I have to admit, I was really not interested in blogging with my students. For some reason I did not see the benefits of it. But after the required readings I have come to realize that my students will really like blogging. I have found that it is a way to get students involved in the activity and contributing to the lesson with out having that student say anything in class. So many students have a fear of speaking in front of their peers and are very intimidated about even the thought of doing that. So this is a very "friendly" way to get the students engaged in the lesson with out fear of speaking in front of the class.
I also like that my students can access my blog anytime of day or night and I do not have to facilitate the discussion. Students love to express their opinions and blogging can be a great way for students to do that. I think that it would be very interesting to see how they develop ideas and grow in their understanding of the content.
Melanie.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is nice because the assignments can be accessed from anywhere at anytime. It is difficult for a student to make any excuse for not blogging when they can do it from anywhere.
The nice thing is that you can add a blog once and not have to worry about it. if it works and the students are enjoying it you can continue, or if it doesn't, you can tweak it or choose to move on.
Melanie -
ReplyDeleteI felt exactly the same about blogging until I did the readings for this project. It is amazing what can be done with this concept for younger students. The Teddy Bear Blog that the 2nd graders were writing was pretty amazing and it was basic stuff like posting pictures and describing what was happening with their class. However, I still struggle to find a way to incorporate it for my Kindergarten students. I can use it, but it would be great to find a way for the students to actually be able to participate first hand . . .
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ReplyDeleteMelanie,
ReplyDeleteI agree, there are so many students in school, especially in middle school who really don't care about participating in class discussions. However, when they are asked to blog about their favorite book or hobby, the conversations that continue are amazing.
I think blogging is a great motivating tool for students to develop their reading, writing, vocabulary and creativity abilities. After reading about 2nd graders and how good they are at blogging, I think it would be a good idea to share it with other teachers at the next school meeting we have.
I agree blogging opens doors for some students and is a great social connectivity tool. The asynchronos nature of blogging helps to narrow the digital divide and level the field. It makes blogging a great adaptable tool.
ReplyDeleteMelanie
ReplyDeleteI love to hear that the readings have made a difference and were not just another assignment to get through! :-) And the course blog has allowed you to read such wonderful ideas and stories about blogging use that enrich the curriculum.
So I can see that you are motivated! Good luck with the implementation! :-)