Several of my upper elementary grade teachers are interested in using blogs for student writing prompts. I’m concerned about students using a tool that requires a name when making comments. Is there an easy way to protect their identities when they post?
Yes, there is. I’ve noticed that several teachers have their students use pen names when posting to a classroom blog. Just as a teacher may use an ID number to protect privacy when posting grades, teachers can ask students to choose a blogging nickname. By using offline master lists of nicknames, teachers can easily identify the author of each comment, and still insure anonymity in public posts.
Submitted by: Susan Brooks-Young
