- Blogs would be a useful to way to get students to perform journal activities in your class. Blogging would reduce the amount of paper assignments required for handing in as well as make it simple for students to complete the task online.
- Blogs could be kept by the teacher related to what was done in class on each day. Students could then check the blog to find out what they had missed in class, making it less difficult for them to catch up with course material.
- Finally, blogs could be a useful communication tool with parents. Keeping an up-to-date blog would provide transparency in your classroom and allow parents to find out what has been going on in the class so that they can stay in tuned with their childrens' education.
Comprehension: List 3 reasons why teachers should integrate blogs into their classrooms
1. Improving student familiarity with the ever increasing popularity of communication methods such as blogs. Improving student computer literacy.
2. Using blogs as a venue for assignment delivery, reducing the amount of paper to be handed in and making it easier for teachers to check student work.
3. Blogging is more fun than doing things the traditional way, and it may improve student engagement with the class.
Application: Describe three ways in which you can use blogs for your own teaching or professional development.
- Blogs can be used to post information, photos, videos, links, etc. for students to access. It is easy to update often to reproduce or expand on class material, create assignments, communicate with students and parents, have students comment or catch students up if they miss a class.
- Blogs can also enable great sharing and discussion with other teachers to enhance your teaching and help others do the same.
- Blogs can help you to explore and spread knowledge about various subject matter as well, allowing teachers to develop their knowledge and resources to apply to their teaching.
Analysis: Is the use of blogs in education better than the use of static websites?
- Both blogs and websites have advantages. Blogs are better suited to constant updating and are easier to tailor to specific situations and classes. Static websites tend to be easier to organize, and work really well for resources that you want up in just one form. You might want resources and activities that you think you would use repeatedly or share with other teachers on a static web-page, but leave specific or frequently updated info. on a blog.
Synthesis: How might blogging change your role as an educator?
Blogging would change you role as a teacher by having the students have more responsibility and choice is what they do in class. The students would be able to comment on each other’s blogs and offer advice or guidance. Blogs could be used for group projects or used as a way for students to present their work to their classmates instead of doing an oral presentation.
Blogging changes the teacher’s role from being in control all the time to being more of a facilitator.
Evaluation: List at least potential disadvantages of using blogs in education?
Some potential disadvantages of using blogs would be you cannot control the comments that students make in class. Some students may write/post inappropriate comments, or it could be used as a bullying device.
Another disadvantage is that students do not interact face to face anymore, they interact solely through blogging. Some people may argue that blogging will limit children’s social interactions, and lead to a lack of social skills.
A third disadvantage of using blogs in education is that you need to have access to computers on a regular basis. Many times in school you can only book computer rooms once a week and you need to book weeks in advance. You can tell the students to blog at home, but you still have to worry about the students who do not have internet access at home. Either way, you cannot expect students to blog on their own time, you need to give them some time in class once in awhile.
Completed by Mike C., Dan S., and Loran V.
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