Guidelines+for+Joining+YouthVoices.net

These are the guidelines for joining the high school elgg, [|YouthVoices.net].

//(The [|PersonalLearningSpace.com] is available for grades 6-8 students. Interested middle school teachers should contact Lee Baber lbaber@rockingham.k12.va.us or Paul Allison allisonpr@gmail for more information. Also, check out this [|screencast].)//

We are glad to have teachers and students join YouthVoices.net to begin blogging with us!

There are a few things you need to know:

1. Please have all students register using the following format: first name or first name and first initial of last name at initials of school, city, state

so an example would be ThomasP at TCHS West, Trenton, NJ or Thomas at TCHS West, Trenton, NJ

User Names should be the student's first name and last initial.

We specifically ask that all schools follow this format to make it very clear who a student is communicating with in the elgg. Thank you!

For adults, you could use either your name as you have it or your first and last name and then please use the same school identification.

2. Next we ask that everyone fills out a profile. One important reason is that as soon as students enter likes and dislikes, interests, favorite books and authors and illustrators, they find other students with shared interests. Most of us (teachers) have required 5-50 entries in each category in the profile (depending on the category!). This way, students connect in a meaningful way easily. They really like this feature and it teaches them about networking online and databases (since that's what makes it work!)

3. We ask that students and teachers do NOT post photographs of themselves. Please have your students remove photos. You will find a lesson plan for making avatars/icons below. If you would like to use it, feel free!

4. We are trying to share and develop elgg and blogging lessons together. Please feel free to use what we have posted and edit and add your own lessons!
 * 10 Self / 10 World Questions
 * Building Avatars / Icons
 * Mapping

5. We also ask that you are careful about using copyright free or creative commons photos in any elgg work. You can find a clear description of this at: http://docs.google.com/View.aspx?docid=ah5m9qjtkbwf_27mcjg27 You can find the whole blogging guide at the bottom of the page in the [|How Am I Doing? community] in the elgg. After you register, you can browse for other communties in Your Network. Here's a current [|list of communities].

A lot of conversation about working in the elgg takes place at our blog: [|http://www.teachersteachingteachers.org] Please visit and comment!

Please join and "practice" at the "teacher's elgg" at [|http://www.educationbridges.net]

We are getting a lot of failed emails. If your students register with email addresses with typos or with email addresses that are no longer active, they will not get the email that allows them to make a password and get into the elgg. Are your students getting in?

Feel free to drop a note to us with questions! Welcome!

Still interested? Then please [|register for YouthVoices.net here].

Best, Susan Ettenheim settenh@schools.nyc.gov Paul Allison allisonpr@gmail.com