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Blogs have become an integral part of online culture.

Practically everyone reads blogs now, whether they're "official" news blogs associated with traditional news media, topic-based blogs related to one's work or hobbies, or blogs purely for entertainment, just about anyone you ask has at least one favorite blog.

But it wasn't always so. Blogs have a relatively short history, even when compared with the history of the Internet itself.

And it's only in the past five to ten years that they've really taken off and become an important part of the online landscape.

The Early Years

It's generally recognized that the first blog was Links.net, created by Justin Hall, while he was a Swarthmore College student in 1994. Of course, at that time they weren't called blogs, and he just referred to it as his personal homepage.

It wasn't until 1997 that the term "weblog" was coined. The word's creation has been attributed to Jorn Barger, of the influential early blog Robot Wisdom. The term was created to reflect the process of "logging the web" as he browsed.

1998 marks the first known instance of a blog on a traditional news site, when Jonathan Dube blogged Hurricane Bonnie for The Charlotte Observer.

"Weblog" was shortened to "blog" in 1999 by programmer Peter Merholz. It's not until five years later that Merriam-Webster declares the word their word of the year.

The original blogs were updated manually, often linked from a central home page or archive. This wasn't very efficient, but unless you were a programmer who could create your own custom blogging platform, there weren't any other options to begin with.

During these early years, a few different "blogging" platforms cropped up. LiveJournal is probably the most recognizable of the early sites.

And then, in 1999, the platform that would later become Blogger was started by Evan Williams and Meg Hourihan at Pyra Labs. Blogger is largely responsible for bringing blogging to the mainstream.

The Growth Period

The early 2000s were a period of growth for blogs. In 1999, according to a list compiled by Jesse James Garrett, there were 23 blogs on the internet. By the middle of 2006, there were 50 million blogs according to Technorati 's State of the Blogosphere report. To say that blogs experienced exponential growth is a bit of an understatement.

Political blogs were some of the most popular early blogs. Some political candidates started using blogs during this time period, including Howard Dean and Wesley Clark.

One important event in the rise of blogging was when bloggers focused on the comments U.S. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott said regarding U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond in 2002. Lott, while praising Thurmond, stated that the U.S. would have been better off if Thurmond had been elected President in 1948. During that race, Thurmond was a strong supporter of racial segregation (though his position changed later in his political career). The mainstream media didn't pick up on the comments and their potential implications until after bloggers broke the story.

In-depth topic blogs were also becoming more popular during this time. They often delved much deeper into current news and pop culture than mainstream media sources, in addition to commenting directly on what traditional media was reporting.

By 2001, there was enough interest in blogging that some how-to articles and guides started cropping up. Now, "meta blogs" (blogs about blogging) make up a sizable portion of the most popular and successful blogs out there.

A number of popular blogs got their start in the early 2000s, including Boing Boing, Dooce, Gizmodo, Gawker (the first major gossip blog to launch), Wonkette, and the Huffington Post. Weblogs, Inc. was started by Jason Calacanis in 2003, and was then sold to AOL for $25 million. It was that sale that helped to cement blogs as a force to be reckoned with rather than just a passing fad.

A couple of major blogging platforms got their start in the early 2000s. Version 1.0 of Movable Type was released in September of 2001.

WordPress was started in 2003, though parts of its development date back to 2001. TypePad was also released in 2003, based on Movable Type.

Some peripheral services to the blogosphere also started in the early 2000s. Technorati, the first major blog search engine, was launched in 2002. Audioblogger, the first major podcasting service, was founded in 2003. The first video blogs started in 2004, more than a year before YouTube was founded.

Also launched in 2003 was the AdSense advertising platform, which was the first ad network to match ads to the content on a blog. AdSense also made it possible for bloggers without huge platforms to start making money from when they first started blogging (though payments to low-traffic blogs weren't very large).

Once bloggers started making money from their blogs, the number of meta blogs skyrocketed. Bloggers like Darren Rowse (of Problogger.net and Digital-Photography-School.net) and John Chow made sizable amounts of money telling other bloggers how they could turn blogging into a full-time career.

One early event that highlighted the rising importance of blogs was the firing of Heather Armstrong, the blogger behind Dooce, for comments posted on her blog regarding her employer. This event happened in 2002, and sparked a debate over privacy issues, that still hasn't been sufficiently put to rest by 2011.

