My experiences with blogging are limited to what I have learned in our ETC class. Fortunately, this web 2.0 tool has been relatively easy to set up compared to some of the other tools I have been introduced to. The learning curve has not been too steep, so to speak, thanks to sites such as http://edublogs.org/. This being said, blogging is an excellent web 2.0 tool to use in the educational setting. Even teachers that do not have a lot of experience with blogging can easily access resources to get them up and running with a classroom blog. Blogs are a good tool to introduce students that may not have much experience with technology into the web 2.0 world.
Besides being easy to set up a class blog, blogs can be used by both a single user or as a collective group or class (Huffaker, 2005). Blogs give students who may not be willing to share their thoughts and ideas in the classroom setting an opportunity for their voice to be heard. Students can learn from one another, and build relationships that may not have occurred otherwise. Blogs expose students to new ideas that my change how the act in their "reality" settings. Students of all ages can participate in blogging in all forms of curriculum, whether it is a physical education class or a science class (Huffaker, 2005). Students may blog about photos pertaining to a specific project, or post their poems for a literature assignment. Huffaker writes that there are multiple advantages to blogs in terms of literacy. Blogs not only allow for the traditional literacy learning, but also encourage digital fluency (Huffaker, 2005).
Another good educational reason to use blogs in education is the fact that students are able to access their blogs from an location where they have internet access. This increases the amount of learning time, by removing the time constraints of the class period (Huffaker, 2005).
Teachers are able to collaborate with other teachers within their school or even across the globe. Students are able to make connections with students they may never have known existed. Blogging gives students an opportunity to bridge the gap with other learners and their cultures.
It is obvious that blogging is an excellent tool for teachers to implement in their classrooms. The uses for blogs in the educational setting are only limited by the educators imagination.
Huffaker, D. (2005). The Educated Blogger: Using Weblogs to Promote Literacy in the Classroom. AACE Journal, 13(2), 91-98. Norfolk, VA: AACE. Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/5680.
I would have to say you have learned a great deal in a short period of time. I think the key to what you wrote about lack of experience and the learning curve is that writing and responding to others ideas are natural for us as learners. This just makes the communication end so much wider and easier - and more fun! Great post, Julie!
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