Educational Blogging
Blogging has quickly become one of the most effective learning tools in education today. It introduces students with new methods of communicating, improving their writing, and helps motivate them to find their voice. Dare I say it even makes learning… fun? Educators generally blog about school news, philosophies, and class activities. On the other hand, students tend to write about current events, personal beliefs, and topics related to their education.
In blogging, there are no set standards, no boundaries, no restrictions confining you to conform your thoughts to any given set of rules and regulations. You don’t have to worry about getting points taken off for not using the default: 12 point font size, Times New Roman, with 1” margins. You can write freely, and at your own pace. Also, bloggers can gain an audience from their writing. Unlike a school paper, blog posts can recieve feedback from students, teachers, parents, and ultimately, anyone in the world. (gasp)
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In the column on the right of this page you'll find links to valuable tools that you can use to create learning experiences using Web 2.0. In the left hand column, look for links to other useful online tools which can help you in the classroom.
Finally, as you work with blogs and online research, the following two documents may be of help: Performance Standards for Blogging and Strategies Good E Readers Use. They can both be found in the Web 2.0 folder on the teachers' drive.