Introduction to Blogging with Global2

flickr photo shared by mrkrndvs under a Creative Commons ( BY-SA ) license

The term blog derives from ‘web log’ and was initially coined to describe “discrete entries (posts) typically displayed in reverse chronological order.” This though has changed over time. Now it incorporates a range of different methods for creating and communicating. Sometimes it is organised inside a bigger system, but more often than not it is standalone.  There are many different platforms out there, each having their benefits and negatives. What does not change is the focus presenting mixed media, including video, text, images and audio.

Global2 is a blogging community provided by the Victorian State Government to Catholic and State schools. It is the largest Edublogs campus in the world. Providing the functionality of WordPress, plus the added benefits of moderation, content filtering, class management and network administration.

Examples of the blogging activities in which you can use Global2:

• Individual – Whether it be for personal learning reflections or as a portfolio for finished work, blogs offer students a great place to share a personal story with a wider audience. It also offers a means for providing visible comments and feedback.
• Class – In addition to telling their own story, blogs provide a means for a whole class to actively engage in their learning by telling a shared story. Elaborating on the idea of documentation, sharing the load not only makes it more feasible (for you only need one device), but also provides for different perspectives.
• Project – whether it is a passion project or particular topic being studied in class, a blog is a great place for an individual or a group to share everything. Whether it be resources, reflections or the final product, it can be a great way to keep track of everything.
• Static Website – Often when we think of blogs we conjure up ideas of posts and the need for constant updates. However, a blog can also be more static and simply used to present information and resources.

At their heart, blogs enable students to showcase their learning to a wider more authentic audience. For some this can seem daunting, however it needs to be noted that there are means for managing this, whether it be making the site password protected or simply monitoring comments. What is important is that Global2 is easy and efficient. For although there are many walled gardens, like Edmodo, where we can present information, the need to complete three different steps before getting to the final destination can put many people off.

Further Reading

Global2 – A collection of resources associated with Global2. The first place to go.

Your Global2 Blog by John Pearce – A presentation unpacking everything from tags to widgets. A good run through of all the different things to consider.

The Edublogger – A community blog sharing everything associated with Edublogs, whether it be blogging with students or simply the latest updates and changes.

The Edublogs User Guide – As Global2 is a part of the Edublogs community, this user guide can be useful when trying to figure out some of the different intricacies.

Blogs in Plain English by Common Craft – A video for people who wonder why blogs are such a big deal.

10 Ways To Use Edublogs To Teach – A video unpack some more possibilities to consider when it comes to blogs.

3 Things You Should Know About Blogging by Steve Wheeler – A video exploring some crucial ideas around blogging.

Introduction to Blogging with Global2 by Aaron Davis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.