The idea of blogging is extremely prevalent to the guiding principles of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills and meeting the needs of today’s learners. In line with Richardson (2010), blogging is an excellent forum for students to collaborate in an authentic, purposeful manner. I can remember working in groups as a student myself. Yes, we were encouraged to communicate, collaborate, think critically and creatively, yet there was only so much we could do. While it seemed (and probably was) cutting edge back then (mid 80’s), if we look at collaborative work now with increased technology, one cannot compare. Richardson discusses how blogging clearly falls under a constructivist approach to learning and teaching. What better way than for students to create their own learning environment, under the guidelines of a teacher, for their purposes? The use of blogs can enhance the classroom across every content area; ie, problem solving in math, social studies debates, language arts book discussions and the list goes on. In order to keep students relevant in this information age, blogging has proven to be an excellent avenue to help achieve this goal.
Although I am not currently in a classroom, my mind goes to an online book club. I guess since I studied Reading during my master’s work, the area fascinates me and with the constant talk of how reading should be taught in every subject, not in isolated Language Arts classes, I think that a Book Club Blog would be ideal! Think about when you are in school and you can’t think of anything to say because you have a hard time thinking “on the spot.” If the teacher created a Book Club Blog, the students can reflect whenever the thought comes to mind. I mean between laptops, ipads, smartphones, kids are always fingertips away from access. The blog can cut across math, language arts, history, Spanish, French, etc. Let’s not forget physical education. How about the students blog about fitness and the initiative to fight childhood obesity and promote good health! The possibilities are endless and just another idea to prove the importance of technology.
Michelle, I love the reference in the title of your post! It made my smile. I think your post reiterated and emphasized some great points from the past readings ... I especially like the fact that you pointed out the value in blogging when it comes to cross-curricular connections. If blogging is the solution to my students understanding that just because they're in science doesn't mean they can let their spelling go, then blogging it is!
ReplyDeleteYour idea of a Book Club Blog is great. Coming from someone that LOVES to read, this is a quick way to share ideas as well as get some new insights! Great job!!
Michelle,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your post that blogs are the way of the future. They provide students with the ability to collaborate and cooperate in an manner as never seen before. One can also infer that the use of blogs in the classroom can also usher in a new era of "paperless teaching." Some of the ideas mentioned in the Richardson text consist of uploading documents for the students to complete, the students using blog entries as essays. The possibilities are endless. Last semester, I had the opportunity to observe a sixth grade Spanish class in which the teacher embraced technology. He would pose a question on his blog and the students would have a week to answer it. The quality and quanitity of responses improved drastically and the most remarkable aspect was that their was a great level of student participation.
In addition, I really enjoyed your idea about the online book club. Since a lot of students experience emotions of apathy about reading, perhaps the addition of technology could foster a love of reading amongst the students. I have found a website called: www.goodreads.com. It allows for users to create online book clubs, write book reviews, make lists of books to read, what students have previously read, and what they are currently reading. They can also update their book status as to what page they are on and what they think of the book so far. I hoep you check out this page! It is a great resource!
-Louise
Michelle,
ReplyDeleteYour thoughts about the use of blogs across the curriculum helped me to look beyond what I have ordinarily thought of as a venue for reflections on what has been read or in response to a question posed by a teacher. You now have me wondering how I can blog with my students in the area of math.
I also think your comment about students having a hard time thinking on the spot is important. Blogging provides equal opportunities for all students. It can allow students to think before responding...rather than either not responding at all or responding quickly without much thought during whole class questioning. It also provides for probably more interaction between the students themselves and the teacher with the students that would have ordinarily taken place in the classroom.
~Cathy
Michelle-
ReplyDeleteGreat points in your post! I love the online blog book club. On a side note, it made me think of using blog book clubs for recreation. In this fast past world and the price of child care (so I’m told), I feel like people could read their kindle and get the intellectual satisfaction sought by an ongoing in-depth discussion about a popular book (it’s not your mom’s book club anymore!). My VP last year had about 8 teachers read a book and have an online discussion using a shared site about managing difficult behavior and had a pretty good two weeks of discussion going about the book and its connection to efforts in our own school.
Your constructivist point was also a good one. We keep saying that we want to facilitate learning, that students’ should be doing the work as they work to build meaning on their own and develop critical thinking skills. However, what you still see is a traditionalist approach to teaching in the core subjects that lacks this vision, vision we know equates to higher learning. Blogging calls for an original thought, not a regurgitation of the post you are responding to…to respond is to have an opinion, to have an opinion is to think.
I think book blogging is a great way for students to make text to text, author and world connections!
ReplyDelete