Growing up, I’ve always wanted a place to vent and find people who shared the same thoughts and feelings. I felt like there was never any outlet or at least the type I longed for. Even in school, I wished there was a place where I could journal my thoughts or ideas and have others comment on it. The closest thing I had to that was my journal in English class, but that was for my own personal use and the teacher would just walk around to make sure we were writing in it. Nowadays though, there is a place for students to do that. It can be found in a place that I like to call blogger city.
According to Wikipedia, “A blog is a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video” (“Blog,” 2008, para. 1). Being an educator, I think it’s important for students to connect with other people on an educational level whether they are fellow classmates, educators, or individuals with a common interest. I have recently just learned about blogging and I can already see the educational benefits of it. According to the Digital Media Center (2007, para. 3), “Blogs help writers make reflective writing, and engaging audiences through effective writing, a habit.” Blogging enables students to practice their writing skills and receive feedback from peers. In any class, a blog can be used as a journal reflection on what the student is learning. It’s like a public diary with dates of entries and information. Students can utilize blogging as a source of finding information. It’s like having your own community and everyone is the mayor entitled to their own opinion and they can share it freely.
A blog doesn’t just have to be words. It can be anything from words to music, art, videos, and so much more. By having that variety, it allows any type of educator to use blogging as an educational tool. Art teachers can have students post their artwork and fellow classmates comment on it. Photography students can use blogging as a personal portfolio. A math teacher can post an exercise problem and students have to comment on how they solved it enabling students to see the different ways to solve a math problem. These are just a few examples of what I believe teachers and/or students can do with blogging. “Instructors post class times and rules, assignment notifications, suggested readings, and exercises…Blogs are used to organize in-class discussions…Some instructors are using blogs to organize class seminars and to provide summaries of readings” (Downes, 2004, paras. 21-25). A teacher can have a blogging site where students can post their questions about a homework assignment and they can reply with a how to video or simply words that students can always go back to as a reference; parents can become more involved in their child’s education by participating in blogs; students can build social networks with individuals from all over the world, and so much more. There isn’t only one educational use for blogging. Every teacher has their own idea of how they like to incorporate it into their curriculum.
Most teachers have at least one quiet student in class. Blogging provides that student with an opportunity to be vocal in a different way. Teachers may even be surprised by the response they see from that one student because he or she is always too shy in class to respond; however, through blogging, teachers may be learning things about that student they never knew. Davis claims, “Students begin to feel motivated to write as they receive feedback and realize that they have a voice that others are interested in listening to” (2007, para. 2).
To me, blogging is one of the many technology-based tools that can help enhance and build another social learning environment for students that is more hands-on, engaging, and interactive. It’s an opportunity for students to learn about a new tool that they can take with them even after they graduate.
Blogging may not be for everyone and it’s just like everything else where it has some disadvantages. One major disadvantage is that some students may not have a computer or Internet access at home. Some other disadvantages include: students may use improper writing skills such as slang, it’s open to the public-which can be both an advantage and disadvantage, and students may be uncomfortable with others seeing their thoughts or work (OnlineEduBlog, 2009). Although blogging has its disadvantages, educators shouldn’t knock it until they try it.
There’s a multitude of educational blogging sites available right at your fingertips. If you’re interested in seeing some examples, just Google educational blogging sites. If you’re an educator and you would like to learn how to create a blog site so you can start utilizing it in your classroom, Google how to create a blog site.
Here are some examples of student blogging sites that teachers use in their classrooms:
http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=102127
http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=207257&show=all
http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=56473
References:
Blog. (2008). In Wikipedia. Retrieved May 4, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog
Davis, A. (n.d.). Why use blogging in the classroom? Blogging. Retrieved May 4, 2010, from http://t4tl.wikispaces.com/Blogging
Digital Media Center. (2007, June 19). Uthink. Retrieved May 4, 2010, from http://dmc.umn.edu/technologies/uthink.shtml
Downes, S. (2004, September/October). Educational blogging. EDUCAUSE Review, 39(5). Retrieved May 4, 2010, from http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Review/EDUCAUSEReviewMagazineVolume39/EducationalBlogging/157920
OnlineEduBlog. (2009, June 19). Blogs-Advantages and disadvantages. Retrieved May 4, 2010, from http://www.onlineedublog.com /blogs/
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I think you say so much in this statements, "A blog doesn’t just have to be words. It can be anything from words to music, art, videos, and so much more." It gives the student or the author the freedom of choice and ownership in their exploration and learning. Excellent post.
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