As we have introduced a 1:1 netbook program in grade four this year, I have changed my approach to student blogs. Rather than having a system where students can earn their personal blog, all students in my class now have a blog as a digital portfolio. As always, we began the year focussing solely on [...]
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Getting Started with Global2
Yesterday I ran a professional development day for teachers called Technify Your Teaching in 2013. While my colleagues Matt Limb and Simon Collier ran sessions on iDevices, Google Apps, Evernote and web 2.0 tools, I presented workshops on blogging with my team teaching partner, Kelly Jordan. One of our sessions was on setting up your [...]
Our New Class Blog
After spending the last three years in grade two, I have moved to grade four this year. The first two weeks of the school year has already presented many new challenges and rewards. I’m looking forward to extending my students further with technology this year. I am continuing to team teach with Kelly Jordan. This [...]
New Teacher Blog: Guiding Digital Nomads
I first met Aine Murphy (@ainetmurphy) when she was completing teaching rounds at my school in 2010. We bonded over a common interest in technologies, blogging and global collaboration. Aine taught in Ireland for ten years before moving to Australia and retraining at Deakin University. She is now teaching Grade Three/Four at Point Lonsdale Primary [...]
My Blogging Journey
Many people have asked me how I got started with blogging. With my recent Edublog Award nominations, it has been an opportune time to reflect. In 2008, as part of my Teacher Professional Leave project I visited the DEECD Central Office to get some ideas on how technology was being used in schools. There I [...]
Editing Students’ Blog Comments
Recently, a teacher asked my opinion about editing students’ writing on blogs She said “We are having a debate in our primary school at the moment – to what extent should we correct spelling/grammar in posts or comments by students? Our principal sees the posts as a finished product which reflect on our school, while [...]




Attracting Blog Comments
There is no denying that students get a lot more out of blogging when they receive comments. Comments provide feedback, encouragement, advice, positive reinforcement, learning, conversation and new ways of thinking among other things. 2012 is the fifth year I have been blogging with my class and I have learnt that there are some tips [...]
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