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As I teach adult learners and college students, I think its possible for me to have a somewhat more open acceptable use blogging policy than if my students were younger. However, my policy would require students to:

1) Post using their real name. Knowing that others will read their postings, they should not make comments that they would not make in person to another student's face.

2) Refrain from posting abusive or profane content.

3) Remember the purpose of the blog is academic and that they have a responsibility to contribute to the collective learning of the group. Posts should relate in some way to course content.

4) Refrain from posting links to content or materials that they have not thoroughly reviewed.

5) Strive for the best writing (including grammar use) and analysis that they are capable of.

Edited by author 03-26-2005 03:13 PM
Strangely enough, I've never really considered setting guidelines for myself with respect to my own class blog. This is despite the fact that I've discussed everything from meeting my girlfriend to poor academic performance on tests.

I think the best advice I've come across for posting to a personal blog - that is, one in which the author is known to the reader - is to follow Peggy's rule #1a listed below, which essentially says that one should only post entries with content that the author would be comfortable personally saying to the face of any potential reader.

I think the purpose of anonymous blogs is to post something that one would not necessarily be comfortable saying to the face of a potential reader, and I believe these types of blogs serve a different (lesser?) purpose than personal blogs - to be provocative and promote conflict rather than promoting understanding. (I hope this doesn't make me sound like I don't understand or appreciate their place, I just think the two hold different weights in the public arena)

As far as my experiment journaling project I think I would address the issue by having the students, either collectively or individually, come up with blogging guidelines. I could see it fitting well into their individual proposals for the project and could in fact lead very naturally into a discussion about scientific integrity with respect to stating results and conclusions gathered from data (not to mention a discussion on the integrity of the data itself).

I doubt I would accept from any student a blog content guideline proposal that did not state that their comments would refrain from profanity, slander, and off topic entries, but in my experience the students are consistently tougher on themselves with rules and regulations than I would ever consider being, so I expect the majority of them will cover at least these three bases.

While some dislike the use of certain less concrete words (respect, excessive, etc.) in forming behavioral guidelines I actually encourage their use because it always offers me as the teacher a sort of "out" when a conflict does arise. Ultimately, what is "excessive" or "respectful" is defined by me, and when put in the position of being judge and jury for certain students in specific incidents I like to have the wiggle room that those words allow me in the interpretation of those incidents and the subsequent punishment so many of them precede.

Thus, rather than seeing the immaculate breakdown of every potential blogging violation and their consequence(s) as a liberating thing, I see it as constricting. Better I think to make the students live up to standards of their own devising and then evaluate them on how well they adhere to those standards than to make them live up to standards I've set up for them. Might the latter actually encourage rebellion and increase the number of violations? I think in some cases, yes.

Personal Blogging:
1. No names or identifying characteristics
2. Allow comments
3. Make corrections, check links
4. Schedule updates
5. Support arguments

Personal Blog Policies
1. Anonymity is key. No references to myself or specific individuals.
2. I will allow non-anonymous comments to my postings, however I reserve the the right to delete any misplaced or grossly inappropriate material.
3. I encourage various points of view, however professional courtesy a required.

I think weblog policies should be the first think students need to know before creating a class blog.

Here are some preliminary ideas for weblog policies for my students:
 
  Disscuss classroom assignments
  Use appropiate language for school.
  Respect others opinions
  Be responsable for their own writing

In my own personal/professional blogs I would use anonymity in regards to myself and the people that I know. I'd rather be safe than sorry. I'm not really interested in people knowing a whole lot about me and I don't want things to come back to haunt me! For my classroom, I will review the Student network Responsibilities contract and make sure that all students have turned one in to the office. At our school all students receive one at the beginning of the year. If it isn't returned signed by them and their parents, they can't use the internet. The district's AUP is very clear as to what the students can and cannot do. This makes my life easier because I don't have make one up! The less I have to do the better!

This advisory blog is designed to help students discuss issues at our school and issues relevant to students in grades 9-12. It is a four year long project.

For this blog, the following guidelines must be observed at all times.

1. The fundamental standard must be in effect at all times. ( it is like an all encompassing honor and conduct code for our school.)
2. The Acceptable Use policy must be observed at all times.
3. Acceptable language.
4. Do not speak negatively of others or belittle them.
5. Keep to the topic.
6. Keep the blog conversations limited to the students of this advisory. We are not inviting outside participants. The teacher will edit/delete inappropriate comments.
7. We will use fake identities because of the searchable aspect of the web, but we will know within our advisory who is speaking so that writers take responsibility for what they are saying in the group.
8. State the facts in a non-threatening, non-accusatory manner. It is not intended as an outlet to lay blame to anyone person.

