Even though it’s not as trendy as podcasting or vlogging, blogging is still a great way to have students publish their thoughts and findings. Blogs are also still a good tool for students to use to create portfolios of their work that include writing, videos, and podcasts. Before your students, especially those who are under 13, start publishing on a public-facing platform you should explain to parents and students why they’re publishing and get permission from parents. Edublogs offers an extensive guide to obtaining permission for student blogging. The guide could also apply to podcasting and vlogging. 

The Edublogs guide to obtaining permission to blog with students includes a sample permission slips that you can copy and modify. The guide also includes framework for having discussions with school administrators and with parents about why you want your students to publish their work. Another good component of the guide is a set of guidelines for students and parents regarding publishing and commenting behaviors. 

It’s guides like this one and other quality support resources that helps keep Edublogs at the top of my list of recommendations for student blogging platforms. If you’re interested in getting your students blogging or using blogs as digital portfolios, take a look at the directions in my Practical Ed Tech Handbook and then create your first blog with Edublogs, Blogger, or Weebly for Education.