Blogging is History

Entry #1

Since we are blogging in our graduate class and many of us have discovered for the first time that it is a "cool tool", I decided to try to find an article on why blogging is beneficial to use with students. I also wanted to find some information that would explain how blogging can be used in classrooms especially with elementary aged students. I can across an article in Edutopia by Helena Echlin called Blogging is History.

In this article, the author gives an example where blogging is used with a group of students to discuss a book. The students were able to talk back and forth with the author of the book through the "book blog" as well! How exciting is that for students? The students saw the author as a real person and were able to ask her questions as well as share their personal comments about her book. When students see authors as real people, I feel as though it gives them more confidence in their own writing. Even though the teacher only required his students to do one posting to the book blog, "the students found the blog so stimulating that they exceeded the minimum requirement"! Because the teens were able to post anonymously, the shyer teens were "bolder about plunging in". The students were required to turn in a final project and the best projects were to be put on the blog. This motivated the students to work extrememly hard knowing that so many people would be able to view their project if it was deemed the best.

I discovered through this article that blogging is very motivating for students and that when used with students participation in otherwise "boring content" increases dramatically. Technology is always motivating to students. Even teaching second grade, the students ask almost every day if we are going down to the computer lab (the only time they get a computer all to themselves). I also learned a new way to use blogging when teaching reading! I am sure the students in the example above learned so much more about the book they were reading than if they had merely had a classroom discussion.

I also found a blog site called Mrs. Cassidy's Classroom Blog. First and second grade students who are learning to read and write blog on this site. On the left hand side of the page you will find student entries. When I think of using blogging in education, I automatically think of middle schoolers and high schooler because in my mind it is impossible for students so young to blog. Mrs. Cassidy however, has first and second graders using blogging! I guess it is possible after all!