Cindy B. Allen

Session 12: Internet Part II: Student Creation of Online Resources

Session 12: Internet Part II: Student Creation of Online Resources, Weblogs

Description: 

     A weblog, also known as a ?blog?, is a tool students can use to discuss any topic on a weblog website.  Weblogs have a website format where graphics and multimedia can be attached and look similar to text that would be written in an e-mail.  However, anybody can post a blog without needing personal access.  Teachers have incorporated blogging as a collaborative tool in their classrooms for students to utilize while learning about similar topics.

Key findings from readings:  ?The Educator?s Guide to the Read/Write Web?, by Will Richardson

     Richardson discussed the different reasons students and teachers use Weblogs.  Students use them as a daily diary and their friends can read/respond to their postings.  Teachers will use blogs to stimulate critical thinking and reading/writing skills.  Blogs have also been used to build classroom resource portals to encourage online learning communities.  For example, students can discuss a book they are reading for school or contact a local professional about issues they are discussing in class.  Some teachers have even used blogs to help students create portfolios to share with the worldwide audience about different topics.  Blogs can also be used to communicate with students around the world.

Cindy?s ideas to apply in my own teaching:

     I have a few ideas about the ways I would like to incorporate weblogs into my classroom; one, for students to contact professionals.  In my Business Law class we discuss several different types of law and their foundations.  If students could build a weblog and post their questions about these different types of law and encourage legal professionals to respond, they would have a better understanding of why different laws were created and their purposes today.  Next, in my Small Business Entrepreneurship class; I could get students to post information about writing a Business Plan.  There are so many small businesses out there that either don?t have a plan or don?t know how to create one, that these ?getting started tips? would be helpful.  The blogs could include parts of a business plan as well as resources for new entrepreneurs to utilize.  Finally, I would like to use weblogs for the students we are going to partner with in Denmark.  We really didn?t want to use e-mail partners in case some students were not responsible to replying to their e-mail pals, but weblogs would work.  With this tool, any student could post and any student could reply and no students? feelings would be hurt because they didn?t get a response.  In closing, weblogs create a comfortable atmosphere for our students to learn and collaborate.  I believe they would enhance the students? learning quite a bit, now and in the future.

Posted at 06:25PM Jun 19, 2006 by cballen3 in General  |  Comments[0]