There are so many new tools out there on the Internet right now. Here's
another one - actually not something new, but a new use for it, at least for
me. A little background...

For over ten years I have been the editor of our school's student newspaper.
Every month I generate a hard copy for all the kids, and I also put it
online in pdf format. We have two reporter meetings a month. At the first
one, the reporters (2 per classroom) come to my room and get an assignment,
sometimes a form to fill out. The following week, they bring in either a
handwritten or printed out "report" from their classroom.

I've been trying to figure out a way to have them do this electronically,
within the school. I thought about setting up a Front Page form, but I don't
think I'd be allowed to enable FP extensions on our local server, and I'm
really not sure if that would work locally, anyway. I'm sure there are folks
reading this, coming up with several options, or things I could have tried.
Maybe I should have asked. Anyway, here's what I did...

I set up a blog, courtesy of Alan November, at
http://www.novemberlearning.com/blogs/mahlness/ Had it set up in half an
hour, the first message posted in half an hour more. A free service. Today,
the school's reporters came to my room with nothing - except some ideas in
their heads. I matched up young students with older ones, and in half an
hour there were a dozen reports (click on "Feedback" to see what they
wrote). Now, I'll take their writing, edit it, and produce a slick looking
paper in Publisher, as usual. Thinking about how that format may change, as
well...

To me, this is just plain amazing. One of the fifth graders even sent in his
report from home last night. So my original idea of giving them access from
within our LAN sounds real provincial and dated now. I know more will post
from home next month (go to www.arborheights.com and click on the Newsletter
link, and you'll find out how to post) - or from their own classrooms. No
more scribbles on paper that this editor needs a magnifying glass and ESP to
decipher, no more hand out - hand in, no more one shot reporting. If the
kids think of something more to add before publication, they can - from
anywhere.

Doors have opened. It is a very exciting time. - Mark

ps - gotta go, kids from my class (http://roomtwelve.com) are sending in
blog entries that require approval tonight :)

Mark Ahlness
mahlness@...
http://ahlness.com
http://roomtwelve.com