connecting pods, blogs, and wikis to literature

Connecting Pods, Blogs, and Wikis to

Literature: Relevant and

Responsive Discussion and Writing

Connecting Pods, Blogs, and Wikis to

Literature: Relevant and

Responsive Discussion and Writing

Sheila NewellSheila Newell

St. Francis Episcopal Day School

St. Francis Episcopal Day School

800 Students Pre-K -- 8th Grade Located in near West Houston/Memorial Area

800 Students Pre-K -- 8th Grade Located in near West Houston/Memorial Area

New Media for the Classroom

New Media for the Classroom

Podcasts Discussion Forums Blogs Wikis Moodle

Podcasts Discussion Forums Blogs Wikis Moodle

Don’t you wish your students were as

concerned about their English assignments

as they are about their text messages?

Don’t you wish your students were as

concerned about their English assignments

as they are about their text messages?

Why We Need to Use New Media


They’re using it; we need to, too.

All students have a voice, even the most reticent ones.

Our students must acquire new media literacy to be prepared for the future.

Students can access the website from home or school, which can save time.

They’re using it; we need to, too.

All students have a voice, even the most reticent ones.

Our students must acquire new media literacy to be prepared for the future.

Students can access the website from home or school, which can save time.



New Media provides a way to differentiate instruction.

It’s easy to manage and efficient for assessing student understanding.

Using the Internet means less paper—and more trees!

And, perhaps most importantly, students are engaged to the Nth degree because it’s fun!

New Media provides a way to differentiate instruction.

It’s easy to manage and efficient for assessing student understanding.

Using the Internet means less paper—and more trees!

And, perhaps most importantly, students are engaged to the Nth degree because it’s fun!

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (LZW) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

English HomepageEnglish Homepage

Discussion Forums--The Hobbit

Discussion Forums--The Hobbit



Discussion Forums: Riddles

Discussion Forums: Riddles



Courtney’s RiddleCourtney’s Riddle



Discussion Forums-Current Reading

Discussion Forums-Current Reading



Taylor’s Blog Taylor’s Blog



Hobbit Wiki HomepageHobbit Wiki Homepage



Hobbit Wiki: CharactersHobbit Wiki: Characters



Wiki: George’s Character Journal

Wiki: George’s Character Journal



Wiki: Blending Fiction and Non-Fiction

Wiki: Blending Fiction and Non-Fiction



Getting started--If you don’t have Moodle:

Getting started--If you don’t have Moodle:

Some Useful websites: http://www.wikispaces.com/ http://gabcast.com/index.php -- free

podcasting using a cell phone http://edublogs.org/ http://www.uwstout.

edu/soe/profdev/blogs.shtml http://groups.google.com http://moodle.org/

Some Useful websites: http://www.wikispaces.com/ http://gabcast.com/index.php -- free

podcasting using a cell phone http://edublogs.org/ http://www.uwstout.

edu/soe/profdev/blogs.shtml http://groups.google.com http://moodle.org/

http://gabcast.com/index.php




http://edublogs.org/



http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/blogs.shtml






http://groups.google.com/



http://moodle.org/

http://moodle.org/

http://moodle.org/

















http://moodle.org/

http://moodle.org/

http://moodle.org/

Getting StartedGetting Started

Don’t be intimidated—you don’t have to be a computer expert to do this.

Don’t be hesitant to let the kids experiment with the technology—they may be able to show you the way.

Think about products and lessons you do the pen and paper way. How can you convert these ideas to new media?

Don’t be intimidated—you don’t have to be a computer expert to do this.

Don’t be hesitant to let the kids experiment with the technology—they may be able to show you the way.

Think about products and lessons you do the pen and paper way. How can you convert these ideas to new media?


Lay out ground rules for acceptable use with students first.

Have tough consequences for violators—shunning them from the online community works wonders, and having to hand-write responses while everyone else is online is tortuous for troublemakers.

Lay out ground rules for acceptable use with students first.

Have tough consequences for violators—shunning them from the online community works wonders, and having to hand-write responses while everyone else is online is tortuous for troublemakers.


You might want to start with something easy, like a discussion board.

Start out in a group environment like the computer lab, where everyone can experiment together.

Get involved with student online discussions and monitor closely, especially in the beginning. Students will love having you respond to them as well.

You might want to start with something easy, like a discussion board.

Start out in a group environment like the computer lab, where everyone can experiment together.

Get involved with student online discussions and monitor closely, especially in the beginning. Students will love having you respond to them as well.

Sheila NewellSt. Francis Episcopal Day School335 Piney Point Rd.Houston, TX 77024713/458-6409

[email protected]

[email protected]

Sheila NewellSt. Francis Episcopal Day School335 Piney Point Rd.Houston, TX 77024713/458-6409

[email protected]

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]




Try Us OutTry Us Out

Give our website a try (for a limited time only):

1. Go to: http://sfedshouston.org/2. Log in on the left-hand side of the website titled ‘Online Community’:

User name: guest01Password: guest01

Give our website a try (for a limited time only):

1. Go to: http://sfedshouston.org/2. Log in on the left-hand side of the website titled ‘Online Community’:

User name: guest01Password: guest01

http://sfedshouston.org/






connecting pods, blogs, and wikis to literature

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