I am so excited about using this new blog! I just can’t believe that I hadn’t thought of it before. So many thoughts are running through my mind.
If another teacher were to ask me about blogs, I would have to tell them that:
1. It’s a great way to connect to other people that have like interests. You can find other people as excited as about the Scientific method as you are!
2. The power of the blog to educate others– you are an expert on many things and if you allow your blog to be viewed on search engines, you can share your knowledge with anyone looking for YOUR important insight to that information.
3. Blogs encourage everyone to write and are a motivational tool at any age. Don’t be afraid to try something new today!
Another tool I can’t wait to use is a wiki! “What I Know Is” that wikis will help me organize and collaborate easier for the future. Three things that you have to know about wikis is:
1. They will make your organization easier and it will help you collaborate in your school team. Imagine a team reward day that’s planned without one email being sent?! I know it sounds crazy, but the wiki makes it possible.
2. You don’t have to know how to program the computer or type html to create one! The free wiki sites that are out there are very user friendly and guide you step-by-step through the process.
3. A website that supports wiki technology is emerging technology and they are cutting edge. Even my college’s library is using it! The wikis there are a way to help everyone find appropriate information for classes, assignments and professors.
If my principal were to ask me my opinion about the idea of his teaming up with other principals in our county to lobby for blogging capabilities for our students, I would be compelled to tell him the following:
1. Specific guidelines can be set for the students to follow- when posting to their blogs, including the limitation of personal information.
2. Blogs can be set up with limited access, so that only the people that are permitted to read the blog have access to it. This would by-pass some of the legal issues that educators face when using the emerging technologies with our curriculum.
3. Blogs will motivate, encourage and help students to realize the power that their words have. Being able to keep a blog, use it to answer curriculum based questions while being able to read other classmates’ posts will cause the students to complete the assignment. I think this would motivate those students who don’t like to write to have a real life audience that will read and respond to their posts. I am thinking about approaching my principal about using blogs with my 12th grade English class.
Cross Your Fingers that he approves!
~Melissa
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1 comment:
I agree with your comment about using blogging to educate others. I look forward to examining ways to use blogging to draw student interest and to serve an academic purpose. This technology is one that many students are already using or aware of. This may allow many of them to begin with a high level of understanding.
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