Blogs In the Classroom...

Blogs can be used on a daily basis in the classroom to aid in learning and help grab student’s attention in new and fun ways. One way I would incorporate blogs, is to have students answer certain questions each night as a homework assignment. These blogs would act as a journal and also operate as a call of help if children are struggling with the lessons that took place during the day. Students can interact with each other and help other students if someone is struggling. As the teacher I can monitor the blogs and answer questions and be prepared to re-teach the lesson if I find it necessary. Students can also use the blog as an online journal, where they can record their thoughts for the day. The students can interact with other classmates and see what is going on in each other lives on a daily basis. Another way I would use blogs is to set up a sort of “pen pal” program with another school and allow the children to communicate with other kids their age from another state or country. This would allow the children to learn about another place, culture and person. Blogs minimize the use of paper and go along with the going green trend. Blogs is also a good way to stay connected with parents. Announcements can be posted to help keep parents informed of what is going on in the classroom.
Technology is our future and it needs to be incorporated into classrooms to help children broaden their horizons in order to succeed in their future endeavourers. Any type of student/ learner can benefit tremendously from the use of technology. With technology lessons become less lecture based and provide more hands on activities for the students. Using technology is just another way to learn and practice different types of information.
Disadvantages of technology are that some schools do not have the funds to buy pricey computers for each classroom. Children might not get the opportunity to use technology when needed. Technology is also changing everyday and it might be hard to keep up with the advancements. Lastly, using technology can affect a child’s verbal communication skills and ability to socialize with other human beings.