Blog Articles (assignment 1)

After reading various articles on the art of blogging, I've come to the conclusion that for a number of reasons, blogs could be excellent educational tools. However, blogging may not be ideal for all students and/or all educational situations.

First, I recognize the importance of integrating technology into curriculum. Students will truly be better prepared for post-secondary education and beyond in today's evolving technological world. I believe school blogs can be used for simple tasks such as posting assignments and tests for students, as well as for more complex tasks, such as walking students through the entire writing process. I can imagine meaningful uses for blogs in all content areas. Students and teachers can combine face-to-face communication with online conversations to create well-rounded learning experiences. For these reasons, I feel blogging could be a great addition to traditional learning in the classroom.

While blogging could be beneficial, one cannot assume that all students have access to computers or Internet connections. So, assigning online work to be done at home may not always be an option. Another consideration in using blogs may be the age of the students involved. Today, kids are gaining technological experience at a younger age, however elementary aged students may need more face-to-face direction in order to gain optimal meaning. One of the posted blog articles referred to a third grade class utilizing blogs, so those teachers evidently found a way to make it work. An additional issue in blogging may be incorrect language usage. Kids have the tendency to use "IM speak" (instant message language) to abbreviate and expedite online conversations. In this case, I believe it's important to use blogs as an extension of the school day. Students should be encouraged to use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. and in some cases, their responses should be graded on these criteria. For these reasons, teachers must lay out specific guidelines for blog use as an extension of the classroom.

In sum, while blogging certainly has it's advantages and potential for meaningful interactive experiences, there are many considerations for appropriate use in and out of school.