Room 229

Room 229’s Blogging/Podcasting Contract

What is a Blog?
A blog can be loosely defined as a journal or diary which is published on the World Wide Web.
“In a classroom situation blogs are about communicating. You observe your experience, reflect on it, and then write about it. Other people read your reflections, respond from their perspectives by commenting or writing their own blog article. You read their perspectives, often learn something through their eyes, and write some more.”

What is a Podcast?
A podcast can be loosely defined as a digital media file, in our case audio, that is available on the World Wide Web.

Purpose of the Blog/Podcast
The members of Ms. McAloon’s Room 229 will be participating in a class blog/podcast for the purposes of

• Encouraging the process of writing for an audience
• Practising narrative, poetic, transactional and persuasive writing
• Sharing and evolving ideas that facilitate interaction and collaboration
• Engaging students in conversation and learning
• Sharing opinions, points of view on a topic
• Sharing classroom events and happenings with families and the wider community
• Fostering an understanding of global awareness, communication and collaboration
• Connecting with others both inside and outside the classroom and encouraging global communication previously not possible
• Reflection, expression and evaluation of own learning

Safety
Our classroom blog is located at http://229grade5.edublogs.org
In the interest of students’ safety, the following restrictions have been configured on the blog.

• Only the teacher can enter registrations and control permissions
• All blog content is subject to teacher approval and/or deletion
• The teacher will be notified of any posts/comments to the blog
• All comments to any posts are subject to moderation by the teacher and will not be approved if the teacher deems them inappropriate
• No individual or identifiable profiles are available on the blog

Blogging/Podcasting Terms and Conditions

All students contributing to the Class Blog must agree to the Blogging/Podcasting Terms & Conditions.

• The use of blogs/podcasts is considered an extension of our classroom. Therefore, any speech that is considered inappropriate in the classroom is inappropriate on a blog or podcast. This includes, but is not limited to, swearing; racist, sexist or discriminatory remarks; personal attacks. We expect you to conduct yourself in a manner reflective of a representative of our school.
• Blogs are public. Whatever you post on a blog can be read by anyone and everyone on the Internet. Even if you delete a post or comment, it has often already been archived elsewhere on the web. Do not post anything that you wouldn’t want your parents, your best friend, your worst enemy, or a future employer to read.
• Students using blogs and podcasts are expected to act safely by keeping personal information out of their posts.  You agree to not post or give out your family name, password, email address, home address, or other information that could help someone locate or contact you in person.  You may share your interests, ideas and opinions.
• Pictures may be inserted into a blog. Make sure that the image is appropriate for use in a school document and copyright laws are followed.
• Always make sure you check over your post for spelling errors, grammar errors, and your use of words.
• The class blog is to be a vehicle for sharing student writing with real audiences.  Most visitors to your blog who leave comments will leave respectful, helpful messages, but all comments will be monitored by Ms. McAloon.  Any inappropriate comments will not be passed on to students.

Students who do not abide by these terms and conditions may lose their opportunity to take part in this classroom activity.

Guideline material adapted from:
http://supportblogging.wikispaces.com/Educational+Blogging
http://ahsblogpolicy.pbwiki.com/
http://anne.teachesme.com/2007/01/17/rationale-for-educational-blogging/