Blogs in Education

Blogs can be incorporated into the classroom to enhance lessons and encourage participation. A blog could very well be used as an alternative to an essay assignment that a teacher can use to assess student comprehension of material taught in class. For example, a blog could be used to quiz the understanding of a take home reading assignment. If computers are readily accessible in the classroom or in the school, the teacher could organize a partial class period for a timed blog. Then, the teacher would be able to read the blogs to assess the students, and the students could have access to each other's posts, providing them with multiple view points. If computers are not readily available, the teacher could assign blog posts for the students as homework assignments, which would result in the same benefits.

Besides the possible shortage of computers in a school, another concern about using blogs in education is the decrease in discussion among students. If lessons are varied, however; the teacher could achieve a balance between the assessment of students so that members of the class have the chance to excel in differing areas. For instance, alternating among blogs, oral presentations and paper tests would offer a variety of ways to keep students interested in the learning material and allow them to succeed through different activities and assignments. Additionally, it would be important to assign open-ended questions with the opportunity for students to express their opinion, otherwise an issue may result with some students relying on internet searches to create their blogs, which would make blogging an unreliable test of comprehension.

In addition to an increased variety in school assignments, the blog would also be beneficial for students because it would allow them to practice using technology, which is becoming increasingly preferred over printed text. Providing students with technological experience, the blog would help in preparing students for higher education levels and future careers. Also, the blog would allow students with different learning styles to succeed in class. Traditional instruction often includes written tests, and blogs could count toward a certain percentage toward student grades, creating diversity in classroom teaching and learning.