Blogs+-+An+introduction

A Blog can be a frequently posted list of interesting web sites, or a personal diary of events and thoughts, or a combination of the two (among many other things.) The newborn publishing world of weblogs seems to be having a significant impact on digital culture, communication, education, and publication. The best proof of impact at the moment is the proliferation of Election and Political Blogs that have sprung up around political candidates, parties, and news agencies.
 * Weblog** (aka Blog) is a live online journal that can be easily and instantly updated.

Bloggers are constantly defining and debating the definition of a weblog, as well as presenting their reasons for keeping a blog. a. helps students to find a voice b. creates enthusiasm for writing and communication c. engages students in conversations about learning d.empowers students (writing for real audience involves risk; students learn to write from the head and the heart; students can engage in preparation for writing as a lifelong process) ....or in the words of blogger Anne Mirtschin ( [] )
 * What does a blog do for students?**
 * 1) It is FUN! Fun!….. I hear your sceptical exclamation!! However, it is wonderful when students think they are having so much fun, they forget that they are actually learning. A favourite comment on one of my blog posts is: //It’s great when kids get so caught up in things they forget they’re even learning… [[image:http://s.wordpress.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif caption=":)"]]//  by jodhiay
 * 2) authentic audience - no longer working for a teacher who checks and evalutes work but a potential global audience.
 * 3) Suits all learning styles - [|special ed] (this student attends special school 3days per weeek, our school 2 days per week, [|gifted ed], [|visual students], multi-literacies plus ‘[|normal]‘ students.
 * 4) Increased motivation for writing - all students are happy to write and complete aspects of the post topic. Many will add to it in their own time.
 * 5) Increased motivation for reading - my students will happily spend a lot of time browsing through fellow student posts and their global counterparts. Many have linked their friends onto their blogroll for quick access. Many make comments, albeit often in their own sms language.
 * 6) Improved confidence levels - a lot of this comes through comments and global dots on their cluster maps. Students can share their strengths and upload areas of interest or units of work eg personal digital photography, their pets, hobbies etc Staff are given an often rare insight into what some students are good at. We find talents that were otherwise unknown and it allows us to work on those strengths. It allows staff to often gain insight to how students are feeling and thinking.
 * 7) Pride in their work - My experience is that students want their blogs to look good in both terms of presentation and content. (Sample of a [|year 10 boy’s]work)
 * 8) Blogs allow text, multimedia, widgets, audio and images - all items that digital natives want to use
 * 9) Increased proofreading and validation skills
 * 10) Improved awareness of possible dangers that may confront them in the real world, whilst in a sheltered classroom environment
 * 11) Ability to share - part of the conceptual revolution that we are entering. They can share with each other, staff, their parents, the community, and the globe.
 * 12) Mutual learning between students and staff and students.
 * 13) Parents with internet access can view their child’s work and writings - an important element in the parent partnership with the classroom. Grandparents from England have made comments on student posts. Parents have ‘adopted’ students who do not have internet access and ensured they have comments.
 * 14) Blogs may be used for digital portfolios and all the benefits this entails
 * 15) Work is permanently stored, easily accessed and valuable comparisons can be made over time for assessment and evaluation purposes
 * 16) Students are digital natives - blogging is a natural element of this.
 * 17) Gives students a chance to show responsibility and trustworthiness and engenders independence.
 * 18) Prepares students for digital citizenship as they learn cybersafety and netiquette
 * 19) Fosters peer to peer mentoring. Students are happy to share, learn from and teach their peers (and this, often not their usual social groups)
 * 20) Allows student led professional development and one more……
 * 21) Students set the topics for posts - leads to deeper thinking activitiesmedia type="custom" key="6115623"