By: Chelsea Cramer BlogMeister

What is it? BlogMeister is a blogging tool specifically designed for the classrooms. It allows teachers and students to write, edit, and publish blogs on course-related material.

How does it work? Teachers can set up professional blogs to publish their own work Or They can set up accounts for their students to turn in homework When students are done with a blog the teacher will get an email notification where they can review it. If the work needs improvements the teacher can write comments and send it back to the student or they can publish it on the class blog page. When there is a comment on a blog the teacher will first receive an email notification where they can review it. The teacher can either approve it, delete it, or ignore it

Use in the Classroom Students: Introduces students to a new, updated form of writing Students can work on writings as many times as they want before publishing Students are able to customize their own pages

Use in the Classroom Teachers: Allows them to blog with other teachers about their classroom Allows them to post homework assignments and announcements, so students don’t forget

Advantages Allows students and teachers to interact anywhere in the world New, fun way of doing school work especially writing Teachers have full control of what is published New introduction to the advances in technology

Disadvantages Anyone can access the blogs once they are posted by the teacher May give students’ name and school Posts may not be done directly by the student

Miscellaneous Information The website is FREE The only requirements are, if you are a teacher you need internet access, an email address, and school pass code The only way students can become a member is by the teacher, and they need an email address I have not used the tool, but I find it as a new, entertaining way for students to do homework

Go to the BlogMeister website . . . Want to learn more? Go to the BlogMeister website . . . http://classblogmeister.com/index.php The website provides detailed instructions on how to join as a teacher and how to join students to your classroom. And it is FREE to join!

Other Helpful Links Creator of BlogMeister’s page http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=8# Creator of BlogMeister’s page http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/columnists/poole/poole016.shtml Other Free Teacher Tools