blogs as an alternative to paper literacy responses

Recently, I had the opportunity to see how some teachers are using blogs in the classroom. One idea is to have students write responses about the books they are reading at home. The students typically write responses and letters weekly, and this was a fun and unique format for them to try.  It gave the students a creative outlet and a way to also communicate with their classmates. Very quickly, the students were asking eachother questions, and showing a genuine interest in what others were reading. This collaborative envioronment was easily made possible by the blog.

One thing to be aware of, is that each student has access to a computer. Many students may not have home computers and it is important to have classroom or school computers available to those students for their use. Overall, it was interesting to see how students responded to the blogging assignment- many of them enjoyed it. From a teachers perspective, it was fairly easy to view student responses and see which students were participating. This is something I would certainly like to try.

Wikis in the classroom

     Until very recently, I too was unaware of the many possibilities of using Wikipedia in a classroom setting. Most of us agree that a group of people who come together and give input on one topic will learn more than one person alone. It is this collaborative process that Wikipedia promotes. In a classroom setting, using Wikipedia encourages cooperative learning among students.
     Due to its interactive structure, each student is given the opportunity to contribute information or other helpful features in a lesson competitive format. Teachers may know when their students due assigned tasks, but using Wikipedia in the classroom moves away from so many of the activities that seem to foster competition among students. Creating a Wiki page gives students a sense of accomplishment and pride, while allowing them to participate in authentic and realistic tasks. Currently I am teaching an Explorers unit in social studies. I thought it would be fantastic to have students create a Wiki for this unit. Groups of students could work together and independently to gather information they have collected from the unit, and essentially "teach" each other about the different explorers.



Samuel de Champlain on Wikipedia



Using Blogs to Create Writers in the Classroom

     After reading the Penrod chapter,  I was amazed at how little I knew about blogging as a way to enhance literacy skills. Penrod argues that one of the reasons blogs are so successful in a classroom environment is that students can take control of the learning and writing process. Blogging encourages critical thinking and thoughtful purpose when composing. It also promotes awareness of basic grammar and punctuation since no author wants to display a piece of writing with poor grammar. Penrod states that these literate bloggers must also be aware of how to select sound, font, color, images, and text that is appropriate for the audience.

    One aspect of blogs that I find most appealing is the aesethetic nature that blogging holds. I enjoy reading the text on a blogsite and appreciate the graphic or images that support the text. This allows the author an even greater sense of freedom and creativity when it comes to writing. My good friend uses blogging to display her passion for photography, and in order to remain connected with friends and family. She works for an online newspaper and displays her work on her blog.  

     Teachers who use blogs in the classroom will allow his or her students the opportunity to receive immediate feedback on their writing pieces. This act of publishing ones work does not often happen quickly, and therefore blogging gives way to greater intrinsic motivation from students. Many teachers are using blogs in the classroom, with great success. This places the learning in the students' hands, and speaks directly to the technology driven world in which they already live. Here is one classroom blog that seems interesting.

Day One.

Blog:

an online diary; a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page; also called Weblog, Web log. In Dictionary.com's example, a blog is typically upadated daily and often reflect the personality of the author. After 28 years, I have officially become a blogger.