The use of blogs in the classroom is increasingly becoming an everyday occurrence. More and more teachers are evolving their learning experiences to align with the ever-changing world of technology. Not only is this important so that teachers can stay in touch with the latest advances but also can maintain a connection to their students.
Employing blogs in learning experiences gives students a sense of ownership which amplifies engagement from the students. Ensuring students are engaged eliminates several 'off-task' behaviours and issues which in turn creates a classroom environment which fosters students' learning.
It also is beneficial for the teacher as students become aware of each others problems and opinions more openly which enables students to peer-assess and peer-assist one another. However this should be closely monitored to ensure students are not leading each other down the wrong road.
Although there may be negatives regarding the use of blogs in education, my belief is that when used correctly, for the right reason, and monitored closely, blogs can be very effective in enhancing learning experiences.
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ReplyDeleteHi Jared,
ReplyDeleteIn my experience I have not seen blogs being used at schools although the research by Downs(2004)certainly indicates that it is used regularly and is of benefit to students. I understand how it engages students and teaches them how to read effectively and write meaningfully if the tool is used efficiently.
The ownership of the blog is important as students control what is written and edited, who has access to their site and who they follow.
I agree that the positives outweigh the negatives when blogging and if used properly students should make learning gains when ever they are connected according to Downs (2004).
How do you as a Learning Manager see yourself using this tool in the classroom?
Karen.
Hi Jared
ReplyDeleteI would agree with Karen on this one, blogs as blogs are not for education in the mainstream. I agree there are many students that would appreciate and use blogs for learning. I think you would find that these students are not mainstream, have good access to computers at home, and would generally be good learners no matter what learning materials were used. I am not saying that blogs should be allocated to the waste basket, far from it. What we need to do as learning managers is use blogs in new and creative ways. For example a blog could be used as a platform for group work, within the classroom situation, they could be used as a learning management system, or even as a forum platform. Teachers could give students administrator rights and get them to produce a class blog as groups, posting blogs and making comments on each other's blog. This means they will work together on one project and it will be easily monitored. I am sure our lecturers rue the day they sit down to look at all our blogs as each one is a creation in its own right. (The University of Warwick, 2010)
Jason.
Thanks for the comments Karen and Jason, I can see where you are coming from and I agree. Blogs as they are without any constraints or guidelines, I believe, don't have a place in edcuational settings. But in contrast, when this digital tool is utilised successfully, that is, with close monitoring and clear guidelines, it can be quite an effective teaching tool.
ReplyDelete