Blogs in a Teaching Context

Following is a PMI chart about using Blogs in a teaching context. Each Learning Manager will have their own perspective on the use of blogging within their classroom. However these are some of the key points raised within the tute class on Tuesday.

P	M	I
·         Flexible ·         Experimenting with multi media ·         Developing fine motor skills ·         Engaging to students ·         Promotes creativity ·         Allows interaction between teacher and student outside class hours ·         Accessible in an inform setting	·         Iformation given is not always valid ·         May not have access to internet at home which may result in cyber bullying ·         One sided opinions	·         The way of education in the future ·         Where will the LM set standards? ·         Equity

 Blogs can empower students, stimulate the initiative to write, engender information sharing, help reputation building and facilitate personal expression.

-Geoffrey Middlebrook, 2010

Dangers and Benefits of using blogs in schools

In order to utilise e-learning tools such as a blog or a wiki effectively within a school it is important as a learning manager to know your learner.  For some students they may not feel comfortable expressing their feelings or ideas about a concept in front of their peers, while other students may feel the need to criticise other students for their opinions. Therefore creating an environment where the students feel safe, such as creating a blog or a wiki in which only the learning manager will be able to access the posts, may encourage participation in e-learning tools. I know myself, if I am unsure about a particular topic I do not feel comfortable sharing my thoughts as I am afraid they may be critiised by others. I'm sure this is the thought of a lot of students when they too are unsure. In order for maximised participation the learning manager should also take into consideration the needs and wants of their students. Whether it be through a vote as to who prefers a wiki to a blog, that way the students are able to have a say and the learning manager should expect a common interest from their students.

My Philosophy: Where will I set standards?

I believe that if e-learning tools are utilised correctly they do promote positive engagement within the classroom. Living in the 21st century, technology is an asset to the everyday life. Students should be given the opportunity to experiment with technology within boundaries. Without experimentation their is no creativity and I believe that creativity is the key to engagement. If students are given strict guidelines as to what they are to do, there is no 'outside the box' thinking. Instead they are following a set of guidelines which the learning manager gave to them. Where is the creativity when told to create a poster about 'Mammals' for example? Setting guidelines for them to follow, however allowing them to present their information or choose the topic of their research, may just engage that learner who does not wish to be there.

Within a personal blog, students should be able to express their feelings and opinions on topics without worrying about the nitty gritty of formal writing. If students have a poor vocabulary this may be a deterrent to contributing to a blog. Therefore if less emphasis is put on the punctuation and spelling of a blog and more on the content of the blog, enegagement will maximise. However their must be boundaries set at the beginning of the work. Such as the content must be relevant to the subject and there is to be no inappropriate comments. Also the shortening of words such as 'what' and 'wat' is encouraged to be avoided.

References:

Middlebrook, G. (2010)http://ronosaurusrex.com/metablog/2010/04/26/using-blogs-for-education-an-article-by-geoffrey-middlebrook/