I am making a plan to use blogs for writing in my classroom. Blogs can help students improve their writing. Knowing other people will read their writing can be a motivating factor for students when writing in a blog as opposed to just turning in an essay (Sullivan, 2014, p.393). I think some type of research based writing would work well, since students will already be working digitally, which lends itself well to research. In my current curriculum I teach a research based persuasive writing unit, which would lend itself well to writing in a blog format.
Blogs also give teachers a chance to collaborate with students digitally. The ISTE Standards for Teachers says teachers should, “Use collaborative tools to expand students' authentic, real-world learning experiences by engaging virtually with experts, teams and students, locally and globally" (International Society for Technology in Education, 2016). As a teacher I will be able to give students feedback in a flexible and prompt way. Writing through blogs also helps teachers step out of being a simple conveyor of knowledge and into the more complex role of facilitator, pushing students to drive the learning and critical thinking of the classroom. The ISTE Standards for Teachers emphasizes fostering a student ownership of learning in this way.
The ISTE Standards for students talk about collaborating on a global scale, stating, “Students use digital tools to connect with learners from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, engaging with them in ways that broaden mutual understanding and learning” (International Society for Technology in Education, 2016). Using a blog will give students a chance to collaborate on a global scale like this. The standards also talk about students curating information (International Society for Technology in Education, 2016). Creating an online blog gives students a perfect medium for researching online and learning through creating a product rather than just absorbing new information from a teacher.
References
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2016b). ISTE standards for educators Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-educators
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2016a). ISTE standards for students. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-students
Sullivan, M., & Longnecker, N. (2014). Class blogs as a teaching tool to promote writing and student interaction. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 30(4).
Hi Mark! I really liked your idea for using a blog to incorporate research based writing. One improvement I could think of was to use blogging for students to receive feedback on their digital blogging so that they are continuing to improve and can work in groups as they blog. One challenge I can definitely think of is students potentially abusing time in class meant for blogging by browsing on other sites when they are meant to research. I think setting boundaries and consequences for students and evaluating students on their use of technology may help alleviate this issue.
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ReplyDeleteHi Mark! I also liked your idea for incorporating blogging into research based writing. I think it is a great way for students to get feedback during the research and writing process. I think that one of the challenges you might face is making sure students are using credible and reliable sources, when researching and making blog posts. One way you can overcome this problem is by having students share their sources as a blog posts and getting peers to complete a checklist to make sure their sources are correct and useable. Students will also need guidance of what they are going to be posting in the blogs. I think it is a great idea for students to be able to reflect on their research process too.
ReplyDeleteHi Mark,
ReplyDeleteYour plan for incorporating blogging in the classroom is fantastic! By involving students in the entire writing process - from brainstorming and drafting to revising and editing before publishing on their blogs - you are providing them with valuable practice to enhance their writing skills.
While guiding students to research topics is a commendable approach, I understand that teaching them to use credible sources effectively can be time-consuming. To streamline this process, consider developing a digital tool that grants easy access to reliable information, similar to the convenience provided by the Walden Library access tool. This tool could significantly reduce the time spent on sourcing materials, allowing students to concentrate more on their writing.
Thank you for sharing your innovative ideas!