Instructional Technology Ponderings

This is a question that I hear often from teachers from all around. I often wonder this very question myself and then something happens that makes me even more certain that blogging is important.

Today, a student sent me an email response that she received from an author of one of our textbooks.  This student posed a question to the author on her blog and the author found the question and responded to her directly through email. The student received the author’s specific ideas concerning her question and her understanding was both clarified and strengthened.

Collaboration, engagement, meaningful learning, and authentic practice are all terms that we hold true in education. We want our students to reflect on assignments, discussions, and readings. We want students to pose questions and seek answers. We want our students to interact with experts as well as with individuals with opposing opinions. Blogging is a good tool to strengthen learning and as a result highlight each of the above points. Blogging allows learners to hear from others outside of the classroom. It has the potential to provide a sense of ownership and authenticity to content. What a great tool for teachers to use in their classrooms.

David Warlick Defends Blogs on his 2 cents worth blog -http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/2007/08/25/in-defense-of-education-blogs/

blogs provide opportunities for sharing ideas, understandings - whether the view beign shared is agreed upon or not.

blogs are not ‘proven to be effective’ so why should teachers use them with their students. Communication is key. The ability to communiate and share ideas is a necessary element for teachers to include in classrooms.

eSchool News http://www.eschoolnews.com/cic/tcea/blog/2007/02/001636.php

Engage and motivate students through blogging

Blogging poses many questions for educators. I hope eventually we as a community can agree that it is an important tool in our classrooms.

First, I have to say that I am excited about UMW setting up this opportunity for students and faculty to share information through blogs. Actually, it looks like many people feel the same due to the numbers signing up so far.

I was just perusing some of the UMW blogs and found quite a few that held my interest. What a terrific way to communicate ideas and information to our community. I cannot wait to see how this develops. My idea for my blog is to explore instructional technology tools, ideas, and theories.

Hopefully, some discussion will develop around some of my postings! Blogs are public and due to this public nature - postings can be read by anyone with an Internet connection. Comments are given and community around a blog has the potential to develop. This is an exciting process.

Blogging has the potential to be used as a vehicle for self reflection and to reflect on the writings of others. Many people have a lot to say and to share.Let’s see if I can coax my students and others to begin sharing.