21 Classes
- Free entry-level package
- Upgrade options available
- No student emails required
- Teacher controls privacy settings. Blogs can be set to private so that only authorized users can view them. Commenting on blogs can be restricted as well.
- Teacher controls student entries. They will not be posted without teacher approval.
- Class homepage is available.
- Blog templates can be made available for student use.
- K-12 focus
- Purchase necessary
- Consists of various web-based tools (ex: web page, lesson planner, email, blog, file storage, etc.)
- Blogging feature is relatively new, as it was introduced in June 2008.
- Blogs can be set to public or private.
As I read about eChalk, I realized that it wasn't the program I thought it would be. Although it consists of several web-based communication tools, blogging doesn't seem to be one of its primary features (at least not yet). 21 Classes, on the other hand, is specifically designed for classroom and educational blogging. Of all the blogging programs I've read about during the last few days, 21 Classes has been my favorite. Therefore, the next step in my "research" process will be to register on 21 Classes so that I can try it out for myself.
3 comments:
I agree that 21 classes has some unique features that would make it an ideal service to host classroom blogs. I particularly like the ideas of no student email addresses and a classroom home page.
How do you feel about the teacher having the ability to pre-screen entries before there are published. On hand I think this is a nice safety feature; you can make sure the student did not reveal any identifying details and the content is appropriate. But on the other hand, an ongoing discussion and lessons on internet safety should accomplish this as well. At some point the student will be posting in real time and needs the knowledge and skills to do so.
Also, I ran across this blog entry from Will Richardson that compiles reasons for using blogs in the classroom from a variety of different sources: http://weblogg-ed.com/why-weblogs/
The issues faced in a K-12 classroom are very different than at the college level. I do not need to worry about internet safety, and I am not sure I would want to pre-screen any blogs. Students should be able to respond freely without censure. I agree with Laura that discussing what is appropriate and defining blogging etiquette should be ongoing.
I'm on the fence regarding teacher's pre-screening student entries before they are posted. On the one hand, you want to make sure that they don't write anything inappropriate, but, on the other, you don't want to interrupt the natural flow of the conversation or discussion on the blog post. Assuming a student posted something inappropriate, couldn't the teacher just delete the post?
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