Blogging in Education

Module 6: Presenting Technology Research

by Sarah Konkey

MENUSlide 3……….. Article 1: Five Don’ts of Classroom

Blogging (click title on slide to view full article)

Slide 4……….. ReflectionSlides 5-6…… Article 2: Reflections on Using Blogs to

Expand In-class Discussion (click title on slide to view full article)

Slide 7……….. ReflectionSlides 8-9…… Article 3: The Pros (and a few cons too) of

Blogging (click title on slide to view full article)

Slide 10……… ReflectionSlide 11-12… Conclusion

Five Don’ts of Classroom Blogging

by J. Sturgeon 1. DON’T just dive in- possibly have students and parents sign a code of

conduct and spend time practicing with students before letting them do it on their own

2. DON’T confuse blogging with social networking- educational blogs are about students helping each other and doing assignments

3. DON’T leap at freebies- free sites sometimes have a wide range of advertisements that teachers cannot control

4. DON’T force a sequential style- structuring blogs by topics instead of by time can be more beneficial to students

5. DON’T leave the blogging to the students- as a teacher get in there and blog too! Provide questions for students to answer by commenting on your blog and get them to give their opinions as well

Citation: Sturgeon, J. (2008, February). Five Don’ts of Classroom Blogging. THE Journal, 35(2), 26-30. Retrieved April 27, 2009, from Academic Search Premiere database.

Reflection• Interesting Quote:“A blog becomes a community. You get to

know students in ways that they won’t reveal otherwise. A quiet child will give you their opinion [in a blog].”– I liked this quote because it is true. There are lots of students who are

too afraid to speak up during class but may be more willing to express their opinions on a blog.

A-HA!• I did not know you could structure the blogs by topic• Sometimes the voice that blogging gives to students can be troublesome

when they try to push the limits• Teachers need to keep their own blog as well so that they can be an

example of what students should be doing and writing about as well as get feedback from students

Reflections on Using Blogs to Expand In-class Discussion

by S. Wang and H. Hsua

Blogs can create online communities and can serve as “interactive knowledge exchange tools”

Found that learning could be more meaningful to students if they are able to exchange ideas with other students

Some ideas: instructors can invite participants from another school or just another class to participate in a discussion, faculty can work with faculty from another school on a project blog, or have students design a class newsletter together

Some problems: students may consider blogging outside of the classroom an extra burden, it can be time-consuming, and some students may feel overwhelmed

Cont’d Instructors should offer training sessions to demonstrate how to do it and

to explain what is and what is not appropriate Students can share stories about themselves that they would not be able

to do in-class because time is limited during class

Citation: Wang, S., Hsua, H. (2008, May). Reflections on Using Blogs to Expand In-class Discussion. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 52(3), 81-85. Retrieved April 27, 2009, doi:10.1007/s11528-008-0160-y

Reflection• Interesting Quote: “ Blog participants may write for readers

beyond the classroom, an opportunity that is not possible in discussion boards.”– I liked this quote because blogs are a good way to have your students write things that

other teachers or students from other schools can read and respond to. At the same time, some teachers may want their classroom blog to be private so that only students that are in the class can read and respond.

A-HA!• Working with a class from another school on a group project is a fun and

interesting idea that I had not thought about• From the article, it seem as thought students respond to blogging better

when they are shown how to use it properly and are allowed some flexibility in their assignments

• A training session with the students is the best way to ensure that they know how to use a blogging tool properly and to be clear about what they are supposed to do

The Pros (and a few cons too) of Blogging

by R. Ramaswami

One teacher did a study in which his students kept a blog throughout the process of writing a research paper where they wrote about new ideas and got feedback from teachers and classmates

Study found that 60% of students found that blogging helped them get started on their research paper, which students say is the hardest part of a research paper

Students also said that it helped them organize their thoughts and that they benefitted from classmates’ feedback

http://www.robbuti.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/blogging.jpg

Cont’d In another study elementary students were asked to write a five-

paragraph essay and make an online presentation to go with their essay while keeping a blog throughout the process

Students posted one paragraph as a time to their blog and received feedback

Found that the students’ general attitudes towards writing improved as well as their motivation

Also, the quality of their writing samples improved compared to earlier samples from the students’ writings

Citation: Ramaswami, R. (2008, November). The Prose (and a Few Cons, too) of Blogging. (Cover Story). T H E Journal, 35(11), 21-25. Retrieved April 27, 2009, from

Academic Search Premier database.

Reflection

• Interesting Quote: “ Students should think and write about what they learn across all subjects and grade levels.”– This quote was interesting because students should write about all different subjects

because it will not only improve their writing quality but improve their vocabulary and understanding of each subject they are taught in school.

A-HA!• Before the elementary project, 39% of the third-graders said they liked

writing at school; afterwards, that number rose to 67%• More teen bloggers write for personal reasons outside of school than do

teens who do not blog at all• In the first experiment, 74% said blog posts helped them form their ideas,

while 68% said blogs helped them determine what to say

ConclusionBlogging is a very new type of resource that

can be used in a good way. Teachers should definitely take advantage of this unique and colorful resource to get their students minds working and to get them interested in what they are learning in school everyday. By using this technology teachers will see a difference in their students’ motivation and the quality of their work, in all subjects.

http://eveliascribbles.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/blogging1.jpg