Blogs....

The more I use and read about blogs, I am convinced of their potential within a classroom.  In a teaching context, blogs can be used for assignments, keeping parents updated while on school camps/excursions and for learning about Information Communication and Technologys (ICT's) in the classroom. 

It intrigues me that blogs can offer so much to students and teachers within a classroom context.  "A blog can be defined as an online personal journal made up of chronological entries that can be archived over time" (Kajder, S., & Bull, G. 2003.).  While reading up on blogs and how they can be used to further education I came across this website from the Department of Education: http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/eval/curriculum/ict/weblogs/
It  is a wonderful website to look at and gives real classroom examples where blogs can be incorporated into the lesson/unit plans.

This was, of course, not the only website that I came across... When I typed into Google, "How can blogs be used in education?" I was answered with approximately 455 million websites.  It appears that many people are aware of the value technology, and in particular blogs, can play in learning and education. 

Blogs don't have to be just text.. Within a blog you can 'upload' images and videos as well.  This is why I feel that blogs can be such an asset for the classroom.  It allows the students who aren't as strong with their English skills to communicate without having to use only text.

Blogs would make a wonderful way to complete an assessment task as the dates that the posts were added on are recorded and can be checked by the teacher.  The teacher also has the option to comment on the students' posts as they go.  Giving feedback throughout the assessment that the students can easily refer back to.




Refences:

Kajder, S., & Bull, G. (2003)  Scaffolding for stuggling students: Reading and writing with blogs.            retreieved from googlescholar.com