Classroom Blogging

Educational technology is becoming more predominant in classrooms today. Blogging is sweeping into classrooms all over the nation. Most blogs are free, so it will not interfere with school budgets. Blogs are easy to include in all subjects. If you want to improve students writing skills, or simply motivate them to write; blogging is the perfect solution. There are many benefits to blogging. Students of all ages can blog their thoughts, class assignments, personal stories, and even artwork. Blogging at an early age prepares students for future college work. I just created my blog this semester, if it wasn’t for Dr. Thompson requiring us to create one I would have never started blogging.

“Students know the technology, what they don’t often know is how it can change them as students.” (as cited by Ramaswami, 2008).

 

Benefits of Blogging:

Motivation

• Students enjoy reading comments from their teacher, parents, family, fellow students, and community. Blogging motivates students to write more beyond their classroom assignments.
• Jon Schwartz from Garrison Elementary School created a blog for his fourth and fifth grade students. Mr. Schwartz has stated that even on weekends his students’ blog (Schwartz, 2008). For more information on Mr. Schwartz class visit http://kidslikeblogs.org
• The amount of motivation that students acquire really encourages them to write, which in turn develops a passion for writing.

Increased Writing Skills and Literacy

• Students’ grammar, punctuation, and spelling improve (Jackson, 2012).
• Students are able to draft, revise, and edit.
• Students become more descriptive and detailed.
• Improvement in the quantity of writing.
• Students write for a purpose
• Increase Vocabulary
• Ability to explore different point of views

Communication/ Collaboration

• Students communicate with other students and teachers around the nation
• Students are able to provide, as well as receive feedback on their blogs
• Blogging increase collaboration within the classroom
• Creates a community of learners
• Students develop an audience

Online Portfolio

• Can be accessed anywhere
• Tracking a student’s improvement throughout the term
• Can be viewed by parents/guardians, family members, and teachers
• Teachers can also use blogs as an online portfolio and professional development tool

Student-Center

• Students blog about any topic
• Students use the internet and different forms of media to research new topics
• Student can pursue their own answers and direct their learning (Davis, & McGrail, 2009)

Safety First!

Students who blog feel more motivated to write. Students invest more of their time when they are writing for an audience. It’s important to establish safety rules and procedures prior to blogging. Parents should be aware of these safety rules when students are blogging from home. Jon Schwartz approves each comment that is added to a student’s page. Teachers should set up passwords to each student’s blog to monitor their posts as well as comments. There are some blogs that are created specifically for the education community. Teachers looking for a student safe educational blog can download blogmeister, a free online blog created by David Warlick.

 

Brain research indicates that growth is enhanced when students move beyond their comfort zone ad into the unknown (as cited by Brooks, & Brooks, 1993). Blogging creates an environment where students can explore a world outside of their classrooms. Students are provided with information that they might not understand. This encourages students to go above and beyond their assignments to research and discovery new answers. Blogging stimulates creative and reflective thinking (Ramaswami, 2008). It’s imperative that educators model the benefits of blogging. As stated by Deb Marciano “we need to learn technology, otherwise, our students won’t. We need to roll up our sleeves and do it as well.” (Marciano, 2008).

Kathleen Morris and Kelly Jordan (2011)

Resources:        

Davis, A.P., & McGrail, E. (2009). The Joy of Blogging. Educational Leadership, 66 (6), 74-77. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar09/vol66/num06/The-Joy-of-Blogging.aspx
Jackson, L. (2012). Blogging? Its Elementary My Dear Watson!. Education World. Retrieved from http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech217.shtml
Morris, K., & Jordan, K. (2011). Benefits of Blogging. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTCe9XMFPDk&feature=related
Ramaswami, R., (2008). The Prose of Blogging. T.H.E. Journal, 35, 21-25. Retrieved from http://thejournal.com/articles/2008/11/01/the-prose-of-blogging-and-a-few-cons-too.aspx
Schwartz, J. (2008). Elementary Student Bloggers Crossing the Digital Divide. Retrieved from http://kidslikeblogs.org/

 

Did you Know?

Did you Know? By Dr. Scott Mcleod

What an amazing video. It is apparent that technology is constantly changing. The educational system is constantly playing as I term “catch up”. Teachers need to be the leaders and find ways to incorporate technology into the classroom. With today’s economy budget is certainly an issue, but teachers need to work together to become creative and find ways around the budget crisis. This action of unity will highly benefit our students for years to come.

Are we doing what is best for our students, or are we doing what is most convenient for us?

It is the assumption of the community that schools and teachers strive to provide the best for their students. If teachers do what is best for their students, then their students will excel. When teachers find it convenient to do things the traditional way, then students are in my opinion given the short end of the stick. There are many teachers who have become comfortable over the years and don’t see a need for change. They may ask themselves, why change when what I have been doing has been working. Would we want our doctor to stop attending professional seminars and rely on out of date medications. If we demand this need for growth from other professions, then we should demand this for ourselves. We are professionals too.

I do not want to discredit the teachers out there who are trying to put their students first. I just believe that there are not many teachers in the educational system who show this kind of determination for improvement. All my classmates in Dr. Kelvin Thompson technology for educator’s course are here to expand on their knowledge to provide their students or current students with the best. We are all headed in the right direction and look forward to the journey ahead of us. What is it that stops teachers who showed so much passion and a need for change in the beginning, to just become comfortable?

The National Council on Teacher Quality is an organization that promotes the need to increase the amount of effective teachers nationwide. This organization was created when Michelle Rhee the superintendent of Washington D.C. fired low performing educators within her district. This served as a wake- up call that teacher quality is demanded. I encourage you to visit this website http://transfer.sdes.ucf.edu/.  

Let’s stand together and be the voice of our students. Let’s lead by example and encourage others to follow. Marianne Williamson said it best “our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure”.