Blogging and the Classroom

When one thinks of the average classroom with the average teacher, I'm sure that the word "Blog" does not come to mind. Many students view their teachers as antiquated, boring, and technologically incompetent individuals. Unfortunately, this may have been the case for some students, but that need no longer be true! As our students are gradually integrating more and more technology into their own lives, everywhere from text messaging to "talk" to their friends, to Facebook for sharing pictures and updating your "friends" on how you feel or what you are doing at that exact moment, it is vital that the educator not only understand the various modes of technology, but also how to use them to reach these same students in a way not previously broached.

So how exactly can we use Blogging in the infamous "Classroom"?

One great way is simply for the teacher to blog periodically about what is going on in the class, perhaps share important info, etc. with students, parents, or anyone who is interested in learning more. By including the blog URL on the syllabus and sending it home with students, interested parents are able to feel more involved in their students learning and even leave feedback or questions for the instructor on said blog. Students are also able to refer back to the Blog if they have questions about what was covered while out sick or for vacation, and can also use this as a way to interact with the teacher outside of class for questions or to share other information that relates to class content.

Blogs are also a great way to foster discussions outside of the classroom. Perhaps the teacher will assign a reading assignment or research topic, and require the students to blog about what they found, how they responded to the material, or questions they still have. Instead of using class time (or perhaps in addition to limited class time0 this blog site allows students to interact with each other and the instructor in an online forum. This information can then be referenced later when the student is preparing for a test or final project for study material, or can be reused to put together a portfolio.

It's obvious that these two ideas are not the only way in which a Blog can be used in the classroom. In fact, the possibilities really are endless. So instead of holding a typical classroom debate, try blogging! Instead of waiting until Student/Teacher Conferences to interact with parents for the very first time,  try blogging! If your feeling bored, try blogging!

Oh blogging....the places we will go, the people we will meet. 

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