concerns that may arise with us having online blogs.

3. Students will retrieve and sign out their assigned laptop computer from the cart and start it up and connect to the internet. Once all students are prepared to begin, I will direct them to go to the website [] which is a site that lists and explains tips for being safe with their blogs. As a class, we will review and discuss each tip and talk about why each one is important. We will also discuss what kind of consequences can happen if they do not follow each tip.

4. After reviewing the site on blogging safety, I will ask the students to get together in their lab groups and brainstorm other safety issues and tips for blogging. Each group will they share their ideas with the rest of the class.

5. Lastly, I will explain to the students that an additional step that I will take to ensure their safety is to make the blog private so that only those on an approved list can read and comment on their blogs. However, I will remind them that this is not the case with most blogs. I will remind them to keep in mind that anything they post on a blog becomes public and can be viewed by anyone anywhere in the world. I will also inform my students that even with taking all of the proper precautions; they may still come across some inappropriate content. I will make it clear to the students that if they do come across inappropriate content, they are to immediately stop viewing it, close the laptop so that the screen is not viewable, and notify me immediately.

__ Sources: __ (n.d.). //Safe blogging for teens//. Retrieved from http://www.mysecurepc.com/articles/safe-blogging-teens.htm

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