A web blog can serve a great purpose in the classroom. In my classroom I would use a blog to continue discussion beyond the classroom. As per Richardson, “blogs are being used as class portals, online filing cabinets for student work, e-portfolios, collaborative workspace, knowledge management and even school websites (Richardson, 2006)” I would also use a web blog to give specific prompts that may relate to standardized testing. For instance a new aspect of standardized testing includes explanatory essays in which students must use prior knowledge such as literature, history and personal experiences to explain a quote. These types of prompts can be used for both discussion and practice for testing. I would also use web blogs for communication among students for group projects. The web blog facilitates communication to complete their groups work when transportation to meet may not be available. With a blog students can discuss important topics discussed in the classroom and allow for critical thinking.
Blogging is a means of communication and professional writing for students. Students can use blogs as a forum to display their writing publicly. In this manner students take consideration in their writing and address spelling, grammar, and contextual aspects of their writing. This is an excellent forum for students to interact about content because it allows an educational discussion to continue outside of the classroom. Students can bring additional thoughts to the discussion and showcase their writing skills by involving themselves in a written debate with other students.
The grade level I teach is 10th, 11th, and 12th grade. I am a Social Studies teacher and I teach US History I, Criminal Justice, and Psychology. The blog enhances the lesson because it is a different way to have a discussion and reinforce what was learned in the chapter. Students can take a more active role in the classroom by collaborating with one another. Blogs are essential tools for the classroom because they allow for collaboration outside of the classroom and continued professional writing exchange among students.
I think that you have some great ideas about how to use a blog in your classroom. I really like the idea of how classmates can do group work without actually being in the same location. I have never thought of using blogs that way and I think it's a neat way to use one. I also like the idea of using a blog for test prep. It's a great way to see where the students are struggling with answers. I was wondering if you had ideas on how to encourage students to try using the blog who may not be comforatable with the idea of blogging or the format of it? I think I would meet this challenge by having the students take a "trip" to the computer lab as a whole class to try and entry into the blog. That way if they have any questions or fears about the blogging process you are right there to help them. I think you have some great ideas that have potential to build on.
ReplyDeleteTo encourage students to participate I would do just that. I would take them through a step by step process, in which students can go to the computer lab and truly understand how easy it is to participate in a blog the the benefits it provides.
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