Blogger in the classroom

Blogs allow individual’s to provide commentary or insight on a certain topic or event. In the education setting blogs are beneficial to both the teacher and student. Students can use blogs entries to reflect on their learning, comment on the learning content, and provide their opinion. Moreover, Teachers can view their students’ blogs to understand their students' perspectives, track their understanding, identify gaps in learning, identify high level thinking, and follow their learning journey. Furthermore, blogs allow others to view and comment on entries. This offers a space for peers and teachers to provide valuable feedback based on the entries. As blogs entries are listed reverse-chronologically, students and teachers can track learning. Students can also view their peers learning journey which can show different methods of processing information. Blogs are not only made for entering text; users can insert images as well as provide links to other websites and multimedia which support their entries. This increases the opportunity for students to learn through a number of sources.

Blogger allows the user to create their entry within the website. Images and links can all

Blogger: New Post Webpage

be inserted whilst creating your entry on the website. Blogger settings allow the user to change basic information like username and language. Moreover, it allows the user to change settings regarding: privacy, publishing, comments, permissions, posts and general information. 

Blogger: Privacy Settings 

In an education setting, blogs normally have one author. It is possible to have multiple authors, however, it is best that students have their own so their learning experience is individualised. Blogs have privacy settings that allow the user to control who can view their entries. These settings can be altered depending on the desired outcome. For instance, a teacher and student may find it more beneficial to set up a blog that only the teacher has access to. Therefore, that students can confidently input their entries knowing it is confidential. On the other hand, privacy settings can be changed so Teachers and their peers can view their blogs. This opens up the potential learning that could occur for the user and also the viewer. To go even further, with the ability to control who can access the blog, the opportunity for community members and experts to have input on student learning is greatly increased. This could not be done so easily in a traditional classroom.  

Most blog websites allow the user to customise their page. Blogger (the blog website in which you are reading this) provides many templates that the user can select to best showcase their entries. It also allows the user to customise the page to their liking.

Blogger: Soho Template 

Blogger: Noteable Template 

Blogger is quite easy and straightforward to use. A simple tutorial of the sites features would be enough for individuals to understand how a blog is used. Students' literacy knowledge and skills would need to be at a sufficient level as students need to be able to articulate their learning. Students would benefit from scaffolding that assists them to create their blog entries. Teachers should design questions that guide students to create blogs that outline the desired learning outcome.  

It is the responsibility on the teacher to create a safe learning environment. It is important that the teacher provides students with the knowledge and skills that ensure students understand the legal, safe and ethical protocols of using web spaces like Blogger. 

There are many online tools that teachers can use to showcase how students can practice cybersaftey when blogging.    

Integrating blogs into the classroom allows for a shift from traditional pedagogies to transformative pedagogies. As a teacher I would use blogs to act as a facilitator and provide learning that requires students to take responsibility. I would use blogs to prompt peer collaboration and learning. With blogs being accessible from any location, students can gain access to experts work, and experts can access student work and provide resourceful feedback. Blogs are appropriate to design learning activities that require students to be resourceful and utilise multiple media sources. I would use blogs to design activities which prompt students to reflect on their learning. As a teacher I would use this information to understand student perspectives and identify high performers and gaps in learning. 

Traditonal Pedagogy vs SAMR Model 

Traditional (old) Pedagogy example: Worksheet handout. Students work individually to complete.

SAMR Model Example

Substitution:

Complete worksheet on device 

Augmentation: 

Publish worksheet as a blog and allow peers to comment on work

Modification:

Create a blog using ICT to research. Use blog features to provide links to research  as reference of findings. Publish for audience. 

Redefinition 

Published blog know accessible to experts to provide feedback 

Utilising Web-spaces like Blogs allows teachers to use modern pedagogies, which are effective in ensuring students become 21st learners. The world is evolving and changing everyday; the way students are educated must evolve and change with it.