This article was about teachers implementing Web 2.0 tools in their classrooms to improve student learning. Two teachers/researchers traveled to 22 different schools interviewing 39 educators on how Web 2.0 tools were used in their classrooms, what worked well and what did not work well. The researches found Web 2.0 tools worked best when they were used for on going conversations among students and teachers. There were three main elements that helped teachers create and maintain meaningful communication between their students: Instituting daily practice, carefully considering the audience, teaching and enforcing appropriate behavior.
Blogs were an effective communication tool for creating interest in classroom discussions. The article noted the daily blogs worked best when the teachers prompted the students for a response, verses allowing students to author their own daily blog. When students had to create their own daily prompts, they showed signs of not being motivated, self-conscious about making their work public for all to read, and had nothing meaningful to write about. The most successful blogs were the blogs that were set up as a private communication between the teacher and student. Students were able to express their feelings in the blogs with out being shy, students were able to express their concerns about sensitive issues like bullying. The blogs served as a private journal for the students, teachers felt they were able to understand students feelings and thoughts by reading their private blogs.
Classroom blogs were used to generate discussions, tap into prior knowledge, generate interest, support student debates and provide students with feedback from their peers. Classroom blogs were used a classroom warmups/starters, and student on student feedback. Students learned to give and receive criticism on the blogs.
There are many uses of blogs, I really like the idea of using a blog as a means on communication between teachers, students and parents. Blogs give the shy kids in the class an opportunity to participate and share their opinions and feelings with out fear. I also like the idea that students can learn from one another through blogs!
This is the first year I have kept blogs private between each student and me and the writing seems to be more to the point and more thoughtful. I know I recently told everyone how to access each other's blogs... we'll see if people are comfortable enough with their blog entries to keep doing as they were before I made it possible for peers to look on.
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