"Dooced" became a slang term to describe being fired from one's job for something you've written on your blog, and has made appearances in Urban Dictionary, and even on Jeopardy!

Blogs Reach the Mainstream

By the mid-2000s, blogs were reaching the mainstream. In January of 2005, a study was released saying that 32 million Americans read blogs. At the time, it's more than ten percent of the entire population. The same year, Garrett M. Graff was granted White House press credentials, the first blogger ever to do so.

A number of mainstream media sites started their own blogs during the mid to late 2000s, or teamed up with existing blogs to provide additional coverage and commentary. By 2004, political consultants, candidates, and mainstream news organizations all began using blogs more prominently. They provided the perfect vehicle for broadcasting editorial opinion and reaching out to readers and viewers.

Mainstream media sources are also teaming up with existing blogs and bloggers, rather than just setting out on their own. Take, for example, the regular posts on CNN.com from Mashable editors and writers. Another good example is the purchase of TechCrunch and associated blogs by AOL, which, while not a traditional media source, is one of the oldest internet companies still in existence.

During this time, the number of blogs grew even more, with more than 152 million blogs active by the end of 2010. Virtually every mainstream news source now has at least one blog, as do many corporations and individuals.

The Rise of Microblogs and Tumblogs

A lot of people only think of Twitter when they think of microblogging, but there are other microblog (also called tumblog) platforms that allow for a more traditional type of blogging experience, while also allowing for the social networking features of Twitter (like following other bloggers).

Tumblr was the first major site to offer this kind of service, starting in 2007. They allow for a variety of different post types, unlike traditional blogging services, which have a one-size-fits-all post format (that allows users to format their posts however they want, including adding multimedia objects).

It also makes it easier for users to reblog the content of others, or to like individual posts (sort of like Facebook's "like" feature).

Posterous is another, similar service. Launched in 2008, Posterous allows bloggers to set up a simple blog via email, and then submit content either via their online editor or by email.

Posterous is sometimes considered more of a lifestreaming app than a blogging platform, thought it's technically both.

The Future of Blogging

Eight to ten years ago, blogs were becoming the primary point of communication for individuals online. But with the advent of social media and social networking in the past five years, blogs have become only one portion of an individual's online persona.

Vlogs and podcasts have also taken on a bigger role in the blogosphere, with a lot of bloggers opting to use primarily multimedia content. Services that cater to these kinds of posts (like Tumblr and Posterous) are likely to keep growing in popularity.

With new services like Quora coming onto the market, there's the possibility that the blogosphere will shrink, and more people will turn to sites like these to get information. But services like Quora also provide valuable tools for bloggers, as they give insight into what people really want to know about a topic.

Blogs are unlikely to go anywhere in the foreseeable future. But there's a lot of room for growth and innovation in method in which their content is found, delivered, and accessed.
Written exclusively for WDD by Cameron Chapman How did you experience the evolution of blogs in your personal life? Share your comments below...

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A Brief History of Blogging | Webdesigner Depot

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Blogs have become an integral part of online culture. Practically everyone reads blogs now, whether they're "official" news blogs associated with traditional news media, topic-based blogs related to one's work or hobbies, or blogs purely for entertainment, just about anyone you ask has at least one favorite blog.

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The Effect of Book Blogging on the Motivation of 3rd-Grade Students

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The Effect of Book Blogging on the Motivation of 3rd-Grade Students

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Blogging is an important part of who I am as a professional. I can use this space to share resources with you, reflect on my own practice and try to figure out how to be a better educator. It is my public reflection on technology, leadership and learning.

Think about when you were in school. You write an essay. Who read it? Most likely the teacher and that is where it ended. You pour hours and hours into reflections on Shakespear, the economic and political effects of wars on society or how plants have evolved over time, yet the only person who read your thoughts are the teacher. Maybe you shared with a close friend or even the class. But generally the world was unaware of your thoughts and feelings.

Blogging changes that for kids. Now the audience is global and anyone can read, and in some cases respond and comment. Kids can post their writing, projects, thoughts and reflections. Teachers can provide prompts or starters and kids can pick up and run with it.

More and more teachers and classrooms are embracing blogging in the classroom. You're thinking about it, but are unsure where to even start or how to get started. Lets take a look at some classroom blogging resources to get started with.

