Using Blogs to Integrate Technology in the Classroom
Teachers have picked up on the creative use of this Internet technology and put the blog to work in the classroom. The education blog can be a powerful and effective technology tool for students and teachers alike.
What is a blog?
A blog (sometimes referred to as a weblog) is a Web publishing tool that allows authors to quickly and easily self-publish text, artwork, links to other blogs or Web sites, and a whole array of other content.Blogs are set-up like conventional Web sites, with navigation links, and other standard Web site features.
Blogs have one standard characteristic, however: the posting. Blog postings are text entries, similar to a diary or journal, which include a posting date and may include comments by people other than the author, photos, links, or other digital media.
Educational Benefits of Blogs
In addition to providing teachers with an excellent tool for communicating with students, there are numerous educational benefits of blogs. Blogs are:- Highly motivating to students, especially those who otherwise might not become participants in classrooms.
- Excellent opportunities for students to read and write.
- Effective forums for collaboration and discussion.
- Powerful tools to enable scaffolded learning or mentoring to occur.
Using the Blog in the Classroom
As an educational tool, blogs may be integrated in a multi-faceted manner to accommodate all learners. Blogs can serve at least four basic functions.
As an educational tool, blogs may be integrated in a multi-faceted manner to accommodate all learners. Blogs can serve at least four basic functions.
- Classroom Management
Class blogs can serve as a portal to foster a community of learners. As they are easy to create and update efficiently, they can be used to inform students of class requirements, post handouts, notices, and homework assignments, or act as a question and answer board.
- Collaboration
Blogs provide a space where teachers and students can work to further develop writing or other skills with the advantage of an instant audience. Teachers can offer instructional tips, and students can practice and benefit from peer review. They also make online mentoring possible.For example, a class of older students can help a class of younger students develop more confidence in their writing skills. Students can also participate in cooperative learning activities that require them to relay research findings, ideas, or suggestions.
- Discussions
A class blog opens the opportunity for students to discuss topics outside of the classroom. With a blog, every person has an equal opportunity to share their thoughts and opinions. Students have time to be reactive to one another and reflective. Teachers can also bring together a group of knowledgeable individuals for a given unit of study for students to network and conference with on a blog. - Student Portfolios
Blogs present, organize, and protect student work as digital portfolios. As older entries are archived, developing skills and progress may be analyzed more conveniently. Additionally, as students realize their efforts will be published, they are typically more motivated to produce better writing. Teachers and peers may conference with a student individually on a developing work, and expert or peer mentoring advice can be easily kept for future reference.
Why bloggs for
1. Share materials, news, downloads, links and more
- Instant access and share the privacy
2. Facilitate online discussions and collaboration
- discussions, comments, and responses through blogs
3. Create a class publication that students can easily publish to and you can easily edit
- collaborative online publication by your class.
4. Replace your newsletter and stay in touch with parents about what is going on in class
- It’s ridiculously simple to post class information, news, events and more on your Edublog
5. Get your students blogging so that they can share their work and thoughts
- can be used to glue together your students’ blogs which you can quickly create, co-manage, and even edit if needed.
6. Share your lesson plans
- share the plans and feedbacks instantly among your colleges.
7. Integrate videos, podcasts, and other media
- In just a couple of clicks, you can embed online videos, multimedia presentations, slideshows and more right into your Edublog posts.
8. Create blogs for clubs, student groups, events, sports teams, or just about any type of group
- can keep a well organized group always updated with information
9. Get feedback or gather information
- You can use comments, forums, or even customized forms to collect feedback, survey data, or ask anyone you’d like to give input or ideas.
10. Create a fully functional website
- This is a functioning website anyone can reach
References
1. www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/educationupclose.phtml/47
2.. edublogs.org/10-ways-to-use-your-edublog-to-teach
