Blogging has become very popular as more and more people become technology literate. The classroom is no exception. Several teachers have jumped on the blog idea and put it to use quite successfully in their classrooms. While others are slower to embrace this new technology because they feel it is not safe for children to use the Internet in this manor. There are still to many who do not approve of the new technology and refuse to use it in their classrooms.
One teacher who has jumped in and begun using the blog as part of their classroom instruction is Molly Cries. She feels there are many reasons for using blogging in the classroom. One of these reasons is it motivates students who otherwise do not participate in the classroom to participate. It provides opportunities for students to read, write, and share their works. Sets up forums for collaboration and discussion. Blogging is a tool that enables scaffold learning or mentoring to occur (Cries, 2006).
Blogging is an Internet activity so it is available 24/7. It can help with classroom management by providing a place where students can be informed of requirements, handouts, notices and homework assignments or for posting questions and answers. Collaboration allows teachers and peers to review and comment on student writings. Discussions, students can express their opinions and comment on others. Student portfolios are another way to use blogs. The archives will provide a pathway from the beginning writing to the improvements obvious in current work (Cries, 20)
Teachers connect their students to real world problems and encourage collaboration with classmates and others through blogging. One teacher has a book club where hers students reads a book and then puts there report on a blog. The blog is read by an older group of students 100 miles away who then comment on their report. This encourages the students to talk about the book through blogging. Another teacher in the same school has students write poetry and then read their poetry into a microphone to record it. The recording is then sent to another teacher, who operates a radio station where the student?s poetry is then read on the air (Boling, Castek, Zawilinski Barton, & Nierlich,).
These teachers shared a common problem, they were excited about trying to use blogging in their classrooms, but the school?s filters would not allow them access to the sites. They talked with administrators after some convincing were able to have the filters removed from these sites. Many schools have these same types of filters in place and present a problem for teachers wishing to use blogging for education in their classrooms.
I have never used a blog before starting this program. I had heard of them, and often thought I would like to try one if I could find out how to do it. Now that I have learned a little about blogging, I can see it has many uses. As an educator interested in passing onthe information I have learned this would be a great way to put the information out there without shoving it at coworkers and colleagues. Finding new information to help solve problems I am encountering, communicating with parents and other interested parties. The opportunities for using blogger is only limited by your imagination.
. References
Boling, E., Castek, J., Zawilinski, L., Barton, K., & Nierlich,T. March 2008. Collaborative Literacy: Blogs and Internet Projects, Reading Teacher; Mar2008, Vol. 61 Issue 6, p504-506, 3p retrieved 02/05/2010 from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=11&hid=104&sid=8e363d55-552d-438f-b8dd-8f7f86b9570a%40sessionmgr114
Crie, M., (October, 2006). Using blogs to integrate technology in the classroom, Teaching Today. Retrieved 02/05/2010 from http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/educationupclose.phtml/47
Great post, Margo. You are right about blogging as a great way for sharing information. You are modeling the behavior for students, colleagues, parents and administrators while proving your points as you develop professionally and personally through learning by doing. Keep blogging!
ReplyDelete