Taking New Steps with Students: Blogging

By Cortega9 (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

My taste for technology as a tool began as I worked on the newspaper at the college I attended.  I had a knack for the precision and eye required to lay out newspaper pages by hand, and as I grew in my proficiency, I guided the paper to purchase computers and software so that it could be done more efficiently.  As a I moved into the teaching profession, seeking to infuse technology into my classroom became natural.  What had started as my realization that technology was an important tool for myself, evolved into knowing that students needed to become adept at using technology so they could learn and produce more efficiently themselves.  

Having utilized the one computer classroom, academic computer labs, mobile laptop carts, students bringing their own devices, and, as of this year, a one-to-one classroom, I have tried to create situations for my students so they could use the technology available to engage in a more robust learning experience.  

One avenue I took students down last year was blogging.  Students created blogs within our school’s learning management system.  Viewers outside the learning portal did not have access to the blogs so I attempted to create opportunities for interaction by assigning students blog buddies so that they would read each others’ blogs and leave comments on the blogs.  Since we are in our second year of students using Google Apps for Education, I wanted to be more ambitious with student blogging.  Students will be using Blogger.

To outline my reasons for student blogging, for both students and parents, I provided the following for parents:

Dear parents/guardians,

As part of social studies class, students will be blogging.  My intention for doing this is to provide the students with an authentic opportunity for learning.

Blogging is essentially keeping a journal on the internet and will become, especially if used in grades K-12, an archive of learning.  In my class, students will reflect on what they have been learning in class. Student blogging is a beneficial exercise that has existed for a long time as profiled by this 2004 BBC article:  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3804773.stm.

Students blog for the following reasons:

• Writing:  Students will write more, gain feedback, and be able to see growth in their writing through a process.
• Audience:  A blog gives students an audience to write for which gives greater purpose and authenticity to their writing.  This will further enhance the students’ writing.
• Reflection:  Students will reflect on their learning through their blogs.  By thinking about their learning, they will learn better.
• Interaction:  Students will have the opportunity to interact with a wider variety of students and adults in a different way, expanding their understanding of others and the world.

In addition, blogging touches upon the following learning standards:

• Writing Standard 4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
• Writing Standard 5. With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.
• Writing Standard 6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources.
• Language Standard 1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing.
• Language Standard 2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

The students are setting up blogs through Blogger which is part of their school Google account and will publish their first posts soon.  I welcome and encourage you to both read the students’ blog posts and leave appropriate comments.

As I like to struggle with my students and not have them attempt things I have not tried myself, I have created this blog to expose myself, just as I am asking them to do. I hope this blog will serve as a model for them and as an opportunity for them to see my learning and growth.