1. While I can see how many social media and networking tools can be helpful for students older than those I might be teaching, this isn't really true. I think you need to think more deeply about how you could use some of these tools, to provide students with the ability to take more control over their own learning.
1.1. But for daily ongoing writing, I really like the idea of using Edublogs in the place of a writing journal. And coordinating that writing with ongoing teacher blogging. I could see that being beneficial for young students. But I really think that we need to model and teach the ISTE standards, and provide students with guided and scaffolded opportunities to interact with technology and the Internet, even when they are very young.
1.2. I'm confused a bit, what is it that you say isn't really true? -P. Fradin
2. We need our school systems to recognize that there are really wonderful ways to provide students with media literacy education and guidance, instead of leaving up to the students themselves or their peers to lead them to different kinds of resources.
2.1. Young students need appropriate guidance to use technological online resources to enrich their learning both in and out of school.
3. Storybird can be used by students to write and create illustrated stories individually or collaboratively, with artwork that they can choose to include with their stories. They can then publish them to share their stories with a far wider audience than only their class or their families.
3.1. Teachers can use this to demonstrate how to write a short story with students, and the app is very easy even for young students to use and navigate.
3.1.1. Students and parents are also able to have their students' stories turned into tangible copies to keep, if they want to purchase a copy. But the site itself is free to use for educators and they can set up student accounts, so they can have their own individual Storybird accounts.
3.1.1.1. I did something similar to this in 5th grade, however it wasn't online. This is a great improvement and can be a great tool for the younger grades. So many of this great online tools are geared toward older students, but this one is- through layout, design, and purpose- really reaches to children of a younger grade. -C. Smith
3.1.2. I like the simplicity of this website as it can be used by younger students. I think it is a great way for students to produce something that is "published". I like that you mentioned parents, as I feel it is important to find ways to include parents in the classroom. We only teach for a set time, it is the parents that pick up where we left off. J. Bechaver
3.2. Lara - I love this idea! It seems like you've been feeling something similar to what I have been - that many of these resources are amazing, but not great for the youngest students. This one definitely goes against that tide. S. Owens
3.3. Can others comment on their writing? -Dr. Fritz
3.3.1. Yes, absolutely. you can comment on any published book or poem, and are able to share your published works via a variety of social networks. You can even write and create longer chapter books with minimal art, if you desire. - L. Beeson