It still amazes me that children, some as young as Kindergartners, are participating in educational blogs. But kids are participating, and the teachers brave enough to lead the charge are seeing some great interactions, leading to quantity and often quality as well. The article on Education World seems to indicate that this is anecdotal evidence.
Speaking of anecdotal evidence, I asked my partner teacher for her thoughts on recently implementing a blog to inspire her students to be more reflective about the books they are reading - since a written reading log wasn't cutting the mustard. Below are her comments:
"The idea for designing a blog to take the place of my classroom reading log came about after becoming frustrated by the lack of interest by students and their parents when it came to returning them. I have tried to have the students instead blog each day or at least every other day on the book they are reading for AR points. It started out a bit slow but within a few days all students were certainly writing more than they did with the use of traditional reading logs and within a week the quality of writing began to improve."
"The major difference that I have seen is with the lower readers and writers. They are writing much more and are moving through books more quickly and are testing more often on AR (Accelerated Reader). Some of the students show better AR scores. As time goes on I have noticed all students writing more but the girls in particular have taken to the blogs. EL students are doing well though writing quality has not changed as much with this group. My biggest problem at this time is staying up with the reading as some have written quite lengthy blogs. I try to always write a comment about their writing and ask a question to be answered the next time they blog. All and all I am happy with the progress they are making and after I work out a couple of bugs I would suggest everyone from say 3rd and up give it a try with their class."
A few questions for reflection:
1) If you teach, how does your district's Acceptable Use Policy address the use of blogs in the classroom by students? If you don't teach, how do you feel a school district should balance the safety of students with the opportunity of blogging?
2) What age / grade level do you feel is appropriate for children to begin blogging?
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1) My district is supportive of blogging in schools. They have held workshops on how to incorporate the blogging features of our Moodle software into the curriculum. With STAR testing just around the bend, we have been encouraged to amplify the amount of reading/writing our students do. Blogs are conducive to this.
ReplyDelete2) It would be appropriate for students to blog as they learn basic writing skills. My Kindergarten-aged daughter could probably do well enough on a blog assignment. It is critically important to emphasize spelling and grammar on the blog, however, two key features of writing that often go by the wayside since blogging is seen as an informal style of writing.
1) Although I am not familiar with district policies regarding blogging, I have observed internet and computer use in many different classrooms and grade levels. I can not imagine a district restricting blogging, but surely precautions should be managed.
ReplyDeleteEducators have the opportunity to post directions for students and monitor their actions on school computers as they already do. If a secure blog requires identification to access it and students are taught appropriate blogging techniques worries should be minimal.
2) I agree with your partner teacher that students should be capable and responsible enough to begin blogging around 3rd grade. Blogging for students below third grade may also be realistic but would require much more assistance and monitoring. Blogging below third grade would be a great parent/student activity.
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ReplyDeleteI teach 7th and 8th grade art and photography. Our school has put strict limits on blogging. Blogger is the only website that has been opened to allow blogging. Also, most students at our school don't have access to email and our school does not have individual storage accounts for our students. Kind of backward, but oh well. I think any time kids are ready to start using technology it should be used. If students understand the whole picture and concept of online communication, why not? However, students should be taught how to blog responsibly and ethically. Would it be harmful to not start at a young age? However, if teachers are using blogs simply as gimmicks then the real educational value is not there.
ReplyDeleteHere is a link to an interesting article on the blogging.
Trend or Teaching Tool? Blogging and Teaching World Politics
http://www.allacademic.com//meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/1/0/1/3/2/pages101320/p101320-1.php
Here is another link to a kindergarten blog. The teacher uses this blog as a form of class bulletin.
http://kdgroom102.blogspot.com/
At my school we cannot access any blogging that I have tried. My site has the most blocks on it. Because of the nature of my students, I probably wouldn't want to do blogs. But I can see that they would be great in other situations.
ReplyDeleteI've also been frustrated with the limitations placed by our school district...blogs and forums of any kind have been strictly blacklisted. Unless students already have their own email accounts, our school district is very iffy about allowing students to create new email addresses to use at school.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Victoria...once kids have the capacity to use the tools, and to use them responsibly, we should encourage their use. I think that initially this requires a lot of "guide by the side" type of teaching - which can be difficult to maintain in a computer lab full of students.
I agree with many comments here regarding age/grade level. Every child will be ready for technology at different times. There might be a certain age range that most students fall within, but there will always be students who are ahead of that or a little later that the average. We shouldn't force technology on children but a gentle nudge in that direction wouldn't hurt. Just by watching the teacher and other students using computers, students will eventually have their own interest and that should be embraced.
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