Reading different types of blogs, I see so much value in the implementation of the classroom. There are so many different genres, but the majority I read contain strong opinions. For the purpose of education, I can see these blogs as great research material as we find teachers doing similar tasks around the country and updating the results on a blog. Cross-comparing these instances can create breakthroughs in education!
In Marc;'s Edtechblog, we see a new perspective on reading. As a tech facilitator, this should be part of my mindset. Ashamedly, it never occurred to me that this would be a great supplement for reading live books. I just love books. I don't really enjoy audio books. I use them mostly due to time restraints! However, this opens a whole new world for learners! Yeah! One of the comments suggests using it as a center! Loved it! The article points out that blog writing IS different from other types of writing!
When I read a blog, I question the validity of the information. Being a skeptic, I don't know who these folks are out there on the WWW! I come from the old school that still calls it the World Wide Web. I am ready to move into the next century of the Whatever Whenever Wherever!
Reading comments gives so much more insight. In this post from PBS Teachers, I was really curious to hear what others thought about this well-written letter that spoke the truth in love! It allowed me to feel more confident in speaking my mind about an opinion, but also delivered it in a respectful manner. Verbally this art is somewhat lost it seems. Most people would rather not say anything at all!
Blogging can allow students and teachers to communicate on many different levels. Student to student, student to teacher, and student to the world relationships can build bridges of mass amounts to acquire new learning. Several blogs I read by educators and other professionals promote proper use of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and proper use of our language. When students begin to blog and read other blogs, the grammatical aspect is based on the purpose of the blog. The more personal leveled blogs allow student to express themselves. I do see students that do make an effort above and beyond in some cases strictly because these avenues are PUBLIC!
Overall, I love blogging and wish I made more time for it. My family has a blog we have failed to update for some time. Some of the comments I read on blogs discuss the fact that educators don't feel like that have anything to say or that no one cares. This is how most of us feel, I imagine. Together we are building web communities of learners through blogs! It's simply amazing!
2 comments:
This year, I tried a book study group to get students to read at home as homework. It was successful. Students were actively engaged in reading and discussion. They got opportunities for rereading in class but most improved homework goals. I can't wait to add blogging to the book study. I think I can get even more students enjoying the adventures of reading books. I have also found that blogging requires a tremendus amount of reading.
On the downside - "Children and teens with mobile media devices are like kids in a candy shop...Maybe someone needs to watch over this new WWW" (Tom March. The New WWW). This is definitely of concern and we as teahers need to teach social responsibility, thoughtful actions, and sceptical awarness of all the possibilities in cyberspace.
On the upside - "We can shift passivity and consumption in learning to action and creativity...When students demonstrate their learning in a persuasive essay, a sardonic blog, a moving short film, a robust wiki entry, or a humorous podcast, why would we demand deadening conformity?" (Tom March, The New WWW). As teachers, we must stay current with the way children learn and the endless opportunities we now have as educators with such powerful tools as all of these web based internet packages.
These thoughts provoke ideas that generate blogging interest...yes, I can see this as a center idea...with fourth graders responding/ communicating about a shared book. As the children are released to blog their ideas in response to reading, I can see their confidence building toward writing.
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