Using a blog in my 8th grade Physical Science classroom would be a great way to allow my students a way of connecting with their classmates outside of the wall of the classroom itself. Here, students are encouraged to post original blog before, during and after lessons.
To begin, prior to the start of new content, I’ll urge students to use the classroom blog to post comment about what they already know or think they know about the content to be talked. Therefore, the blog initially serve as a “hooking” strategy to get the students thinking about reflecting upon their prior knowledge of the subject matter. Also, a blog serves as a way of allowing the students to ask questions about what they don’t know or would like to find learn about the new lesson. Finally, a classroom blog would serve as an “open” journal that would provide a way for pupils to reflect upon what they’ve learned at the end of the lesson.
Consequently, students may showcase and/or share their authentic work not only to other in their classroom, but also to classrooms studying the same type of lesson world-wide. Ultimately, I believe that a blog is a good to for instructional context since the lesson that the class works on is enhanced by facilitating a student centered or student lead approach to learning using the technology of blogs.
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I believe that the use of a blog is a great tool for students and teachers. The only roadblock that I can foresee is students not having prior knowledge on a particular subject. Otherwise, I really like your ideas!
ReplyDeleteUsing a blog as an "open" journal is another way I could use it for Social Studies. I have been think about the different ways to implement their use and searching other blogs by teachers provides more practical use. As I write this blog, I am looking across my classroom at a stack of 153 composition books where my students keep their response journals, as with most things the answer is right under my nose, but it took someone else to make the suggestion clear to me. Not only can my students interact with one another on content material, but I can save a tree as well.
ReplyDeleteI like your ideas of making it a journal. You said that you have them blog now, do you give them class time or is it something that they have to do at home? Also, do most of the parents seem like they are on board with the blogging? In the school district where I teach, I think it might be difficult for me to assign students blogging at home because many of them do not have internet access at home. Have you come across this problem?
ReplyDeleteAs for the journals though, I think that it helps students to see some of the other ideas that other students have, and it helps them to create ideas of their own. It gets their brains stimulated!
Understanding the limitations of accessibility of computers outside of the classroom for some students, I’d allow the uses of my middle schools portable laptops during class about once or twice a week for this type of activity.
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