I think that using blogs can be helpful if people take them seriously. I think many things are like that. If there is a group of people in a study group, for example, and they are all connected on a blog site, they can learn from eachother by reading eachother's postings. They can comment on their posting and start a conversation with that person as a way to expand ideas and learn more things.
Like I said, however, it might be considered a "waste of time", if the people involved don't participate. It's like playing a sport. Let's use baseball as an example. If the pitcher doesn't throw the ball, how will the batter be able to hit? He can't. If one person is blogging alone, it may cause the same effect. While it can be useful for certain types of people to talk themselves through their thoughts and reread them, some people may not work this way. So, it may be better for some people to read someone else's thoughts to plant ideas in their heads and get THEM thinking. Then, they can communicate and learn from eachother.
Teacher-Created Blogs can be useful because a teacher can present information on the blog in order to expands on topics covered in class. Also, they can present new ideas for students who want to learn further details about things that won't even be covered on a test. This blog can also be helpful because it can show the teacher's willingness to engage students in the class who wouldn't normally speak up in class. This gives students a chance to talk to the teacher outside of the classroom where time constraints are an issue.
Teachers may chose to put links to outside sources that wouldn't be in the student's textbook or to show a real life event that reinforces an idea that may be seen as a written idea. That way, a student can see how the information in their textbooks and notes actually matter when they are outside of the classroom.
Student-Created Blogs can be useful if the teacher uses them right. If students get the chance to write what they think about certain ideas, it will show their viewpoint of a subject. One student may have one point of view and another student may have another way of looking at it. They may also find a person who thinks the same way as them, which can be both comforting and enlightening. When students look at other students blogs, they begin to see things a bit differently. It may help them understand a topic that they weren't understanding to begin with, or it may further expand their knoweledge, thereof.
And, as it states in the book, teachers must be aware of internet safety. If they make those things clear and even proofread students posts, they can protect their students from posting information that is too personal.
Writing blogs can also create a sense of pride when you find people who care about what you say.
In conclusion, as long as teachers pay attention to internet safety and use blogs in a constructive way, like the ways listed above, blogs can become a valuable tool in learning.
Assessing Meaningful Learning
14 years ago
