Class Blog

Why a Class Blog?

The class blog is a space for students to reflect on content in a shared space. In asynchronous classes, it can help to foster engagement in a way that feels more engaging and authentic than a Blackboard discussion board.

• WordPress feels more like a collaborative, informal space, as opposed to Blackboard’s very institutional aesthetic, so it helps students feel more engaged.
• Content on WordPress is easier to read, and WordPress facilitates more forms of multimodal writing.

Helping Students Add Content

Visit the YA Lit Blogging Guide to see an example of how to prepare students to share their work on WordPress. In addition to the detailed posting instructions on the page, here are a few useful tips:

• Be sure to explain professionalism for the web to students (they should conduct themselves on WordPress as they would in class while also paying attention to and protecting their privacy as necessary.
• Because they will be writing multi modally with video, image, and sound, set some ground rules for them regarding copyright, the citation of various types of shared materials, and places where they can go online to find materials that are free from copyright restrictions.
• Explain that the blog is an opportunity to consider their class as an audience. How can they develop a style and tone that will both entertain and inform?
• If students will be commenting on one another’s posts, set some ground rules for the level of discourse required in terms of length and content.