By: Katie Jackson

Blogging in Education

Menu• Blogging In Education Today Summary Continued Reflection• Blogging? It's Elementary, My Dear Watson! Summary Continued Reflection• In the Classroom, Web Logs Are the New Bulletin Boards Summary Continued Reflection

Blogging In Education Today By K. Walsh

Walsh, K. (2010). Blogging in education today. Retrieved from http://www.emergingedtech.com/2010/08/blogging-in-education-today-a-multipart-series/

• K. Walsh wrote an article about the uses of blogging as it pertains to educational professionals such as teachers, administrators, and education-based technologists.

Walsh explained that teachers use blogs for a variety of reasons, some of which include providing assignments to students, communicating with other teachers about classroom experiences, or sharing with other educators the use of educational technologies.

Return to menu

Blogging In Education Todaycontinued…

“The earliest uses of blogs by teachers were like most of the blogs that were first written in the 90’s and early 2000’s – blogging just for the sake of sharing thoughts with others who might be interested” (Walsh).

Walsh explained that teachers first started out using blogs simply to communicate with other teachers. Now, teachers use blogs for anything and everything, even if it’s just stating what happened in their class that day. She also gives examples of what teacher’s blogs look like these days by giving hyperlinks to actual blogs.

Here is an example of a teacher’s blog Walsh recommended:http://www.johntspencer.com/

The author’s name is John Spencer!

Return to menu

Reflection on…Blogging In Education TodayI enjoyed reading this article and learning how I, as a teacher , can utilize blogging in the future to keep up and share stories with my colleagues. I think it’s a great idea for teachers to put out there what they are doing in their classrooms. By blogging about the lessons and experiences you have in your classroom, you open yourself up to feedback from other teachers who might like what you are doing or who have improvements you could make. This is something I think can only make you a better teacher.

Return to menu

Blogging? It's Elementary, My Dear Watson!

By Lorrie Jackson

Jackson, L. (2010). Blogging? it's elementary, my dear watson!. Retrieved from http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech217.shtml

• “At its core, blogging -- or Web logging -- is an online diary or journal. Take a look at any blog and you'll immediately see the connection between it and a traditional diary” (Jackson).

• In this article Lorrie Jackson talks about how blogging is so easy, an elementary aged student could do it. Then Jackson goes on to talk about how elementary aged students are actually using blogging in the classroom and how it stimulates their abilities to write.

Return to menu

Blogging? It’s Elementary, My Dear Watson!

continued… In this article Jackson talked about a specific website known as Blogmeister that was developed by David Warlick, founder of the Landmark Project. The program is completely online and requires no software to install. Jackson talked about how all the teacher had to do was set up the student’s accounts, and let them start typing. However, the student cannot just post whatever they want, the teacher has to approve it. If it is approved, it is published, if it is not approved, it is sent back to the student for editing. Giving elementary aged students the right to blog is one that they will find exciting and enriching since their audience on the web is significantly bigger than that of a classroom. It opens up more room for feedback and allows shy students to flourish.

Return to menu

Reflection on…Blogging? It’s Elementary, My Dear WatsonI was surprised when I read this article. I had no clue elementary aged students were capable of blogging at such an early age. I thought it was a different but interesting idea for getting students excited about writing. I agree that some students might be afraid or shy when it comes to talking out in class. However, I believe blogging is a great way for those students to shine. Blogging is something that allows a person to get their ideas and feeling out, so why not start children out early? I for one would have loved to be able to blog in elementary school because it would have taught me not only how to use a computer, but how to type!

Return to menu

In the Classroom, Web Logs Are the New Bulletin BoardsBy Jeffrey Selingo

Selingo, J. (2004). In the classroom, web logs are the new bulletin boards. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/19/technology/in-the-classroom-web-logs-are-the-new-bulletin-boards.html

• Jeffrey Selingo wrote an article about how Marisa L. Dudiak's second-grade class in Frederick County, Md., did a blogging assignment after returning from a Native American farm field trip. Selingo reported that Dudiak thought blogging would be a better idea than having the students write in a paper journal. Dudiak explained, ''It allowed them to interact with their peers more quickly than a journal would” (Selingo). • Selingo reported on how the students wrote basic sentences such as how they learned to shoot a bow and arrow. Although the posts included many spelling errors and mistakes, “the exercise proved more fruitful than a group discussion” (Selingo).

Return to menu

In the Classroom, Web Logs Are the New Bulletin Boardscontinued…• Selingo also stated that students also

use blogging to do things such as “write about how they attacked a tough math problem, post observations about their science experiments or display their latest art projects” (Selingo). This allows students to feel more accomplished because their work is being seen by millions on the worldwide web as opposed to a few people in their classroom. • Selingo explained how several people feel that blogging is the future. It takes less maintenance and is as easy as clicking a button.

Return to menu

Reflection on…In the Classroom, Web Logs Are the New Bulletin BoardsI think it is great that teachers are getting their students excited about technology such a blogging , at such a young age. Technology is undoubtedly the future of our society and students need to grow up in an environment that will prepare them for what is to come. I think that advances in technology are becoming more and more prevalent with each day and students need to be brought up with the knowledge of how to stay ahead. This responsibility of training students lies with our teachers and it good to know that such efforts are already underway.Return to menu

Conclusion

Web Logging, or Blogging, has come into its own over the last couple of years. It is no longer being used as a day to day diary, but as a means of communicating ideas to the world. Blogging went from being a new

technology to one now being used by elementary aged students. It is the technology of the future and will continue to become more and more advanced as

it goes along. However, as it stands in education today, it is doing wonders for communication and

student growth!• “One of the goals of classroom blogs, advocates say,

is to get students to write more often” (Selingo). • Let’s get our student’s excited about writing, for

themselves, and for their future!

Return to menu