I feel that blogs can be extremely beneficial to use in the classroom. Primarily, they are easy to use, engaging, and motivating to students. Additionally, they provide students with an opportunity to both read, and write. I would like to integrate blogs into my teaching when I have a classroom of my own. Blogs can be used for a variety of educational purposes. Specifically, they are a wonderful tool for classroom management. Blogs can be used to provide information to students and/or parents about upcoming assignments and events, as a place to provide handouts and work, and as an area for students to ask questions.
Additionally, they provide a fantastic environment for collaboration. Students can post responses and recieve feedback, they may share resources, or participate in collaborative learning activities or classwide discussions.
Blogs also provide a means for students to create digital portfolios. Students may upload their work or "publish" it to their blog. Similarly, students may use a blog as a response journal to classroom readings.
In specific content areas, blogs would be a great tool to post lesson summaries or useful information for students. They could also be used to provide review questions before tests.
I feel that the list of educational uses of blogs could be almost endless. Teachers could integrate blogs into almost any lesson, providing students with an engaging and motivating way to give, recieve, or share information.
I like that you mentioned the collaboration aspect of blogs. Blogs are much more conversational than perhaps traditional instruction and students are able to access and post from a myriad of sources online to enhance their posts. I also like your idea of publishing work. I think students often feel unmotivated to do great work if the teacher is the only one who will see it. By giving students the opportunity to publish their work, they are given a voice and given the opportunity to have that voice heard.
ReplyDeleteI really liked your idea on collaboration with your students. I know your new to the technology and so ready to use it. One thing that You should really think about while your planning out how to use blogs. You should really talk with your district/school/parents to see what their rules are about kids making their own blogs and protecting their privacy. Other than I love your ideas
ReplyDelete-Joseph Onorio
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ReplyDeleteI like you views in regards to posting handout and so on for student and parents. The world is moving towards technology so we just have to keep up. I know when my little one goes to school teachers are going to have different assignment online for her and worksheets. I like it
I really like to idea to use blogs for collaboration. I agree and like the idea of digital protfolios. B posting work on a blog it will not only allow teachers to view the work, but peers and parents. I think that digital portfolios are great ideas, because it can follow a student throughout their academic career and they will always have access to it. The studetns, parents and teachers can see the progress of the students work and skills.
ReplyDeleteNot to copy the previous posts but collaboration is an incredible aspect of blogs! Also, having an alternative discussion outlet for students who may not be as vocal in class, gives those students an opportunity to voice their opinions and have their voice be heard. As far as posting assignments, I'm all for that. I dislike hearing the excuse, "I didn't have the information/handout/assignment with me". If its online, they always have the information!
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