So Much More than a "Shiny Object": A stream of consciousness reflection on the benefits of blogging in the classroom

Reading through this weeks content on wikis and blogs, I was really excited to see how so many teachers at so many grade levels were able to successfully incorporate these types of tools into their classrooms. It made me excited (just for a second...) to get back to school soon and try out some of forums tools with my own students. I know that I want to incorporate blogs into each of my classes this coming school year. The "how" part of this statement is still a work in progress......it may vary a bit by class size and grade level. We'll see.....

I also really appreciated the persuasive argument that Eric presented in favor of these types of tools in both the powerpoint presentation that he shared with us via slideshare as well as in the journal article he co-authored entitled "Investigating the Impact of Weekly Weblog Assignments on the Learning Environment of a Secondary Biology Course".

Here are my thoughts on these two pieces of media (again, I apologize that some of this is just stream of conscious thinking...I'm really still just trying to work it all out in my head). Comments/thoughts/reflections are appreciated!

Blogging is so "much more than a shiny object"; I loved the imagery behind this statement. So much of my apprehension about using too many web tools in my class have to do with the bells and whistles of technology being prioritized above of content. In fact, I think this is a fear that many of us shared. Looking back to the guidelines that we were asked to create during the first week of class, many people hit upon this point and emphasized that technology should only be used when it enhanced content and not just displayed the same material in a "fancy" new way. My time in this course, and especially the research on blogs and wikis in the classroom this past week, has reaffirmed for me that blogging is way more than "shiny" and cool; it is an incredibly useful tool in the classroom. Here are the some of the biggest benefits of blogging that I can see. This is still a work in progress, and I am sure the list will grow along with the application of this tool in my own classroom.

1. Commenting on a Blog Makes Participation Mandatory. So many times in class discussions can become "teacher-talk" heavy and or they are run by a few assertive students. When commenting is a requirement, all students are given an equal opportunity to speak their mind. I think this could really take discussions to the next level.
2. Blogging Cultivates Collaboration. Through commenting as well as posting students are building on the thoughts/inputs of one another. Everyone has a say. In the journal article mentioned above, E. Brunsell and C. Cimino talk about a blog as a "collaborative space within a traditional classroom structure". I like this a lot.
3. Working together on a Class Blog Fosters a Feeling of Community. Students get to take an active role in their own learning. Their comments and posts drive the discussion and help steer the curriculum. They are "co-creating knowledge" (to steal a line from Eric's journal article...) So many times I have written in comments at the end of a marking period that a student needs to take a more pro-active role in his or her own learning. I think this is the perfect forum for students to do this.
4. A Blog Helps Keeps Thoughts Organized. Everything you need is at easy access. Students can quickly look back at content covered/reflected on and also review feedback/comments from fellow classmates.
5. A Class Blog is a Great Way to Share the Opinions of that Class with Others. Again...it's all right there. Everyone's posts and comments are easily accessible and at the fingertips of the reader. Sharing this type of consolidated information might be a great means of initiating collaboration with an outside source (parents? an expert in the field that is being discussed? another science class??)

Okay, now to put some of these thoughts into action.......