Human Rights Student Commentaries

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Citizens concerned with human rights violations use a variety of online sources to gather up-to-the minute information.
The goal of this assignment is for you to track an issue of concern to you personally.

You will gather information and comment on it in a blog you have created.

A blog is basically an online journal. It can be as simple as: you write a pargraph on your site; and someone else responds in the comments section.

Like Facebook, it is also a place to store things you find interesting. You can enhance your blog in many ways.

You must create a minimum of 10 posts.  You will be required to comment on the blogs of at least 2 other members of the class. Your blog must be up for at least one month.

You must include in your blog:

ONE: Content:

Information from as many stakeholders as possible. They are listed in the column on the right side of your screen. It is important to read as many points-of-view as possible, to allow you to develop an intelligent, informed opinion, e.g.

  • Mainstream media (right wing)
  • Liberal media (left wing)
  • NGO's
  • Citizen media
  • Eye witness accounts
  • Academics (universities)
  • Government of country where violations are taking place
  • Canadian government point of view

TWO: Your posts, commenting on articles.

Critically analyze what you have read from your sources, trying to make your post interesting, honest and smart. (see details here)

THREE: Technical

* Images

* Videos

* Maps

* RSS feeds

* Links

* Archives of your posts

* Embedded books

* Follow me or other social connections

FOUR: How to

You will be creating your blog in Blogger.

Here are instructions on how to get started.

Here is an example of a blog.

How to create a blog

START HERE

  1. Sign up for a g-mail account.
  2. Go to Blogger
  3. Create a Blog
  4. Name your blog: Key in a phrase about the human rights  issue you will be tracking.
  5. Blog address: fill in a phrase: http://...................... .blogspot.com......Choose something unique but easy about your topic. Check availability & and if your phrase has been used already by someone, key in another phrase.
  6. Key in the word verification and continue.
  7. 2 Choose a starter template (design) and press continue
  8. Your blog has been created! – Start Blogging


POSTING

  1. You are now in the posting screen: Create your first post.
  2. Key in a title; Key in a paragraph; and PUBLISH POST
  3. Your blog post has been published successfully!
  4. View post – you are now in the site that the public sees

…………………………
To add a NEW POST or to go back to your old post to add or change things:
New Posts (top right bar): a new post page will open. Create a new post & PUBLISH POST
……………………………….
To go back to your old post to add or change things:
New Posts (top right bar): a new post page will open. Click Edit Posts. A list of your posts will appear; click on Edit…..don’t forget to PUBLISH POST

DESIGN FEATURES
To: add Gadgets such as: RSS feeds, embedded maps, videos or books, images, slide show, polls
Design: add a gadget
How to get HTML Embedding code for: Google maps, Internet Archives books, YouTube video

SETTINGS (check them out)
Permissions:
Choose who you want to be able to see your blog. Please include Mr. Ipe. . .he will be commenting & evaluating your efforts!
Comments:
Choose who you want to be able to comment by keying in the email addresses of members of the class.






How will you be marked?

A wholistic mark ( combined knowledge and skills of students) will be earned based on 3 criteria areas.

One: Content

At least on stakeholder is mentioned in each post. At a bare minimum 3 different stakeholders are mentioned throughout your posts.

Two: Posts

  • The posts are written with a lead to hook the reader.
  • The posts contains background information about the issue.
  • The post has a clearly stated opinion near the beginning of the post.
  • The posts contains at least 3 different, but logical reasons for the stated opinion.

Three: Technical

  • Evidence to support an opinion in your posts is embedded into the post or linked OR
  • Information which you choose to comment on and disagree with is  is embedded into the post or linked ( so your readers canrefer to it)
  • A variety of visuals (video, images, charts) are used to support posts