3/09/2011

Using Blogs to Integrate Technology in the Classroom


 
What is a blog?
A blog (sometimes referred to as a weblog) is a Web publishing tool that allows authors to quickly and easily self-publish text, artwork, links to other blogs or Web sites, and a whole array of other content.
In a blog you can also write your everyday life or any nice thought you may want to share with your friends or classmates.

Blogs have one standard characteristic, however: the posting. Blog postings are text entries, similar to a diary or journal, which include a posting date and may include comments by people other than the author, photos, links, or other digital media. Postings are often short and frequently updated. They appear in reverse chronological order and can include archived entries.

Blogs work well for students because they can be worked on at virtually any time, in any place with an Internet-enabled computer. Hence, they can be used by computer savvy teachers to create a classroom that extends beyond the boundaries of the school yard. 
Blogs are very useful to make students interact with their classmates in a different way. They can comment on their classmates' posts and in that way they are practicing and improving their writing skills.

User-Friendly Technology
Fortunately for teachers, blogs are surprisingly easy to use. They require minimum technical knowledge and are quickly and easily created and maintained. Unlike many traditional Web sites, they are flexible in design and can be changed relatively easily. Best of all, students will find them convenient and accessible via home or library computers.

Educational Benefits of Blogs
In addition to providing teachers with an excellent tool for communicating with students, there are numerous educational benefits of blogs. Blogs are:
  • Highly motivating to students, especially those who otherwise might not become participants in classrooms. Using blogs is an innovated techniques to make those shy students to write what they think about any topic without worrying of sharing their ideas in front of others..
  • Excellent opportunities for students to read and write.
  • Effective forums for collaboration and discussion. Students may find excellent solutions for different problems through others pieces of advise.
  • Powerful tools to enable scaffolded learning or mentoring to occur.
Using the Blog in the Classroom
As an educational tool, blogs may be integrated in a multi-faceted manner to accommodate all learners. Blogs can serve at least four basic functions.  
  1. Classroom Management 
  2. Collaboration 
  3. Discussions
  4. Student Portfolios




http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/educationupclose.phtml/47 

1 comment:

  1. Congratulations Yennizel. You already have a blog. Now you have to continue posting in order to enrich it. In this way, you will develop your writing and blogging skills. Good Luck!!!!

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