Student Blogging Using KidBlog

Based upon a parent recommendation and loads of favorable reviews, I went to Kidblog to give it a try.
Truthfully, I am blown away by the ease of setting up a safe, secure environment for blogging with students in a classroom setting.

In the words of the designers of this web 2.0 application:
Kidblog.org based in Minneapolis, MN, was founded in 2007.  The Kidblog Development Team is committed to providing the most effective, efficient student-blogging tool available anywhere.
Kidblog's founder and lead developer has 18 years of combined web development and classroom teaching experience.  This experience offers a perfect blend of programming and pedagogy.  


Kiblog is meant to be used by elementary and middle students with their teacher.  As the administrator/teacher you have complete control over the posting of comments and who sees the comments.  By default only the student, their classmates and their teacher can participate in the blogging.  When adding students to the classroom list only a username and password is necessary eliminating the sharing of personal information.

Registration to use Kidblog could not be simpler.  At the home page click on the words, Click to Create a Class.  The next page asks you to enter in a username, password, email address and your class name.


When you have completed filling in the blanks and read the Terms of Service click on the Create Class button.  To Create a Class enter in the class name and a description.

This next page, your dashboard, pops up.  Your dashboard/control panel is your work area for posting, commenting,  adding users and controlling your settings.  It is at this page created classes can be viewed or deleted.  New classes can be added.

When clicking on the New Post button this screen comes into view.  As you can see from this image the posting can be as simple or sophisticated as the user desires.  Images, video, audio, files and links can be added to posts.  After completing a post it can be saved as a draft, previewed, trashed or published from this point.

This next graphic shows the extent of your control of posting and comments which can be very secure depending on the administrator/teacher settings.

I can hardly wait to use this forum for the discussion of the title, Wonderstruck, that my third grade Flex Friday students are going to be reading together.  This will increase the students' comfort in commenting as well as their writing skills.

Many thanks to Heather Sape, Charlevoix Elementary and Middle School parent and Charlevoix Elementary School Library Media Center volunteer for bringing this to my attention.