Blog On

I am personally experiencing how motivating blogging can be. It is fun! When used appropriately, this technology has the ability to facilitate a collaborative learning community and promote learning through meaningful interaction between students and teachers. This is a new venue to create authentic learning opportunities across the curriculum for all ages. New to me anyway!

As a literacy specialist, I am always on the lookout for ways to motivate struggling readers and writers. Blogging fosters independent literacy by allowing students an opportunity to share literacy strategies, post journals, respond to literature and provide learning support to peers by writing online.Blogging can help to establish a literacy rich enviroment where students and teachers are talking about all the things good readers do while reading(Poling,2005). Many struggling students are more successful and eager to share thoughts by keyboarding rather than paper and pencil. Not to mention, the excitement of having a larger audience to communicate with, instead of just their teacher. That being said, teachers would need to keep a careful eye on the content shared within blogs. Students need to respect this venue and be accountable for their comments. Blogging should not turn into another form of social networking.

Unfortunately, This technology may not be readily available to all students. Perhaps due to limited computer access or teachers not knowing or being willing to engage in this learning arena. These issues could be remedied by allowing students the opportunity to blog within the computer lab at school bringing students and teachers together in an online setting. In addition, students could gain access to blogs outside of school using computers at a public library. However, the first step is getting teachers in the loop. This could be accomplished through professional development and supported by administration at the school level to promote technological growth within the faculty. In order to facilitate change and the use of new instructional tools, teachers like students need the motivation to do so. All it would take is exposure and a teacher's ability to find a comfort level with the technology.