There are lots of platforms to use. And the one you pick will depend on your district (blocked or not, policies, etc.) and how you want to manage them. Two very popular platforms are Edublogs and Kidblog. Both are very teacher friendly and ofter lots of features that make management easy. Edublogs has a great Getting Started section that will walk you through creation of your blogs and how to use them in the classroom.

Five Steps To Starting A Classroom Blog-Ms. Morris offers some great and personal advice on classroom blogging, learned from her own trial and error.

Two Critical Tips For Blogging Projects-From my good friend Bill, this post offers some more great advice on blogging in the classroom and how to make it successful.

Collection Of Blogging Resources-When I think of classroom blogging I think of Silvia Tolisano. She has been blogging, on, well blogging for a while. Her resources for classroom blogs are extensive and worth spending lots of time with.

Tips For Blogging With Students-Sue Waters (from Edublogs) also has written a lot about blogging with kids. This collection of tips are definitely not to be missed.

Student Blogging Guidelines-Some teachers will want some guidance in place when they undertake blogs with kids. Kim lays out some easy to follow guidelines that might make implementation easier.

So you can get started. You can manage your blogs. But what will you do with them. More over, what will kids do with these spaces. In addition to the ideas I laid out earlier, there are a couple more to consider.

The Student Blogging Challenge is a great way to get into blogging and get kids into their blogs. The challenge is hosted by Edublogs but you don't have to use Edublogs to take part. The challenges range from helping kids understand the mechanics of the blog to learning about digital footprints. Each challenge has prompts the kids can use as starters for posts too. And while the challenge goes on for a specific time, you can certain jump in any time and start.

And lastly, one of the great communities out there that supports student blogging is Comments4Kids. Remember before when we talked about reflection beyond the teacher? Comments4Kids aims to extend the reach of student blogs and provide feedback on posts and show kids the world is reading what they are writing. There is a Twitter hashtag too (#Comments4Kids) that you can use to post blog links or ask questions. Join the Comments4Kids blog and share your posts with the world!

Do you have a favorite resource for blogging in the classroom? Or some advice? Leave your comments below.

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So...You Wanna Use Blogs In The Classroom

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Blogging is an important part of who I am as a professional. I can use this space to share resources with you, reflect on my own practice and try to figure out how to be a better educator. It is my public reflection on technology, leadership and learning.

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Wordle - Delete Blogging for a Brighter Tomorrow

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This cannot be undone or restored, ever, under any circumstances. If you really wish to delete your Wordle, click the button.

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Classroom Management Strategies To Take Control Of Noisy Students

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Google Classroom for Elementary Teachers

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A video about why blogging has a place in elementary

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Grade Two teachers, Kathleen Morris and Kelly Jordan made this video with their students in 2KM and 2KJ to showcase the educational benefits of blogging.

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Top 10 Reason's to Use a Blog in the Classroom

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Top 10 Reason's to Use a Blog in the Classroom

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Top 10 Reasons to Use a Blog in the Classroom

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Top 10 Reasons to Use a Blog in the Classroom as produced, written and directed by the grade 10 communications technology class.

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4th grade teacher Mrs. Radcliffe and her students share how they are blogging with kidblog.org at Sunray Elementary.

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Elementary Student Blogs: Innovative Classroom Technology

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Elementary Student Blogs: Innovative Classroom Technology

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Elementary Student Blogs: Innovative Classroom Technology

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Elementary students use innovative classroom blogging program with teacher Jon Schwartz to learn about writing, technology, graphic design, market awareness, search engine optimization, statistics, and internet publishing. For more info go to http://kidslikeblogs.org/

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Towards an analysis framework for investigating
students’ engagement and learning in
educational blogs

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Towards an analysis framework for investigating
students’ engagement and learning in
educational blogs

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Reflections on Effects of Blogging on Students’ Achievement and Knowledge Acquisition in Issues of Instructional Technology

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Reflections on Effects of Blogging on Students’ Achievement and Knowledge Acquisition in Issues of Instructional Technology

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Kelsey and Emily attempt to blog their way to an A. :)

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5 Reasons You Should Consdier Using Blogging in the Classroom

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5 Reasons You Should Consdier Using Blogging in the Classroom

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Blogging in History: Taking Classroom Discussions Online

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Blogging in History: Taking Classroom Discussions Online

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Some people fear that new technology will seduce kids away from books: Why bother with old-fashioned reading when you can surf the Web or play your iPod? But for one eighth-grade history class at South Valley Junior High School, in Liberty, Missouri, technology -- specifically, a blog and a podcast -- made a book come alive.

