<via Anne> Ken Tompkins from Richard Stockton State College here in NJ has created a Web log resource site for his colleagues, and he offers a straightforward description of how students can benefit from RSS.

However, there is a clever work around for personal emails to friends and colleagues. It involves using an aggregator and a weblog. This idea would work wonderfully in class as a safe, virus-free means of keeping in touch with your students.

Here is how it would work:

1. Have your students download and install one of the free aggregators on their personal computer.
2. Set up a weblog as the place to put content/messages for the class.
3. Have your students include the XML address of your weblog in their aggregators.
4. Put content on your weblog.
5. The students’ aggregators will check your weblog each hour and will aggregate any changes you have made to its content.

This may SOUND complex. Actually, it is fairly simple and would be incredibly easy to set up and use.
It is a genuine alternative to email with the same effects without the problems.

I would only add that with Bloglines, they don’t need to install a thing. Is this a great world or what?
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I’m glad to see Marion Holland back and blogging, especially with content like this:

I think the asynchronous and archivable nature of web logs will make these blog conversations an important cognitive scaffold for student writing. A scaffold provides support with a platform. What will prove to be unique about a blog platform for student writing? A discussion about this was started during a gathering of educators at NECC and continues on web logs. Students may be less likely to ignore other student’s comments and ideas when part of a web log study group than if they were working together using a bulletin board. The idea was mentioned at NECC that a web log may produce a more focused discussion that is more easy to follow than a threaded discussion board. In the discussion board environment, following an idea’s progression can be difficult as students have to “click around” more to read through various posts. In a web log discussion, students can link to other student’s ideas in their posts and participate in a focused extension of those ideas in the comments area. This may produce more focused, coherent discussions.

The “how is this different from a news group” question came up again just today and I think Marion’s post offers a clear differentiation. It echoes something Sarah said last year about ownership of the space and the added responsibility of editorial control not just for the idea but for the conversation. One thing I’d love to imbue in my students even more this year is the whole concept of bringing together the ideas and observations of others and, as Marion says, building that cognitive scaffold around them, sorting and adding and processing them into a higher more original understanding. That’s what pushes my own thinking and learning in this space. It never happened to this extent on discussion boards. There is much here to delve into more deeply…
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This one, I’m happy to report, set up by one of the teachers in my workshop, who writes:

I’ve recruited high ranking members of the Democratic, Republican and Green Parties from New Jersey to play a role in these activities. I want them to be able to post responses to student questions and pose questions. Do you think I should give them editing ability or should I have them just use the discussion under the main topic?

Great! Could be the next Blog For America…Blog for New Jersey???
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(via cogdogblog) This looks like a pretty cool source for Web log related stuff from Quinnipiac. Again makes me wonder how many other teachers and students there are out there blogging in the background. I have a feeling the user base is bigger than we think.
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(via jd) “Welcome to the Bloghouse!” I like it. More and more this is what I envision our Web logs as Website evolving into. The “Executive Producer” of the blogs says:

We’ll have all types of blogs for you to read, enjoy, argue over and discuss about, so click around and get to know our bloggers. And come back often to see what’s new and who else is living in the Bloghouse!

I just keep hoping I can enlist enough teachers and students to keep regular Web logs that help create community. I’ll start accosting people when school starts next week.
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(via jd) I’ve been resisting getting a photo phone but this new service from mlogs looks pretty fun and pretty easy. (I picked the one linked above because of the subtitle: “a journalism teacher figures out mobile logs.”) They let you post pictures and photos right from your phone, which if I think about it long enough must have some interesting applications in the classroom. Think of all of the on the spot journalism that may mlog equipped students could be doing. Could be a really interesting note-taking tool, though…snap the pic, add the text, have it when you sit down to write. That’ll work. Maybe… Anyway, a cool idea that we have to get someone to integrate into Manila so I have a real reason to buy the phone. BTW…unlimited photo and text posts to your mlog with a dozen audio posts a month. Now if only my mlog had an RSS feed. Hmmm…
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