1. Journal writing/reading responses: Typically, when students are asked to write informal journal entries or responses to books they have read, the teacher is the only one who reads what is written, which sometimes develops into a written conversation. If this same task was completed using a blog, this would allow other students to read each others' thoughts and ideas. They could respond to their peers' posts and read comments from everyone, not just one teacher. A sense of community would develop from working together and offering comments.
2. Discussing and debating current events: Using my blog, I could post links to articles or videos that would be appropriate and relevant to class discussions. The students would post their opinion on these matters. This would require them to read, think about how they feel, express their feelings in a safe environment, and stay informed about what is going on in the world they live in.
3. Extending or introducing class topics: Before beginning a unit or new lesson, I could use a blog as an introduction, or anticipatory set. I would post a question for students to consider, a short reading to make them think, a topic to discuss with family members, or an assignment to complete before class. As a post-topic activity I might ask students to reflect upon what was discussed during class, or informally assess their learning by reading what they took out of the day's lesson.
Standards (related to all 3 ideas):
ELA :
Standard 2
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
Students will read and listen to oral, written and electronically produced texts and performances, relate texts and performances to their own lives, and develop an understanding of the diverse social, historical, and cultural dimensions the texts and performances represent. As speakers and writers, students will use oral and written language for self-expression and artistic creation.
Standard 4
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Students will use oral and written language for effective social communication with a wide variety of people. As readers and listeners, they will use the social communications of others to enrich their understanding of people and their views.
Technology:
Standard 2: Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using appropriate technologies.
Computer Technology
Key idea: Computers, as tools for design, modeling, information processing, communication, and system control, have greatly increased human productivity and knowledge.
6 comments:
Cristina, I agree with you that students can view peew work by visiting blogs. This is a little like the discussion board. But differently, students can view everything on others' blogs instead of answers or responses to one discussion question.
It's very helpful to read your blog.
Christine,
I think you had some really great ideas for using blogs in the classroom. I also thought about applying blog toward a class journal type activity. I especially like your current events idea. This uses reading and writing and at the same time brings in important cultural information from outside the classroom that students might be wondering about. These cultural events aren't always devoted time in curricula so I think it is a very important addition!
I really like your idea on blogging about current events. I don't think kids know too much on what is going on in the world around them. I don't even think they watch the local news or read the newspaper with their parents for current events in their cities. I think this would also give them something relevant to talk about with their families.
You brought up a great point in using blogs as a way to “informally assess … learning by reading what they took out of the day's lesson.” I forget sometimes that the value of the blog can not only give other avenues to instruct but also give great ways to gain insight to you the instructor and into you students through assessment. Thanks for bringing up this point.
I agree that keeping journal with blogs can build a learning community. I think buiding a learning community among learners is important becuase students are motivated when they support and work together. And by blogging, students can easily share their works, which makes them work together. Also, they learn how to appreciate different voice.
Christine,
I particularly like the first paragraph in your post. It really is important to be as familiar as possible with tools before using them with students. Of course, that doesn't mean that we should be afraid to make mistakes, but we should have tried out tools so that we feel relatively comfortable solving problems when they occur
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