Blogs and Wikis in Education

1. One of the most interesting blogs I stumble across was a blog all about books. This blog discussed all types of books and their authors and illustrators. Incorporated in the blog is a huge list of authors and illustrator’s blogs or websites allowing children to explore more into the authors or illustrators of their favorite books. I thought this was a great idea for teachers to use for their students. Students can get on the blogs and learn more about the books that are being discussed in class. It provides a resource if they have forgotten the author of a book that they absolutely loved. Overall, the blog is a fun way to learn about books, authors, and illustrators. Another interesting and great way blogs can be used in the classroom is for high school students applying to universities. A blog that I found was made for students in countries outside of the United States that are applying to go to school here in the United States. The blog provided tips for students about applying here. I thought it would be a great tool for teachers to provide to students who are considering going to college in United States. They could show them this blog to help them get unanswered questions or any concerns they might have about applying here. The blog also provides other internet sites that might be important to them to get even further information about applying to college here. Blogs can also be used in classrooms by creating a thread of conversation that students can have with their teacher to learn more about their teacher and other classmates. I found a blog that was created by a teacher who used it to share about herself. She posted on the blog often about what she had done that weekend, where she was going, as well as asking reflective questions for her students. Students and parents could use blogs this way to learn more about their teacher. The teacher also used it as a lesson tool. She asked them questions on the blog for them to answer and bring to class. It would be a less formal way to have students do writing, but would prove to be very fun for the students because it is interactive. She also reminded students of homework that was due or to remember to bring supplies for the next class. I noticed that even during the summer the teacher posted on her blog to let her students know how her summer was going and what she was doing.

2. Aggregators are important and convenient because it allows people using the internet to see when a page is updated without having to check it manually. This can be used within the classroom for teachers who create projects such as WebQuests or blogs that students are doing online. If a teacher is updating part of a WebQuest or adding something in, then aggregators would be useful because it would allow the students to get the new information they needed to know without having to manually check for those updates. If the teacher is using a blog to post response questions for students to answer an aggregator is needed. Then students are able to see the updated questions and responses the teacher has, as well as being able to respond to other students’ recent post. Aggregators allow for these updates to show so students are able to easily respond to the posts and complete homework. Aggregators allow students to be interactive on the internet and have conversations through blogs without having to manually update it, making it much easier and efficient.

3.One of the pros I can see for using blogs or wikis in education is it provides a tool for students to use to learn and do homework, as well as getting to know their teacher. It allows them to become more familiar with the internet. Teachers can use blogs to have creative assignments for them to do instead of just learning from a book or doing worksheets. It allows them to be interactive with their homework which will help them really engage in what they are learning. It can also be used as a resource for students to continue to grow and learn outside of the classroom. The blog all about books is one that students can turn to even after they move up into another grade. It is a way to help them continue to learn about books. They can use it as a tool to create their own book list of their favorite books. There all also cons that blogs and wikis can have in education. One of the major flaws I can see in using blogs in education is dependent upon the age group they are used in. I noticed while searching blogs that it was easy to come to websites and blogs that were not appropriate for elementary students. While students are using this tool it would be very important to educate them on the internet in order to help them not run across websites they should not, as well as what to do if they accidentally do. If blogs were not used correctly and students were not taught the proper way to use it in their classroom it could create a major problem for students. Another bad thing that can arise from using blogs in education is if teachers are using other people’s blogs that have inaccurate information in their education lessons. If a teacher is going to use someone’s blog that deals with tips for writing they need to ensure the information provided on the blog is accurate. Anybody can use a blog and put information on there that is not true. Before using a blog teachers need to be aware of this and look over the blog thoroughly to make sure accurate information is on there.