BP1_2009111_EDU_Blogs

I followed the instructions for my ETC assignment of doing some research on the educational uses of blogs today. First I went to edutopia.com because I always find pertinent information there. As you can see from my screenshot, I did a search on “educational uses of blogs” and I really did not have to go any further to get a quick and literal snapshot of how blogging is being utilized in the classroom today.

“Digital Discussion: Take Your Class to the Internet” is an article talking about how to set up blogs in the classroom. Clearly, blogs can be used for getting students involved in online discussions as the next listed article “Blogging Is History: Taking Classroom Discussions Online” implies, but blogging can simply be used to disseminate information as well. I know of at least two co-workers of mine who are using blogs to post homework and classroom updates online for students and parents to use as resources. Both teachers have seen an increase in work being completed and a decline in late work as a result. Therefore, I feel it is safe to say that blogs can also be a tool of organization and accountability for students as well.

The next resource that came up that caught my attention and made me think was “Teaching with Visuals: Students Respond to Images.” I interpreted that title a couple of different ways. As part of our ETC Blogging process, we are required to include images. My original thought was that using a blog to display images related to different content areas would be an interesting and innovative use of a blog. My secondary reaction was more literal to “Students Respond to Images.” Students could be required to respond in writing via the blog to images that are provided or that have to be researched and posted with their writing.

Finally, “Real-World Issues Motivate Students” does not appear to have much to do with blogging, but it made me think of how kids learn best. Kids learn best when they have something to actually relate to their lives and are able to make connections. An easy connection to the lives of teenagers is with technology. I look at technology like this: kids are going to use technology to help facilitate social interactions, so why not harness that passion for using the technology in ways that can grab their attention and foster social interactions that help them learn. Blogging is a great way to do this especially when you require students to not only discuss questions posted by a teacher, but also require them to challenge and respond to each other.

http://www.edutopia.org/search/node/educational%20uses%20of%20blogs