Best Practices for Blogs

Think of it as like wearing a Helmet-It's just smart.

#1  Don't be posting your personal information
     Don't post your full birth date, phone number, your address.  Even if your setting are set to private don't post personal information.  People can hack in and get your information so it's best to never post it.  Also, if friends post some of your personal information-feel free to ask them to take it down.  Better safe than sorry. (1,2)
#2  Use the privacy settings
     Although these settings are 100% fool poof (what is these days) they are there for a reason and keep those unwanted predators out of your business.  Make it difficult for just anyone to read your business. (1)
#3  Cite sources
     If you want to be safe.  Keep it legal as well.  Using pictures of information cite your sources.  Follow copyright laws.  You don't disgruntled people coming after you and you also want to give yourself credibility by citing sources. (3) 


(1) http://security.rit.edu/dsd/bestpractices/socialnetworks.html
(2)  http://money.cnn.com/2005/04/08/technology/personaltech/blogging/index.htm
(3)  http://weblogs.about.com/od/bloggingethics/tp/Top3BloggingRules.htm
photo courtesy of Haley Phippen

The Pedagogy of Blogs

It's not crazy to think we can educate and offer educational experiences through blogs.  With students interacting with technology so much, it may actually be a way of communicating with the youth of today on their level.
I've learned through researching different educational blogs that a class blog of school blog is a mass communication form for students (3).  It's a central place a student can go to for information and a place to pose (or in this case), post their own questions (2).
Something I found really neat was teachers who created their own class blog and their students then had their individual blogs all linked to the class or teachers blog (1).  What a great way to submit an assignment.  No long does the individual need to carry the pesky poster to class-just post it.  No longer can a child claim-the teacher lost my assignment.  This is much like what college students (4) are doing with their online learning systems.  Having students blog is way to condition a student into the world of technology.

(1) http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=41233
(2) http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=1638
(3) http://oakridgefifthgrade.edublogs.org/
(4) https://online.usu.edu/
photo courtesy of http://www.etutors-portal.net/homepage_components/resources/Pedagogyteacher.gif

Batik

     Who doesn't enjoy a little fabric art?  I'm sure my piece will not influence you any direction.  But there amazing batiks out there that are certain to taint your view.  

     This little bad boy is simple a piece cut from a sheet.  For my resist I used the none expensive and less messy flour and water mixture.  Usually wax is used, but this seemed to turn out just as well.  For my dye I used tempera paint to create my own original color and dabbed on using a sponge brush.  After proper drying time-rinsed it out and behold, my creation.  Have some fun with this one.  Think what function this could serve in your life before planning out our batik.  

Wire Sculpture

     I by far got the most out of this lesson I feel.  This was truly a "walk in someone elses shoes".  Students throughout the class were assigned a disability and then asked to create a wire sculpture with what they understood.  Some students were deaf, some blind, some had limited motor skills, and some like me were english as a second language.  

     The ESL students were asked to leave the room during the directions and then our professor gave us the directions via ASL.  I got none of it.  So I observed the students around me and thought discovered I needed to make a three dimensional animal about twenty minutes later.

    It was eye opening and really got me to understand what students can undergo in a classroom.  Loved being able to experience this.

    By-the-way, my sculpture is a bee.  In case you couldn't tell.

African Mask

     First and most obvious-who doesn't love a mask?  This scary/adorable mask was created using a milk jug as its skeleton.  Then was taped in all sorts of layers to give it that leather, aged quality.  Shoe polish was then put over it to once again achieve that aged look.  The final step was putting on paint to spruce it up.  An option is to add rafia for hair.  

    This is another great integration project.  Teach about african mask and what they are used for.  An earlier post mine tells more about the culture of the african mask.  Worth checking out and your students will love it.

Scratch Board

     This was a new spin on the classic scratch board.  Created by coloring a thick layer of crayon, and then adding a layer of black tempra paint mixed with a touch of dish soap.  Of course anything can be scratched on these little pleasing puppies.  I went with the A,B, C's.  One can never be too strong with the alphabet.

Map-Themed Project

     After touring the Special Collections at Utah State University and the on campus art museum a genius (sarcasm intended) had the students make this practically pointless project.  It's a good way to integrate mapping and art as well as symbols-but I struggled with this assignment.  So I just went for it on this one and made it a map of my life at college.  Sorry if I let you down Nadra.

     All things considered-I love my map.  It's personal and representational, yet is uses literal mapping features.  I think its a home run.  Not one I hit, more like an infield home run.