Blogging in the Classroom

I have chosen to focus on a grade seven social studies classroom to argue that blogging has an important and unique place in enhancing student learning.

In grade seven, students learn a great deal about the influences of diverse Aboriginal, French, and British peoples on Canada's birth and development. A blog could be used in several different ways to enhance and increase student learning and understanding of this subject. For example, students could use the internet to research Aboriginal, French, or British peoples and could write a poem or other response to the information they have gathered. A blog would not only allow the teacher to provide links to appropriate educational sites that would benefit the student's research, but would also serve as a place where the student's poems and responses could be displayed and shared with the class. This is just one example of how the blog is a positive addition to the classroom.

The article, In the Classroom, Web Logs Are the New Bulletin Boards, several teachers express overwhelming support for the classroom blog. They suggest that blogs allow a continuation of class discussions that were cut short, facilitate faster teacher feedback, and allow students to express themselves in a comfortable environment. Several teachers also state that students put a lot more thought and effort into their blog writing, knowing that parents and others may read their work on the Web.

In the article, Moving to the Public: Weblogs in the Writing Classroom, the positive impact of blogs is further discussed. Focusing on the fact that blogs allow the publication of student work, this article argues that the ability of students to share their responses and gain feedback from the others is integral to positive student development.

Although a blog offers numerous ways to positively impact learning in the classroom, they also pose several security issues that must be addressed. As blogs may be viewed publicly, Students must be informed of issues regarding access, privacy, security, and free expression. As students have the ability to post anything that they want without the interference of an editor, they must carefully consider the content of postings to avoid including anything rude, derogatory, or anything that infringes upon the rights of others. It is also possible to organize a blog group and adjust your comment setting so that only members of the group can post comments. This would stop any outside influences from posting unwanted information.

Blogs are a positive addition to any classroom. They allow students to express themselves, share their interests and classroom work, and get feedback from others. They facilitate connections with other students who share common interests and help maintain bonds within a classroom. Blogs are important tools at a teacher's disposal to enhance the learning of all students.