Blogger is a publishing service that allows multi-users to upload time stamped blog entries. This blogging service is hosted by Google and is free to set up and use. More over it allows for blog posting that are completely unbranded and ad free which is more suitbale for educational purposes. Blogger is a useful platform for introducing blogs into an education setting as it is open source and automatically submits your blog to one of the largest search engines available making it easier for students to find and read.
Usage
Blogger is conceptually simple to use. It only requires a log in to set up and the features provided by the free service are satisfactory enough for regular blog users but not too overwhelming for new users to come to grasp with. The blogs are edited through a Word-like editor (text/HTML views), which is a familiar platform for most users and the application does require an internet connection at all times which may be a problem for some students. There is a maximum of 100 blogs per user account but there is no quoted maximum storage space.
Review
“Using blogger in the classroom can be efficient as it makes it easy for teachers to Post resources, lessons, and homework assignments, Keep parents up-to-date on class happenings, Reflect on their own teaching practices and share their ideas with other educators.
Furthermore Blogger makes it easy for students to Share schoolwork with their peers, parents, and others, Collaborate on projects and get feedback from others and Keep a reflective journal throughout the school year”.- WetEd Review for Google
Tool Evaluation
