Using Blogs?
How would you choose to use blogs in your classroom, and why? (if you would not use them, that is fine; just explain why)
Remember, you must respond to one of your peers as well.
posted by Tanya Judd Pucella @ 6:52 AM
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Remember, you must respond to one of your peers as well.
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12 Comments:
I'm not sure I would use blogs in my classroom. I would much rather talk to the students face to face about topics. Discussion in blogs just seems to be sterile and lacking personality. There is also the possibility that some students do not have a computer/Internet or do not know how to use blogs. (I personally did not know how to use a blog until very recently.)
The only reason I can think to use a blog would be in place of giving out a phone number, AIM or email if the students or parents needed to communicate with the me at night, over the weekend or holiday breaks. It would be a way to communicate changes or corrections for assignments to the entire class on short notice.
I have to somewhat agree with Jessica. Although blogs require a discussion to be made it seems liek the negative out way the positives. It seems that many times the students just change the words around and repeat what another student has already said. Also, if you have the same ideas as another student (like me agreeing with Jessica) it takes away that personal thought, because she wrote hers first! I think class discussion seems to be a better option, or if there is someway to have all the students respond to the question without seeing anyone else's comments and then being able to allow all the students to see responses and then begin a disucssion that would be a better route. Not to mention, many students still may not have access to a computer, or computer problems, so it would be challenging give a respond by date, because you will always have the student who uses technology as an excuse as to why they did not participate.
On a positive note, it does get more students involved because it takes away the intimidation of "sounding stupid" in front of their peers. For some reason there is a level of comfort having a computer screen between you and your classmates and students seem to be more open on the computer.
Personally not a big fan of blogging. Maybe it's the old fashioned gal in me but I'd rather send out a newsletter than do this just because I don't know how often I would get online to look at a blog for a class let alone a high school student. Only when required have I ever!! Um...I guess maybe a way to communicate with parents or students in an anyomous way for those who are introverted. Allow them this option to express concerns about learning or even discuss class items such as those you showed us. Open all possible doors of communication and so families who are able to use it, can do so and those who can't don't have to worry about not being able to but know they will get a newsletter, phone call, or can meet or call you at any time. Just be available to parents and students.
Blogging is interesting if you can get original responses from students. However, I agree with previous comments that oftentimes you still do not receive original comments from students.
I would maybe use a blog if I were a college professor and could not be in class or use it to keep students who are missing class up to date.
Also like we were our on expert on a certain topic we could do the same thing with a blog. The students could set up their own blog about their concept. They give the general information and then this give students an opportunity to ask questions. This way you are not taking an entire class period on things.
I don't think I would use blogs in my classroom unless I could incorporate them in a REALLY neat way. If I did, I would have to be sure that every student had internet access at home or set aside enough time to be able to use the computers in the classroom or computer lab.
One idea is somewhat of a penpal idea. If I could contact a teacher in another school in another country who had access to the internet, we could have class to class discussions about various topics, which would give students some global experience.
Other than that, I don't really like the idea of blogs. I just don't think they are personal enough, and I would much rather have in-class discussions.
I'm posting this again because I don't think it worked the first time..this is why I don't like blogs!!
I really like Mallory's idea of using a blog to create have pen pals from a different region or country. It would be really cool if the students were able to visit their pen pals at the end of the school year.
I would not use blogs on a regular basis in my classroom because of distance that is created through it and the inability for students to ask their own questions in a blog. Nothing can replace a classroom setting because of the personal and informal contact that exists in a classroom. I would utilize it if I were sick or absent from school because it allows at least some form of contact with my students. I could pose my students questions and have them support their opinions in a quasi-discussion setting. The big problem with a blog is the inability of some students to have access to it because of either financial situation or lack of an internet connection.
I agree with Jessica that blogs do lack the personality that students and classrooms have. It seems as if the students are robots, designed just to answer the question at hand and not proposing new questions.
I think that there is a strength and a weakness to using blogs in class.
As previously stated, blogs can make interaction very impersonal and are not as exciting as face to face discussions. However, that is exactly what some students in each of our classrooms will need. Some students will not come out of their "shells" in class, and would probably be much more comfortable writing something down and typing it in. I think there is also a strength to using a blog when it comes to current events. Sometimes discussions on current events can become very, very heated, and a blog atmosphere allows more control and less confrontation than a class discussion may cause.
If I were to use blogs, a classroom computer or computer lab would have to be available to the students, to ensure that all of them would be able to have access to the blog.
And I would also like to agree that Mallory's idea of pen pals by blog is a great way of utilizing technology in the classroom.
I feel blogs have both pros and cons in the classroom.
The pros are that they are something different and most students would think that using a blog for a classroom discussion is “cool”. Blogs are also good for those students that may not want to talk aloud in class discussion. It will offer them an alternative venue. Blogs are also ways for students to ask each other questions and perhaps have a debate. I love mallory's pen pal idea.
I agree with most everyone else that with blogging you loose the face-to-face contact. Blogs may be hard to use outside the classroom because not every student has a computer with Internet at home. Even some schools will not have enough computers for students. I agree with rmp001
that it takes away that personal thought, because someone else wrote it first!
I don't think that I would use blogs in my classroom except for maybe setting one up for the students to ask questions about their assignments or something. I think they lack personality and get people out of talking in class which is important not only to education but for social skills as well. Also, being honest, I don't like blogs and don't feel I get very much insight from them, so I would assume some of my students would feel the same way.
Although this is my first experience on a “blogging” website, I intend to use blogs (or some type of discussion board/online forum) in my classroom. I love Mallory’s idea of pen pals. I hope to have my students use blogs as one means of keeping personal journals (no matter what subject I teach). My sixth grade teacher made us keep journals and it was such a great experience. I understand the lack of technology and Internet availability for many students (especially in this area) and would provide time for students to write in class. I do not think anything compares to being in a classroom environment, but there is definitely comfort for some in being able to talk on the computer.
Geoff’s idea of using the blog as an alternative means when the teacher is absent is a good suggestion and could be really helpful if the access was available.
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