Creating a Blog for Learners

[newby1de]

EDU 590 Students,

Answer these questions by posting a reply.

What did you learn that you did not know about posting a blog?

How might you use blogging in your professional life?

[Unregistered]

When I posted my my I learned that it's going to be very useful to me and the students in my classrrom. I thought that blogging would take too much time but once it's set up your ready to go. I didn't realize that it's a great way to involve students and parents in what's taking place in the classroom. I plan to work a little more on my blog to make it more presentable. The most important thing about the blog for me is going be having assignments and websites available for my parents to help their children practice certain skills. This involvement from the parents will be a wonderful way of preparing my students for the CRCT in April.

[Unregistered]

I learned that a blog can be used more as a discussion tool instead of only a journaling tool. I even read about several schools that worked together to write a progressive story, each writing a paragraph at a time. Older elementary and middle grades would love this. I work in kindergarten so my children probably wouldn't benefit as much from teaching with blogs because of their lack of technical knowledge, but as a communication tool between myself and the parents it would be great. I could also include website links to help improve on the children's computer skills.

[Unregistered]

I learned how to use a blog. I had heard the term, but I never took the time to get to know what exactly it was. It is a great communication tool. Unlike a website, it gives users the opportunity to communicate back and forth. I plan on using the blog I created in the future with my class. It is a great way to encourage open discussion with students and teachers. I also think it will be a great tool to communicate onging projects and during testing time.

[Unregistered]

I learned that blogging is a great way to collaborate with other teachers. As a new teacher, this would be a wonderful way to share challenges and get advice from others. There are many issues that come up that I would love to be able to blog with others about possible solutions.

[Unregistered]

Parkinson-Smith

I learnned a lot about posting blogs. Before i thought it was way too complicated to even attempt and that it was just a waste of time. However, after creating one i realized that it is a bit time consuming but once it is created it isa really cool tool to have and use. As i am working on becoming a teacher (professional life) a blog can be another tool to be used as a means of communication and discussion. It can be a very very useful tool for myself and other teachers to communicate with both other teachers, students and parents. An article that I read in the Wilson Select data base states that a lesson started in class may continue in the form of a discusssion on a blog. In general i think that everyone should know how to create and use a blog at least once.

[Unregistered]

I learned that blogs can be useful in the classroom. They can be used to collaborate with other people or for a journaling tool. However, I learned that people must understand that what they post is out there for the entire world to see so they must be very careful with what they post. It would also be an awesome tool to keep parents informed of what is going on in their child's classroom.

[Unregistered]

A colleague once asked the question “what is a blog?” No on had a clear answer. I am now able to answer that question. Before this course, I was aware of blogs and that they were something posted on the web. No only can I now provide a definition for a blog, I also learned how to create a blog. I learned that a blog can be about any subject and posted by anyone. This course has helped me to understand how blogs can be used in the classroom for sharing information.

In the workplace, blogging can be used to get feedback on projects and proposals. We spend many hours in meetings to discuss a variety of projects, planned activities, products, and services. Blogs would allow project teams to provide their input and exchange ideas without spending so many hours in meetings. Blogs can also be used to obtain feedback from customers.

[Unregistered]

I learned how easy it is to create a blog. Our office has technical individuals that are hired to create blogs and webpages. I never thought creating either would be so easy.

I might use blogging in my professional life by suggesting some of the many list servs that currently arrive by email be replaced with blogging.

[Unregistered]

What did you learn that you did not know about posting a blog?

I used the article written by Jeff Utecht (2007) to complete this Blogging exercise. In the introductory paragraph of his article he states: “There is a problem with Blogs in the classroom – a problem that has many educators looking at Blogging and not understanding why one would want to Blog, how it benefits students, or how it engages them in the learning process” (p. 32). What I learned is how this type of technology can be used to engage students in the learning process. The exercise I posted in my Blog was with respect to my personal profession and what I teach. Typically students are required to post two asynchronous discussions in a discussion board. The students post, the instructor reads the postings and provides a grade. The advantage to using a Blog for this exercise would be that it has the potential to convert these static postings into a forum where students and educators could engage in a conversation to exchange experiences and information. As the students are placed at different clinical sites throughout the Province, I also feel this could provide a forum to connect students who are feeling isolated in their new community.

Reference Article: Utecht, Jeff (2007). Blogs aren’t the enemy. Technology and Learning, 27(9), 32-33

How might you use blogging in your professional life?

In my professional life as an educator, I feel that Blogging could be used to provide an alternative medium to encourage learning in the classroom. I also feel that because it takes time to learn a new technology I tend to not embrace it or learn what it could do to enhance the experience of the students. I also think using this technology would provide time for both myself and the students to “read and reflect” on comments posted which would encourage a “deeper learning”.

