Utilizing Blogs in the Classroom

A blog is a frequently updated online personal journal or diary (Richard 2010). It is a place to express yourself and it’s a place where one going to update on a regular basis. A place to share your thoughts creativity and your passions. A blog would serve an excellent purpose in the classroom. It can help with writing and reading skills. It’s the use of technology and what better way to show case their ability for diverse learners. I have some students that come to my class that never speaks due to them being shy or bashful. Blogging would allow these students to have a voice and learn communication skills.

I am an elementary school Art teacher. I would use blogging as a way to keep the lines of communication open between parents and myself. I would also use blogging as an instructional tool to aid in effective communication and even a way to informally assess students. For example, when in the classroom and as an exit ticket, I could have student respond to a question about the lesson before he or she leaves. Using this data, I can determine which students need to be re-taught a certain skill. I could also give students a familiar topic and then have them respond to the blog. I could also direct blog posts to my student’s parents to include up-coming events, post assignments and videos/pic of the classroom. It would be exciting for students to see proof of reading and commenting on a work that they publish online. Furthermore, it would be an effective tool to see how student’s communications skills evolve over time with blogging.

The use of blog in the area of art is a good tool to get students familiar with some of the topics they need to explore. For example, after I post a prompting blog discussion, students can have a discussion on the blog about colors. One prompt could be, “What happens when you mixed red with orange?” or “What happens when you mixed the three primary colors?” Students can work independently, collaboratively and even with their families while at home. Students will be excited to post their finding on different colors that they mixed and they will be more open to share their blogs with their friends, family and parents to build an audience. This can even lead to other practical uses. For example, if a student is explaining about the colors they mixed and a parent may in the classroom is an interior decorator that student may be eager to mixed more colors to get more feedback from parent.

The ISTE Standards that is being used is the designer. I will use technology to create student-centered learning environments that fosters independent and collaborative learning for all learners. Activities will include content area standards that uses digital tools. And two teacher being the facilitator thought-provoking lessons that nurture creativity. The ISTE Standards for students state that student must be digital citizen who engage in a positive and safe environment when using technological devices including social interaction online. They are so many distraction online and teachers have to be constantly monitor students while they use their technologies. And the other is students should also be global collaborator by-way of exploring and investigating issues and uses while solve problems.

References

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2016). Standards for students.

Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/for-students-2016

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2008). Standards for teachers.

Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/standards-for-teachers

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd

ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.