Would you like to start a blog?

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A web blog (blog) is a fantastic tool and can be much more than an online diary that you share with your friends. Teachers can use blogs to form networks with others and "has the potential to be a transformational technology for teaching and learning" (Williams & Jacobs,2004).

The nature of a blog is, at first glance, a personal reflection of views; but it also allows for an audience, encouraging comments and social exchange. I have read many blogs where the author has blogged, about one subject or another, and the conversation was continued within the comments section for days after the original blog was published. It is this aspect of the blog that is particularly intriguing when you consider its potential in the classroom.

Blogs can be a great way to motivate your students to do a 'reflective' journal or narrative. Students can easily link their work to websites that support their thinking and research. A blog is also a collaborative tool in that others can contribute and comment providing added insight. Blogging has been shown to aid learners in developing higher order thinking skills and lends itself to authentic, learner centered tasks. (O'Donnell, 2006; Farmer, 2006).

There is a lot of inappropriate content on the web and for that reason Queensland Education provides a safe environment for teachers and students to blog with the 'Learning Place'. An added benefit to this is that your 'duty of care' as a teacher is then ensured as well.

To start a blog first you have to learn the complicated language of HTML...PSYCHE! Sorry I couldn't resist. In truth you need absolutely no technical savvy to start and publish your own blog.

Here is a link to a 'How To' video from youtube that explains the process without any confusing jargon.
Make your own 'BLOG'!

Following Oliver's Design model (1999) I have thought of a student centered activity that we could use in the classroom that incorporates the use of blogs to support the students learning.

Unit on learning styles. Students work out their learning styles in class and investigate what that means for them. To aid in their research it would be useful to locate some experts on the topic that the students could also converse with online. This would help them learn how to access good information though various methods and open up another source of conversation and insight into the topic for them (relates to connectivism). They need to find out how people with their learning style best learn and start a blog. In the blog they are to write a commentary on their findings and what happened when they trialled these techniques for themselves. What worked what didn't work and why. Students are also required as part of the task to comment on other class members blogs offering constructive criticism and support and suggestions for their classmates. The culminating task would have the students sum up their learning journey highlighting any pertinent information they discovered. Students post their blogs online for review by peers and teacher.

This is a very brief idea for a unit that would have the students researching and learning about an issue that will help them throughout their lives. They need to problem solve and find out what works for them and doesn't work, examining why. Because their work is being reviewed by their peers students feel motivated to display quality work and through feedback it is hoped that they would engage in conversation aiding them to reflect and assess their own work and gain deeper insight through collaboration.

For instructions on how to use 'Learning Place' to start a Blog and many other things please use the following link (DETA, 2008)

The Learning Place!

References:

Department of Education, Training and the Arts. (2008) How to create a new blog entry. Brisbane, Qld.: Author. Retrieved 26th November, 2009, from
http://www.aui.ma/VPAA/cads/1203/1203_files/APA_RefFormatsWebDocs.pdf

Farmer, J. (2006). Blogging to basics: How blogs are bringing online education back from the brink. In A. Bruns & J. Jacobs (Eds.), Uses of blogs (pp. 91-103). New York: Peter Lang.

O'Donnell, M. (2006). Blogging as pedagogic practice: Artefact and ecology. Asia Pacific Media Educator, (17), 5-19.

Oliver, R. (1999). Exploring strategies for online teaching and learning. Distance Education , 20(2), 240-254.

Williams, J. B., & Jacobs, J. (2004). Exploring the use of blogs as learning spaces in the higher education sector. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 20(2), 232-247. Retrieved 26th November, 2009
http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet20/williams.html