[Unregistered]

This is my first experience with blogs. I did not understand why anyone would use them, or how to put one together. I originally thought that people who used or made blogs would have to know a lot about computers or web design. I now know that blogs are about conversation. Unlike emails, blogs record the conversation over time. Blogs are very powerful tools for communication. In fact, a large number of people use blogs in order to determine if they would purchase a new item.

Blogs can be used to communicate with your co-workers outside of office hours. I would use blogs with my students because I like the fact that they record everything, and you can easily see which students are participating in the assignment and which ones are not. They are also useful in teaching by allowing students to feel more comfortable with speaking up and offering insight.

[Unregistered]

I learned that blogging is a highly useful and creative way of expressing your thoughts and your views on certain topics. I have not always been so accepting of blogging, because my lack of knowledge in how things worked within the whole "blogosphere." But, I have learned through my research on blogging, as well as through the creation of my own blogs that they can be very useful not only in the world of education, but within our daily lives.

I have now created a blog on my own personal website for students and parents to address certain issues or questions within the assignments I give.

http://fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us/%7ESAMAAD_W_KEYS/

[Unregistered]

I learned that blogging is a highly useful and creative way of expressing your thoughts and your views on certain topics. I have not always been so accepting of blogging, because my lack of knowledge in how things worked within the whole "blogosphere." But, I have learned through my research on blogging, as well as through the creation of my own blogs that they can be very useful not only in the world of education, but within our daily lives.

I have now created a blog on my own personal website for students and parents to address certain issues or questions within the assignments I give.

http://fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us/%7ESAMAAD_W_KEYS/

[Unregistered]

Much to my surprise, I learned that it was really quite easy to post a blog. Blogs are a way to share ideas or provide information with the immediacy of the internet. Previously, my thoughts were that creating a blog was akin to building a webpage - an experience I find somewhat painful. However, blogging was in complete contrast and actually quite enjoyable. I believe that I will likely join the many who consider themselves "bloggers".

Blogs are tremendously useful communication tools in practically every setting. I have intentions for a variety of ways in which to use blogs in matters both personally and professionally. Presently, I can use blogs as a communication tool for various committee responsibilities. In the future, I know blogging will become a crucial part of my function as an Educator both with students as well as colleagues. I can engage students in interactive projects and various activities. With blogs, I can share lesson plans and collaborate with fellow teachers to develop curriculum. The possibilities are numerous!

[Unregistered]

Before this class I had never created a blog and learning how to create one was fun and easy. I would often read blog postings on different sites from people that I knew, but I didn't know quite frankly, how they created them. It was very interesting to find out how far behind I was in technology. What was even more terrible about this lack of basic knowledge I hadn't acquired was the free sites that were also available to create blogs. The one we used for class included step by step instructions and was very user friendly. I could think of a million creative ways to enhance my blog by using information and images I already had stored on my desktop. If you notice I love flowers especially roses and being able to creat a blog messge using floral images was fanstastic.

In my professional life I would probably used blogging to teach students different activities they need to learn. One of the reasons children do poorly in math is because they are afraid of failing. I would introduce an activity that would be fun and colorful to get them interested in the subject and to get them working. Through these creative and exciting activities I hope to promote learning. I liked blogging so much I think maybe one day I may introduce a forum of some kind where people could read and post messages about subjects that would interest them.

[Candy]

I learned a lot about blogging after creating a blog. I had heard about "blogging" after attending a workshop for my job; however, I had never thought that I had time to actually create one. I learned that it is fairly simple to create, but not so easy to maintain. Blogs are like instant messages that never end. I believe that one of the most important things about blogs is that your topic must be interesting enough to attract an audience or you should have an audience in mind before creating it.

I am always amazed at new technology and since I work for a non-profit, I am always curious as to how we can spend less and get more (isn't everyone now-a-days), communicate with our donors without killing a lot of trees and keeping my co-workers in the loop with upcoming events. The blog structure allows me to do all this and more. I will use blogs to brainstorm fundraising ideas with not just my co-workers, but our donors. I think that it will be a good tool to solicit feedback from our donors about issues that arise within our scope of work, as well update them on new and exciting endeavors at the college. I also recall that one of the articles that I read warned companies who use blogs for work related communications that the information is out there for everyone to see, so we should be mindful of what we type.

[Brinkley]

I learned that blogs are not only an online journal for teachers and students, but it can be used as a communication tool. I have a personal blog in where I do more journaling. My friends post comments and I sometimes reply. I now have a broader perspective on what a blog can do in a classroom.