In fall 2006, South Valley history teacher Eric Langhorst asked his American history class to read Guerrilla Season, a historical novel by Pat Hughes about two boys growing up in Missouri on the brink of the Civil War. He set up a blog to use as an online book group -- a place where all of his 300-odd students could join in the discussion 24/7. He invited parents and teachers to join in, too, as well as a middle school history class in California.

Each week, Langhorst posted several questions for discussion. Students posted their thoughts using the Comment function, and in turn responded to each others' comments. If they wanted to direct a question to the entire group, they emailed it to Langhorst to post as a blog entry. (As a safety precaution, students commented anonymously or used only first or pen names.) Acting as moderator, Langhorst omitted any comment that included identifying information or inappropriate material.

Educator and blogger Will Richardson pioneered the book-discussion blog in 2002, when his students read The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd. Langhorst says Richardson's book blog inspired him, but he took his Guerrilla Season blog one step further, convincing the author to participate.

Langhorst's students posed questions to Hughes, who responded using the Comment function, threw back her own questions, and posted a weekly podcast, in which she addressed queries such as "How do you research a historical novel?" (Her answer included that she trawled eBay for period items and took horseback-riding lessons.) Students listened to the podcast through the Internet, or on portable mp3 players; most of his students own some form of mp3 device, Langhorst says.

The teacher adds that his students enjoyed having direct access to the author: In a survey Langhorst conducted after the class was over, 93 percent of the students said Hughes's involvement greatly enhanced the experience. "In the old days," says Langhorst, "I could have sent students' questions to her in a letter or email, but I wouldn't have gotten the immediate feedback."

Not all authors will participate in a book blog as enthusiastically as Hughes did, but, Langhorst says, it's a great tool even without author involvement. He required each student to post at least one comment during the four weeks of online discussion, yet the blog was so stimulating that many exceeded the minimum requirement, and anonymity made shy young teens bolder about plunging in. "Students who might not comment in class feel freer to comment on a blog," he says. The kids relished the fact that they could participate on their own schedule, Langhorst adds, and knowing that anybody could see and respond to their comments also fueled their enthusiasm.

Langhorst asked each student to turn in a final project, promising to publish the best projects on the blog, and students worked extra hard for the reward of showcasing their work on this online update of the classroom bulletin board. "If they know it's not just for me, but family members and other students can see it," Langhorst says, "it makes them more conscientious."

Langhorst offered traditional options such as "Write an alternate ending for the story," but he gave students the chance to exploit new technologies as well. For instance, students could record an "interview" with one of the book characters, using Audacity, a free audio-editing software program. "New technology allows kids to create something with what they've learned, which is one of the highest levels of Bloom's taxonomy of learning," he says.

Another major advantage of the blog/podcast, he adds, is that it's "free or virtually free." Langhorst says he set up the blog for nothing at Google's Blogger.com and recorded the podcasts using Audacity and "a $10 mike you can buy at Wal-Mart or Target." Of course, even though the software costs nothing, he notes, students must have computer access. "If you had a serious digital divide, it wouldn't be such a great tool," Langhorst admits.

Next year, the educator, who also has a blog about his efforts to use technology to enhance the curriculum, plans to get more schools to participate -- maybe even ones outside the United States -- and intends to exploit technology even further by incorporating videoconferencing. This strategy may sound a bit high tech for eighth graders, but Langhorst insists that teaching kids how to do this stuff is easy: "It took ten minutes to show them how to use Audacity.

"People think that kids today somehow grow up magically knowing how to use new technologies," he adds. "They don't. The difference with this generation is that if students don't know how to use a technology, they aren't afraid of learning."

Helena Echlin is a freelance writer in San Francisco.

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Blogging Is History: Taking Classroom Discussions Online | Edutopia

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Some people fear that new technology will seduce kids away from books: Why bother with old-fashioned reading when you can surf the Web or play your iPod? But for one eighth-grade history class at South Valley Junior High School, in Liberty, Missouri, technology -- specifically, a blog and a podcast -- made a book come alive.

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Using Blogs to Teach Civil Discourse