The creation of this blog was a new and exciting experience. I have never created a blog because I did not know or understand its purpose. As an educator, I could not envision an appropriate use for the classroom. I have gained an appreciation of using blogs for educational purposes as a result of creating this blog.
Blogging is a relatively new technological tool that offers a variety of applications for instruction. For classroom instruction, blogs offer an opportunity for students to reflect on what they have learned in addition to classroom assessments. Blogs are also a means of 'connecting ' students in a 'virtual' classroom setting. Students are able to post thoughts, ideas, and questions that can lead to a deeper understanding of a topic.
Blogging for online or distance learners offers evidence that can be used for assessment of learner outcomes. Since teachers and students communicate virtually in the online setting, a blog may serve as a student journal or type of student portfolio. Students are able to post their work and communicate via this media. Blogs offer an opportunity for the student to demonstrate understanding using text and visiual media. Students may share information using blogs and communicate with each other. Since location is not a significant issue, students are able to learn from communicating with students in other ccountries using blogs. Blogs may also be used for team projects or cooperative learning by providing a common area for the creation or editing of a group assignment.
Blogging will surely offer more educational opportunities for the 21st Century classroom and learner. I look forward to learning more about the capabilities of using blogs for educational purposes.
Hi Derek,
ReplyDeleteI like your idea of students using a blog for a student journal or some type of portfolio.
Have a great week!
Don Cain
Hello Derek-
ReplyDeleteI am also new to Blogging and have also found it to be a very useful tool for communicating. Do you think you might be able to use it for the students you work with? I wouold like to give it a try with my students, however my school has all of the blogging capabilities blocked. I think my administration needs a technology course!
Deb
One think that strikes me as strange when people call something "new". I remember back in the 90s when the internet was new to the public, and I was a high school Trekkie, and we used to do some version of blogging - though the pages weren't as pretty as this. That was back in the day when you said gophering about the internet, and people knew what you meant. You literally had to navigate most sites the way you navigate files folders on the PC. Then it seemed to disappear for about a decade and someone resurrected it in a more friendly format. I truly wonder why it died off, and who brought it back.
ReplyDeleteDerek-
ReplyDeleteI'm also new to blogging, but having fun anyway playing around with this and my school blog. Learning new things every day. I also created a blog for my students in physics. They have assigned topics to post on each week. The will begin the blogging exercise immediately after spring break and continue for 8 wks (end of the school year.) It should be really interesting.
Take care, Pamela
Hi Derek-
ReplyDeleteI also like your idea of using blogs for class journals. I would like to try to do this next school year as we are expecting an administration change that might open up new possibilities for technology use.
I do have concerns about using the blog as a class requirement when some students have limited access to computers. I think it is a great learning tool and I'm looking for suggestions on how to use it when facing these obstacles.
Happy Spring break.
Deb