Blogging in Education (Student & Teacher Uses)

Here are some screen shots of the information below about blogs and blogging in education:

What are Blogs?

• Web pages (easy, quick) - “web log” (meaning... web-based/ chronological)
• Usually (but not necessarily) for an individual (but pair, group, classroom, teacher or admin team blogs work well too!)
  
• Mostly text, but can have pictures, audio, and video
• Automatic notification of changes (RSS)
• Public or “private”
  
• Started as personal journal/diary
• But now: business updates, editorials, current event documentation, community groups, government, educational communications & more…
• Community-based; links; comments; trackbacks
• # of Blogs = 133+ million blogs (as of 12/08); 71 million (4/07); 60 million (12/06); 28.6 million (2/06);     23.4 million (12/05); 21.6 million (11/05)

Educational Uses for Blogs:

•  weekly journals
•  reading notes &/or reflections
•  images of works or observations
•  audio (spoken) reflections or presentations
•  Any of the above…with links to other websites or blogs, images, etc.
  

Student Uses - all focused on discussion/responses

• Reflections (journal, pre/post readings, class activities or projects)
• Project or learning log
• Question & Response (student-lead)
• Peer Editing (brief!) or Feedback space
• Extension/application postings
• Audio blog (podcast), photo blog, or video blog (& explanations)
• Individual/pair/group/team/class blogs
• Portfolio - Personal blog on learning experiences/extensions

Teacher Uses - all focused on discussion/responses

• Reflections or extensions on the lesson/current topic
• Current Events
• Homework/project updates
• Question & Response (teacher-lead)
• Expert in field/college postings
• Feedback space (general/no names)
• Audio blog (podcast), photo blog, or video blog (& explanations)
• Pre-class question/image/video (Anticipatory Set or Engagement)
• Post-class question/image/video (Practice or Extension)
• Department or professional reflections, updates, information