Blogs in Education

Blogs can be a wonderful resource for collaborative, student-based learning. Whether used for working on an assignment, carrying on a discussion, or continuing a dialogue from class Blogs allow students to communicate with one another in a different way. One aspect that is particularly great about Blogs is the opportunity that they offer for students who may have a difficult time speaking up in class to share their voice with the group. If a students struggles with articulation on the fly Blogs allow them to stop, think, and respond to the situation they are face with in a less threatening setting. While Blogs may be helpful for collaborative lessons there are some downsides. First and foremost we cannot always assume that students have internet access at home. I know that while my school is in a predominantly middle class area I have several students who either do not have internet access or have lost it sporadically due to parental unemployment. In addition, while Blogs can be wonderfully for collaboration they may not be appropriate for larger projects that require hands-on creation of a final product. As a social studies teacher I could see myself using Blogs for homework reflection discussions and Q&A about current assignments or issues. While I do not personally feel comfortable using Blogs on a regular basis I my classroom I can see the potential uses of Blogs as teaching and learning resources.