Basic Policies for Bloggers
a. Be polite. Do not post abusive, inflammatory, or obscene messages to others.
b. Respect privacy. Do not reveal personal information about yourself or others. Keep all classroom postings anonymous.
c. Be considerate. “Our role is to be respectful of each other's contributions, but to encourage each other to stretch outside of the boundaries of the status quo.” June Dodge, 2004. No personal attacks.
d. Be relevant. Focus exclusively on topics and discussions that pertain to the purpose of the blog.
e. Proof read your work, and make corrections as necessary. Use language that is appropriate for an educational setting.
Non-Example: im rofl cuz ur blog was gr8.
Correct Example: I was truly amused by your profound posting.
f. All links or references should be thoroughly investigated prior to posting.

An acceptable use policy is key when working in a K-12 educational setting. Having clear cut expectations and limitations delivered in writing to students and parents can help demonstrate that the communication has been made between school and home and that should students choose to break those rules, they will be held accountable with consequences. What is uplifting is that those consequences need not be dire and permanent, but reminders of proper behavior when dealing with a public medium that give students the chance to earn back the right to use technology at the school.

Policies for student blogs:
DO:
Express yourself
Keep up with requirements
Use appropriate language
Content: Remember that your blog can be viewed by students, teachers, and parents
Ensure that the content you provide is to the best of your knowledge accurate and true
DO NOT:
Speak negatively of other students, teachers, or other persons
Use profanity

1. For my own blog, I will simply follow these particular rules, as well as expect those who post to my blog to follow the same rules:
a. Anyone who posts to this forum should not post anything that could not be comfortably said to the affected person(s) face(s).
b. While differing points of view are valued and encouraged, professionalism, courtesy and tact are the rules of this blog.
c. Any examples made of specific circumstances and/or individuals should have all non-essential and/or personally identifying elements changed to protect the identity of the individual(s) in question.
d. There will be no explicit comments of a sexual, violent, criminal, slanderous or libelous nature allowed. No harassment of any kind or anything that could be construed as “stalking” will be allowed.
2. My learners will be reminded about the following issues:
a. No activities that are not related to class assignments
 i. Games
 ii. Personal surfing
 iii. Commercial sites
1. ebay
2. online stores
 iv. Chatting
 v. Instant messaging
b. No criminal or inappropriate activity
 i. Pornography
 ii. Teen magazine sites (except if related or research)
c. No postings or uploads that will cause harm or distress to another individual or group of individuals.

Some preliminary thoughts:

Ques. 1: Content would be focused on areas of content and issues. One example is Joi Ito’s blog. After reviewing hers, I would consider different blogs for different content/issue areas. She has done that through content subject archives. The web of archives seems to be getting on the verge of being too complicated and off-putting to the outsider. Maybe that is OK. It seems to be serving the user’s needs.

The only current entry her blog presented was her personal response to a free speech/student growth issue she was aware of. Personalization of opinions would be limited content/issue matter that is of interest.

Ques. 2: The policy would set out the purpose of the blog in terms the students can relate to, e.g., blogging is like our classroom discussion in a way.

Limitations on use, content and access would be spelled out.

Cautions tied to limitations on use and to real world concerns to explain and sensitze the students such as public access, concern for others’ feelings, integrity, stalking potential, the need to consider the potential for damage to one’s own reputation by impolitic or imprudent disclosure.

The teacher needs to consider his/her response to student disclosures and to safety, security and privacy concerns

Edited by author 09-25-2004 02:25 PM
Blogger software will be used for this GROUP project.


Guidelines: This project is being invented as it is being implemented. Additional guidelines or rules or laws will be added and posted and enforced from time to time as they are conceived.

Respect: We are all learners and teachers. Our role is to be respectful of each other’s contributions, but to encourage each other to stretch outside of the boundaries of the status quo.

On-target: Entries to this blog should be about the project. Email should be used for comments to individuals.

Un-rigid: All participants in the project need to be flexible and to change based on growing guidelines.

Pre-plan: During the course of the project, students should be aware that postings are immediate. So they should take advantage of using a word processing program or the save as draft option available in Blogger.