I have set up a blog and am preparing my students to implement it for daily use. I plan on posting homework assignments, extra credit assignments, and will hopefully add a line of communication between myself, parents, and students.

[Colangelo]

I had assumed that posting a blog would entail much work and technical expertise. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the whole process was relatively easy. I also had always thought that the blog was just about 'sounding off' and found out that blogs can be comprised of more than just writing: blogs can exhibit visual images and videos along with being a forum for critical discussion and the sharing of information.

As a instructor in the visual arts, the blog offers an open forum for discussion on particular works of art. I could post art images on the blog, asking the students for their thoughts on the works. This would allow for a discussion to occur outside the classroom to augment and enhance the practical application skills they are learning in the studio.

Colangelo

[Forte]

Re: Reply to Questions on Blogs - Loreto Forte

1. What did you learn that you did not know about posting a blog and how would I use a blog professionally?
Although I had heard much about blogging, and I knew it involved placing information on the internet, I really did not know about their usefulness and what was involved in the process of creating a blog. Essentially, through my participation in EDU 590, I have learned about (i) the usefulness and applicability of blogs in my profession as an educator, (ii) the availability of blogging software and internet blogging sites, (iii) the simplicity involved in creating a blog.
Blogs are a useful learning tool as they allow communities of people, for example students and teachers, to communicate and share information. The community of users can be extended to involve any number of stakeholders. In the above example, parents may become part of the community so that they are fully aware of what is happening in their children’s’ schools and classrooms. It can be easily seen that the technology can be extended to private organizations, industry, and governments as an effective communication tool. In addition to the postings on the blog itself, links can be added to blogs which lead the visitor to a full range of additional information on the topic of interest. The key difference between blogs and a Web site is that in a blog, the content consists of short, daily postings provided by the community of users. The postings are listed in reverse chronological order.
I was very surprised to learn that there are free internet blogging sites available to bloggers and that many of these sites offer free blogging software. Webspawner.com and Crawldog.com are two noted sites that offer free blogging software and hosting services. Blogging software is easy to use as it consists of predefined templates upon which information is entered. The look and feel of the blog can be selected from a series of templates. This makes it very easy and convenient for novice bloggers. Advanced bloggers, can be more creative through the use more advanced and sophisticated tools.

[Unregistered]

What I have learned about posting a blog is that it is a great 21st century communication tool, more specifically, one that allows you to communicate with millions of people around the world. I've learned that blogs allow you to share your opinions, thoughts, and ideas with people you may not even know. It allows for an open source of communication, where "bloggers" can express themselves to the public, somewhat like a public journal if you will, and allows others to read and comment on their thoughts. The way I would use blogging in my professional life is by implementing blogging in my classroom. I think this would help by engaging the students more, and better understanding them, as well as fostering an environment of open communication, especially among the students themselves. It would allow them to share their thoughts and ideas with each other more openly, and the fact that this generation is so internet driven, this would be something that I could do as an educator to introduce, and incorporate the internet in the classroom, on a different level.

[Unregistered]

What did you learn that you did not know about posting a blog?

The blog I created for the blogging assignment was my first attempt at posting a blog. Therefore, everything about blogging was new to me prior to the assignment. In the genesis of blogs, digital communities used the blog as a bulletin board of sorts. When blogs went mainstream, they became sources of information on various topics and open diaries of sorts for avid bloggers.

In posting my blog, I was not aware of the numerous sites dedicated to helping bloggers post blogs, like blogspot.com. Further more, I did not realize how easy it was to create and post a blog. Essentially, the foundation was set, all I had to do was provide my information and paint my site with my signature creativity.

Blogs have taken many uses. No longer just used as online journals or "gossip columns", blogs serve a great purpose in corporate and education environments. Resourceful corporate organizations use blogs to communicate with their employees. Whether it is formal communication (procedures and policies) or informal communication (events and updates), blogs help organizations stay connected.

Academic institutions, high schools, and some elementary schools also use blogs. High schools have used blogs in order to complete group projects. The blog allows project participants to share information, post information, and edit information. It also allows students to track progress and edits. Invited guests can add their input as well, making it a community project of sorts.

I learned that blogs serve a great purpose in various entities. They allow people to stay informed of other's vantage points and offer their own.

How might you use blogging in your professional life?

In my professional life, I have decided to implement the use of blogs in my office. Too often, people get settled in their offices and cubicles. Suffice to say, communication is not a free flowing entity. To encourage my folks to share and respond to one another, the use of a blog would be a great tool. My employees are more apt to email me concerning issues. I notice that they are more forthcoming when it comes to written word. Thus, a blog would allow them to post information and share their thoughts and ideas with their colleagues and I. More importantly, I would be able to post procedures and policies, in addition to answering any questions they have about the office.